Dell unloads trio of Precision workstations; Intel Core, Xeon CPUs, NVIDIA Quadro graphics

Dell has expanded its Precision workstation offerings with a pair of new mobile models and another dual-socket rack option with plenty of customizable, high-end specs.

 

Starting with the 15.6-inch M4600 and 17.3-inch M6600 (pictured above, right), these mobile workstations are designed for anyone working with heavy, heavy amounts of data - especially when working with both 2D and 3D graphics. Additionally, even though they’re both a bit large for frequent travel, these machines are still ready for the road being outfitted in with a durable aluminum and magnesium alloy chassis and have been tested for extreme temperatures, vibration, dust, altitude and shock.
There are quite a few intriguing options to choose from with these new Precision workstations, notably the choice between a four-finger multi-touch display (ideal for graphic designers and engineers) or a 100% color-correct PremierColor IPS RGB LED display with PremierColor calibration software for improved image clarity.
Other shared specs include:

• Second-generation Intel Core processor options (Up to Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition)
• AMD Eyefinity (Provides support for up to five displays simultaneously)
• NVIDIA Optimus technology
• GPU options: AMD FirePro Mobility Professional Graphics, NVIDIA Quadro Professional Graphics with up to 2GB of GDDR5 dedicated memory
• DDR3 memory options: Four DIMM slots for up to 32GB of 1,333MHz RAM or up to 16GB of 1,600MHz memory
• Connectivity: Two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and USB 2.0/eSATA combo slot, DisplayPort, VGA and HDMI

There are some definite differences on certain areas, such as maximum hard/solid state drive space and security. The M6600 is the winner here with an optional second hard drive and a 128GB solid state drive with RAID 5 support.
Continuing on to the R5500 Rack Workstation (pictured below), this computing device is also designed for heavy data purposes and is intended to be placed in a centralized location with “remote 1:1 access to the workstation from virtually anywhere.” There are a few options to make the connection, including PC-over-IP hardware-based compression transfers or VMware View software.

To understand the scope of what this workstation offers, here’s a few of the customizable spec options:

• OS options: Red Hat Enterprise Linux; Windows Vista and 7 (Ultimate, Professional or Business)
• Intel Xeon 5600 series quad-core or six-core processors
• Up to 192GB of 1,066MHz or 1,333MHz ECC memory in 12 DIMM slots
• NVIDIA Tesla C2050 GPGPU
• Can handle up to five 2.5-inch SAS or SATA hard drives
• Support for up to five industry standard full-height and full-length PCIe x16 slots (with many NVIDIA Quadro graphics card choices)

Pricing starts at $1,678 for the Precision M4600 mobile station, and the base cost rises to $2,158 for the M6600. These will both be available worldwide on May 10th. The R5500 mobile workstation will roll out sooner on May 3rd in the United States (along with Europe, the Middle East and Africa) with a starting MSRP of $2,551. The rest of the world will get a chance at that one on May 10th as well.

 

Dell Precision T1600 entry-level workstation now shipping

Announced back in February, Dell’s Precision T1600 entry-level workstation is ready for work.
Powered by second-generation Intel Sandy Bridge (Core or Xeon) processors, the T1600 is touted as being 24% more powerful and faster than its predecessors. The machine is highly customizable with room for up to 16GB of memory and dual 2TB 3.5-inch SATA hard drives.
The T1600 also stands as an option for designers and others working with 3D as the workstation supports NVIDIA Quadro 2000 graphics. If 2D suffices your needs, then Intel Integrated HD graphics is the other option.
Dell also reminds us about the “tool less” chassis that opens with a single latch and doesn’t require removing any screws. This is becoming a very common (and welcome) feature on both desktop workstations and personal computers.
Pricing starts normally at $829, but Dell is currently running a special so the system starts at $629. It isn’t clear how long that deal will last, so act fast if you want this for your office space. For a closer look at the Precision T1600, check out the promo video below:

Dell Vostro 460 is first business desktop with Intel's Sandy Bridge processors inside

Dell Vostro 460

Most of the desktops that have been announced that feature Intel’s new Sandy Bridge processors have been gaming computers, but Dell has just launched the Vostro 460, the first business-class desktop using the new chips.
Clearly designed for biz users who need more power than from the typical corporate desktop, the Vostro 460 packs the Core i5-2400 quad-core processor by default, but you can also upgrade to the Core i7-2600 for some hyperthreading action. The base $599 configuration is otherwise pretty spartan — just 1GB of DDR3 RAM, 320GB hard drive, integrated graphics, and no monitor — but you can customize to your heart’s content. That includes discrete graphics options like the AMD Radeon HD 5450 or 5670 and the Nvidia GeForce GT 420 or a pair of hard drives with up 3TB of storage space.
The Vostro 460 is already available to order on Dell’s Web site. You can click here to check out all the details.

Read more:

• CES 2011: HP Envy 17 gaming laptop gets Sandy Bridge CPUs, AMD's new Mobility Radeon 6850M graphics

• First laptops with Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs revealed, all packing Core i7-2630QM quad-core processor

• CES 2011: Dell XPS 17 laptop, XPS 8300 desktop join growing Intel Sandy Bridge brigade

CES 2011: Dell XPS 17 laptop, XPS 8300 desktop join growing Intel Sandy Bridge brigade

I posted previously about Alienware systems that were being fitted with Intel’s new Sandy Bridge processors, but Dell didn’t forget about its mainstream products as well. It’s introduced a refreshed version of its XPS 17 laptop as well as offering the new Dell XPS 8300 desktop.
The XPS 8300 will feature Core i5 and i7 quad-core Sandy Bridge CPUs at a starting price of $749 when the desktop becomes available on January 10. Apparently, it will be available at retailers other than Dell.com, as Micro Center is already listing a version on its Web site. For $1,149.99, this configuration has a Core i7-2600 processor, 8GB of RAM, 1.5TB hard drive, and an AMD Radeon HD 5770 graphics card.

Dell XPS 17 laptop.........the real power

The XPS 17 gets new Core i3, i5, and i7 mobile processor options as well as brand-new Nvidia GeForce GT 500M series graphics cards. There’s also a 3D configuration available that upgrades your screen to a 1,920×1,080 3D display and comes with the Nvidia GeForce GT 555M graphics card, though you’ll need to buy Nvidia’s 3D glasses separately. You also get an integrated subwoofer, Skype HD certified webcam, and chiclet-style keyboard. You’ll have to wait a little longer to grab this model: The new XPS 17 will be available on February 1 at a starting price of $1,449.