Dell is a contract systems builder. They do not own the chip or circuit board manufacturing facilities. They contract for parts, as was stated previously........Dells are okay systems for people who know nothing about or don't care about building for performance. I have a close friend who is a chip designer in San Jose.....he uses a Dell server work station because it does what he asks it to do and it doesn't matter didly squat to him whether they are upgradable or not! They are "throw away" PC's, as he says.