Dell Precision 3430 SFF Tower
Dell is doing its bit to redefine the entry-level desktop workstation with two new machines based on the six core Intel Xeon E3-2100 CPU.
This is the first time Dell has offered a six core CPU in an entry-level workstation, so this is big news for CAD users who also rely on ray trace rendering or simulation as part of their workflow.
The Dell Precision 3630 Tower is 23 percent smaller than the previous generation, made possible by dropping the 5.25-inch optical drive bay, but offers more expandability. It can support up to 14TB of storage across five drives (one M.2 NVMe SSD + two 3.5-inch HDDs or four 2.5-inch HDDs) and up to 64GB of 2,666MHz DDR4 memory.
Notably, the Precision 3630 Tower offers up to Nvidia Quadro P5000 graphics, a powerful GPU that can be used for real time viz, rendering and VR.
It’s a significant step up from the Quadro P4000 that was the top model on offer in its predecessor, the Precision 3620. Dell also offers a range of other Nvidia Quadro and AMD Radeon Pro GPUs, better suited to 3D CAD.
The Dell Precision 3430 Small Form Factor Tower offers many of the same benefits as the Precision 3630 but in an even smaller form factor.
The main difference is graphics with the 3430 limited to Nvidia Quadro P1000 or AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100. These GPUs should be fine for entry-level to mid-range CAD, but likely too slow for game engine viz or GPU rendering. VR on this machine is out of the question.
The Precision 3430 is also more limited in storage with up to 6TB in total (one M.2 NVMe SSD + one 3.5-inch HDD or two 2.5-inch HDDs).
Meanwhile, Dell has added support for Intel Core X-series processors, in addition to the Intel Xeon W processor options already available on the Dell Precision 5820 Tower. These new processor options bring the enhanced performance and reliability of a workstation at a more affordable price point for customers.
The Dell Precision 3430 Small Form Factor Tower starts at £979.
The Dell Precision 3630 Tower starts at £859.
Dell Precision 3630 Tower
