Dell Precision M6700 Notebook Review: The Enterprise Split
by Dustin Sklavos on December 12, 2012 7:43 PM ESTApplication and Futuremark Performance
The Intel Core i7-3920XM CPU that powers our Dell Precision M6700 review unit isn't just the fastest notebook CPU we've tested, it's also potentially as fast as a desktop Ivy Bridge processor. At the same time, the NVIDIA Quadro K5000M is based on the fastest mobile gaming GPU currently available, and the M6700 is also enjoying a Samsung PM830 SSD as its system drive. All told, this should be the fastest notebook we've tested thus far.
So what happened? It looks like PCMark slightly favors the Crucial m4 SSD the Clevo notebook uses. That's unfortunate, and frustrating, as once again PCMark shows it skews so hard towards the SSD that a system with a substantially more powerful CPU (lack of access to QuickSync notwithstanding), the Dell Precision M6700, is somehow eclipsed by a gaming notebook. But then I've been campaigning to remove PCMark from our testbed for some time now.
3DMark06 at least reveals the substantial performance of the i7-3920XM.
Inexplicably, Clevo's P170EM is able to produce better first pass results in our x264 benchmark, but in all other cases the M6700 is faster. For comparison sake, a stock i7-3770K (the one in the HP h9 Phoenix) is able to produce 100fps in the first x264 pass and 40.51fps in the second; that means that Intel's fastest (well, second-fastest now that the i7-3940XM is available) mobile chip is actually able to nip the heels of their fastest mainstream desktop chip. That also means that the 100MHz bump to the 3940XM is probably enough to get it to 3770K-level performance, which is frankly astonishing.
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ShieTar - Friday, December 14, 2012 - link
Manufacturers are able to produce significantly moer powerful performances for desktop platforms. The article above already shows a single Quadro K5000 in a Lenovo D30 outperforming the notebook. Dell will be happy to give you dual K5000s in a precision T7600. nVidia will happily tell you that even 4 K5000s are an option with Quadro Sync.If anybody will send this kind of 12k$ to 20k$ Workstation to Anandtech for testing is a whole different question.
Also, AMDs 8-cores are not the desktop counterpart to this notebook. Think quad-socket 16-cores instead.
silenceisgold - Thursday, December 13, 2012 - link
Anandtech, can you all figure out why Dell can't get any 15.6" IPS displays for the M4700? I just got one right after they took the IPS option off of their website, but the option is still everywhere on their support documentation. It really ticks me off that we just payed a ton of money for one of these, and I can't return it for one with a proper display. It would be awesome if you could blow the lid off of whatever sourcing issues they are having, since their customer service won't say anything at all.Alvern - Thursday, December 13, 2012 - link
Somebody on Notebook Review said that Dell couldn't get quality screens from their suppliersilenceisgold - Thursday, December 13, 2012 - link
ok, that's great. but why? LG (which I believe is the supplier) has been making IPS screens now for ages, what's going on now that would change that?And why did they yank the option without some sort of notification on their site. The support manual says there should be a 3D option too; not there as well.
critical_ - Thursday, December 13, 2012 - link
The M4700 had corner tint issues on the IPS display which, we assume, is what led to Dell dropping that option.twtech - Thursday, December 13, 2012 - link
Instead of trying to squeeze the keypad in, I'd prefer they just skipped it, and used the space to provide desktop-size keys. I actually don't even use a keypad on my desktop at work. As a programmer, I frequently type in numbers, but they're almost always mixed in with letters and symbols.I realize that some people do use the keypad, and I'm not saying that all laptops should be built that way, but I would like to have the option to buy a Windows laptop with that configuration from someone.
spiceshaper - Friday, December 14, 2012 - link
Alternating my gaze between a Microsoft Natural Keyboard and my M4700. Can't really see the difference in the key sizes.Tech-Curious - Sunday, December 16, 2012 - link
Are the notebook's keys slightly closer together? That's the only thing that leaps to mind when I read twtech's complaint. My 17" laptop has a full keyboard similar to the Dell's, and it does feel significantly more cramped, even disregarding the placement of the arrow/numpad keys.The keys are the same size, though. You're right about that.
superjaw - Thursday, December 13, 2012 - link
As a user of the M6700 and MBP, I have to say most of the criticisms not to be founded.The case and build quality both are top notch, the palm rest has been switched to a pleasant soft touch rubberized. It is also extremely user serviceable all the way down to using MXM standard GPUs and socketed processors.
I don't think the hardware options can be knocked in any way, full Ivy Bridge processor options and a wide range of GPU, storage, display, and connectivity options.
Personally I don't have the IPS screen (I prefer the battery life of Optimus 7+hours), but from what I've read on the notebookreview.com forums the Dell IPS screen when properly calibrated has a larger gamut than the HP screen.
I appreciate an honest review that points out the potential flaws, but this review seemed to immediately counter any glimmer of positively with some sort of comment about disappointment that gives a 8.5/10 laptop a 3/10 perception. Any machine has it's negatives but it really is not a fair portrayal of an excellent machine.
Here are some prime nbr threads:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-latitude-vost...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-latitude-vost...
hrrmph - Friday, December 14, 2012 - link
I wish the reviewers would be harshly critical of both the Dell and the HP mobile workstations. Actually, all 17" machines for that matter. But, especially the Dell and the HP, since we all know what they purport to be:They are supposed to be the ultimate in mobile computing and desktop replacement.
I get very hopeful each time they offer a new model... but, upon closer scrutiny each 'new' model looks like a bowl of yesterday's runny oatmeal mixed with a few chunks of fresh fruit.
It'll do, but its not an ideal representation of what could be currently had if someone would bother to do the cooking they get paid for...
...and we all know it.
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