Dell announced its Studio Hybrid desktop Tuesday -- with an emphasis on small and stylish. The Round Rock, Texas, computer maker set a list price for the stock system at $499 with an Intel TZ390 dual-core processor.
The form factor for the Studio Hybrid, according to Dell, is 80 percent smaller than standard desktop models. It comes in an array of seven removable color sleeves, including bamboo.
What's Under the Hood?
All Studio Hybrids come with a minimum of 1GB of memory, a 160GB hard drive, a dual-layer DVD drive, and 5.1 surround sound. Upgrades include Blu-ray drives for $250 and processor upgrades up to an Intel Core 2 Duo T9500 for $625. All systems come with HDMI HD outputs and Windows Vista Home Basic. In addition, the Studio Hybrid includes a TV tuner for watching broadcast TV live or recording to the hard drive.
According to the company, the system uses 70 percent less power than a standard desktop. The packaging is made from 87 percent recycled materials, and even includes a recycling kit for when the machine is replaced with something else.
Hewlett-Packard and Sony have a tighter grip on the home-computer market than Dell, according to industry analysts. The HP Pavilion line has been popular with gamers and PC-to-TV multimedia enthusiasts with its raft of video, audio and storage options, including a base $699 system that comes with Blu-ray. Another competitor is the Apple Mac mini, which at $599 also boasts a small form factor, high-definition video and comparable processor and memory options.
Sony's popular VAIO PCs are also competitively priced and full of multimedia and connectivity options. The VAIO carries the same footprint as a standard desktop, however. On the high end, Sony recently announced the LT/PC HDTV. More than a string of acronyms, the machine is a wall-mounted HDTV already integrated...

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