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Sometimes you don’t need the most cutting-edge technology in your desktop. Sometimes all you need is a class-leading functionality for a great price. That’s what the Dell Inspiron 3847 (i3847-4923BK) offers in a nutshell. It has a 4th Generation Intel Core i3-4150 processor (3M Cache, 3.5 GHz), Intel HD Graphics 4000, 1TB SATA (7200RPM) hard drive, and 8GB in a minitower chassis. The desktop is basic, fast, easily expandable, and has great bang for the buck. For those reasons, it earns our Editors’ Choice for budget desktops.
Design
The Dell Inspiron 3847-4923BK essentially has the same design with most Inspiron desktops in this line, bringing to your home or small office a full-black plastic chassis, except for the chrome-colored Dell ring on the tower’s front bezel. There are the usual drop-down covers for the optical drives and USB 2.0, and there’s a 8-in-1 digital media card reader hidden in there too.
The back panel is quite utilitarian, with the majority of the desktop’s ports: 4 USB 2.0 ports (out of six total), 2 USB 3.0 ports, Ethernet, Audio and HDMI port. HDMI is great if you have a monitor that supports this interface as it can handle both audio and graphics without the need for more cables. You can even hook the system up to an HDTV in a few seconds.
Performance
The interior of the i3847-4923BK has sufficient real estate space for future upgrades. In case you fill up the included 7,200rpm 1TB drive, the system can handle another hard drive, plus you can even install a Blu-ray optical dive in future once they get cheaper. It doesn’t have any free memory slots, but I guess for most buyers of a budget PC, the included 8GB should be okay.
The Inspiron 3847 has two PCIe x1 slots, one PCIe x16, and one PCI slot free. You should easily be able to install a Wi-Fi card, in addition to the Dell WirelLes-N1705, which also supports Bluetooth 4.0 transfers. The 300W power supply on the back may limit you to mid-range graphic cards, but it will certainly allow for installation of an additional drive, Wi-Fi card, and an additional optical drive without a problem.
The Dell Inspiron 3847 (i3847-4923BK)’s Intel Core i3-4150 processor with built-in Intel HD 4000 Graphics is quite a score a desktop in this category. All these specs make it possible to gain better speeds on multimedia activities, with subtle multitasking options. The Inspiron i3847 is pretty basic compared with most high-end PCs, but if you need to replace a 5-to-7-year-old desktop with a Pentium 4 in it, this is going to blow your mind.
Recommended
Dell i3668-3106BLK-PUS Inspiron, (7th Generation Core i3 (up to 3.90 GHz), 8GB, 1TB HDD), Intel HD Graphics 630, Black with Silver Trim
2 used from $249.00
The Bottom Line
So why should you buy the Dell Inspiron 3847 (i3847-4923BK)? It’s got many of the features that cost thousands of dollars more only several years ago, such as 8GB of memory, 1TB hard drive, built-in 802.11 Wi-Fi. This Dell is one of the least expensive systems out there today, and it is just about all you need, especially if it’s your third, fourth, or fifth PC, and intended to replace one you bought years ago.
The extra speed and expandability plus no bloatware are what keep the Inspiron i3847 ahead of other desktops. That’s why it gets a nod in our Editor’s Choice in new entry-level desktop worth looking at as you shop for a desktop PC.
