Dell Precision M4600 Review: Mobile Workstation Muscle Discussion

[Jerry Jackson]

A "mobile workstation" isn't the same as a typical business notebook and the 15-inch Dell Precision M4600 isn't the same as a typical mobile workstation. This impressively durable powerhouse is available with just about every high-end component you can imagine ... but is it worth spending more than $4,000 on a mobile workstation? Keep reading to find out.

Read the full content of this Article: Dell Precision M4600 Review: Mobile Workstation Muscle

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[SemiExpert]

$4,442.00? Well, the CPU alone supposedly costs $1096, according to Intel, but all the same, this is a shocking price. Is it any wonder that so many posters on these forums buy from the Dell Outlet? In hindsight, I don't think that I personally benefited from buying new-new units from Dell Business. By all accounts, Outlet customers receive the same level of customer service.

There are lots of ways to cut costs when it comes to ordering a Dell Latitude or Precision, if you aren't dealing with the Dell Outlet, and the best is to buy with the least expensive memory and storage options and do the RAM and SSD/HDD upgrades yourself. Why pay $240 for 8GB of RAM when you can do the upgrade yourself for as little as $25 to $40?

[msjgriffiths]

Eh. I have minor quibbles:

I was expecting the reviewer to point out that the IPS panel prevented users from using NVidia Optimus graphics-switching technology, which would increase the battery life rather a lot (6-7 hours, if not more). The tradeoff is between display quality and battery life.

I'd also expect the reviewer to point out that the starting price is around $1,000 (not $1,500, which is the M6600) and the price premium of the i7-2960QM is $700 over the i7-2860Q - making the comparison between it and the Thinkpad W520 a little less compelling.

Still, a good review and nice to see it :-)

[SemiExpert]

I was expecting the reviewer to point out that the IPS panel prevented users from using NVidia Optimus graphics-switching technology, which would increase the battery life rather a lot (6-7 hours, if not more). The tradeoff is between display quality and battery life.

Now that's a real shocker? A $449 display upgrade impacts the switchable graphics? Why? Thanks the for heads up. By all accounts Ultrasharp FHD 1080P display is already quite respectable in terms of color gamut and viewing angles, and at only $50, represents good value for most users.

[sgogeta4]

The Intel gpu didn't support the 10 bit ips panel. It supports up to 8 bit.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[Mitlov]

$4,442.00? Well, the CPU alone supposedly costs $1096, according to Intel, but all the same, this is a shocking price. Is it any wonder that so many posters on these forums buy from the Dell Outlet? In hindsight, I don't think that I personally benefited from buying new-new units from Dell Business. By all accounts, Outlet customers receive the same level of customer service.

There are lots of ways to cut costs when it comes to ordering a Dell Latitude or Precision, if you aren't dealing with the Dell Outlet, and the best is to buy with the least expensive memory and storage options and do the RAM and SSD/HDD upgrades yourself. Why pay $240 for 8GB of RAM when you can do the upgrade yourself for as little as $25 to $40?

It's a fully-loaded machine sent to a reviewer. Of course it's expensive. You can get a respectably-equipped M4600 for under $2000, including:

i7-2860Q
Quadro 2000M
8 GB RAM
750 GB 7200 rpm HDD
1080p non-IPS screen

Hell, if I were to need another computer tomorrow, there's a good chance I'd get a $1,320 M4600, which includes:

i5 CPU
AMD Firepro 5950M
1080p non-IPS screen
4 GB ram
750 gb 7200 rpm HDD
Webcam
Backlit keyboard

In short: the M4600 can be as expensive or as cheap as you like. Yeah, if you load it up with an IPS screen, top-end CPUs and GPUs, and huge SSDs, it'll get expensive. But it doesn't have to be if you're reasonable with the spec sheet, same with any other machine.

[MidnightSun]

And, to add to that, if one were to call in and talk to an actual Dell Sales representative, it's likely that they'll offer you an even greater discount. Believing the MSRP price in review configurations is like paying sticker price for a car.

[Charles P. Jefferies]

HP has the same pricing scheme with its EliteBooks; they are crazy expensive @ MSRP. Talk to a rep and you can get 20-28% off; better yet, try your luck in the refurb/outlet stores.

The M6400 is an awesome notebook, especially with that IPS panel. It's rare to find notebooks with better-than-average screens these days, I can count most of them on two hands. I like the look of the design better than the standard Dell Latitudes.

[Mitlov]

HP has the same pricing scheme with its EliteBooks; they are crazy expensive @ MSRP. Talk to a rep and you can get 20-28% off; better yet, try your luck in the refurb/outlet stores.

The M6400 is an awesome notebook, especially with that IPS panel. It's rare to find notebooks with better-than-average screens these days, I can count most of them on two hands. I like the look of the design better than the standard Dell Latitudes.

What blows my mind about EliteBook pricing is the vaaaaaast difference between preconfigured models and build-your-own models. I can find a prebuilt model on HP's page that I like with an M5950 and 1080p screen for about $1500; building my own is easily a thousand more.

[Charles P. Jefferies]

What blows my mind about EliteBook pricing is the vaaaaaast difference between preconfigured models and build-your-own models. I can find a prebuilt model on HP's page that I like with an M5950 and 1080p screen for about $1500; building my own is easily a thousand more.

That's where the discounts come in. The CTO models carry a ridiculous premium, I agree. Sometimes they post codes right on the configuration page. Best way to order an EliteBook is to call HP. Mine is CTO; I got 24% off. I have seen people get up to 28% off.