Dell has a new ad out where a computer is being built on an assembly line while the customer casually describes what he’s going to be using it for. Dell asks, “what do you think you’ll use it for?” The customer says something like, “oh… my kids are into games” and then the trendy assembly line of white collar workers casually add in a “high performance graphics card” off an overly complicated robot shelving system. This is akin to the evil geniuses of James Bond; ridiculously expensive and overly-elaborate evil bases in which the funding is the greatest mystery.

But then, the real outrage happens. Dell asks, “what kind of display do you want?” The customer says, “let’s go with the 20 inch.” Someone puts the 20 inch LCD on the assembly line belt. And then he says, “nah, let’s go with the widescreen.” The moment he says that, the 20″ is pulled off the belt and the “widescreen” LCD is put on there. What Dell doesn’t advertise is that this mere widescreen is the 3007fpw, a $2200 screen. Whereas the 20″ is a 2007fpw that is on sale for about $380 right now. So this guy obviously has no problem making a $1900 decision. Not to mention, you have to get a card that has dual-link DVI on it, something that requires a $300-600 graphics card.