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Dell Precision M6500 Mobile Workstation

First Look Review: System provides stellar performance and expandability for demanding users on the go.

For some time, Dell's Precision line of mobile workstations has met the needs of high-performance users on the go. Now, the company's new Precision M6500 mobile workstation raises the bar even higher with its performance and flexibility. Dell made a splash a few months ago when it launched the model at Autodesk University 2009, calling it "the world's most powerful mobile workstation." We decided to put this model to the test in Cadalyst Labs.

The Precision M6500 is based on the Intel Core i7 quad-core processor. The system we reviewed was built on the Intel i7-920XM processor Extreme Edition, which uses a 45-nm die. The base frequency of the i7-920XM is 2.0 GHz, and the maximum frequency while running in Turbo mode is 3.2 GHz. This processor features 8 MB of Intel Smart Cache and a 64-bit instruction set.

The Dell Precision M6500 has four memory DIMM slots and can accommodate 16 GB of installed RAM, although the review system came with 4.0 GB of 1,333-MHz DDR3 SDRAM. Memory bandwidths available for the system are 1,066, 1,333, and 1,600 MHz. Graphics power was provided by the NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M, which is one of many available NVIDIA and ATI cards. Several LCD screen options also are available. The review system included a 17" RGB LED LCD panel that has an integrated camera and microphone. Display resolution as high as 1,920 x 1,200 is available with this particular panel.

The Dell Precision M6500 has choices — lots of choices. Two dedicated hard drive bays plus an installed SSD mini-card provide more than 1 TB of capacity. Users can choose a processor, graphics card, display panel(s), type of optical drive (the review unit came with a front-loading drive), and operating system (Windows Vista 32/64, Windows 7 32/64, Windows XP 32/64, and Red Hat Linux v5.3 x64).

Engineering, Design, and Connectivity

 The Dell Precision M6500 is relatively compact for a workstation, measuring 15.4 x 11", and 1.35" thick at the front to 1.5" thick at the back. The finish is a dark metallic anodized aluminum gray that resists fingerprint smudges. (A special-edition Covet model features a vibrant orange chassis and an edge-to-edge 17" screen, starting at $4,219.) A backlit keyboard comes standard on all models.

With the WXGA+ display panel, DVD-ROM drive, and nine-cell battery, the preliminary weight of the model reviewed was 8.42 lbs — not the lightest mobile system I've seen, but not unexpected for a system of this caliber.

The Precision M6500 has numerous connectivity options, including a powered six-pin 1394 connector, four USB 2.0 connections (current quad-core models ship with two USB 3.0 connectors on the left and two USB 2.0 connectors on the right, one of which is a dual USB/eSATA port), and VGA, DisplayPort, RJ45, and audio ports. Additional connectivity options include Bluetooth 2.1 and ultra-wideband (UWB; comselected countries only), wireless LAN, next-generation mobile broadband, GPS, Dell Wireless 1397 802.11g or Dell 1510 802.11 a/g/n 2x3 mini-card, Intel Wireless 5300 802.11 a/g/n 3x3 mini-card, and Dell Wireless 5620 HSPA — EVDO Revision A (selected countries only).

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