Dell’s new lightweight laptop may be a dead ringer for an Apple MacBook Pro, but it’s an entirely different beast — a dedicated 3D CAD mobile workstation, certified for a wide range of applications including NX, Inventor, Catia, SolidWorks & Creo.
As far as mobile workstations go, the slimline Precision M3800 certainly stands out from the crowd. Starting at 1.88kg and boasting an incredible 15.6-inch QHD+ display no other mid-sized CAD laptop can compete on portability. Its aluminium frame, lightweight carbon fibre base, island style keyboard and spacious touchpad all contribute to what is a refined, well built machine.
There is a downside to the elegant design. The Intel Core i7-4702HQ CPU and Nvidia Quadro K1100M (2GB) GPU, standard on all models, are a few notches below what you’d find on a typical 15-inch mobile workstation.
There’s also a maximum of 16GB RAM so CAD models can’t get too hefty. In our CPU-intensive tests we found the M3800 to be around 20-25% slower than a comparative Intel Core i7-4800MQ-based machine.
Graphics also takes a hit, partly due to the processing power of the entry-level to mid-range Nvidia GPU, but also because of the stunning QHD + (3,200 x 1,800) resolution screen.
With three times as many pixels to push around as FHD (1,920 x 1,080), most users will probably experience some slow down in 3D performance.
This will vary according to application, datasets and how you view your models (e.g. plain shaded with edges or realistic materials), but the Quadro K1100M should still be perfectly adequate for small to medium CAD assemblies.
The 15.6-inch QHD+ display may put an additional load on the GPU, but the image quality is exceptional. CAD models are incredibly crisp with fine lines and vibrant colours. The glossy Gorilla glass display is 5-finger multitouch enabled, a nice feature that works best with Windows 8.1.
Our test machine came with a 256GB mSATA SSD for operating system and apps and a 512GB SSHD for data, but there are plenty of others options. The machine boots in a mere 10 seconds, but this is probably mostly down to efficiencies in Windows 8.1.
There are some downsides: there’s no DVD drive, numeric keypad or RJ45 Ethernet port — though a USB to Ethernet cable is included. And because the M3800 is based on a consumer chassis (Dell XPS 15) it misses out on business features such as a fingerprint reader and docking port (though a Dell D3000 USB 3.0 Docking Station is supported).
The warranty is also consumer focused: 1-year compared to the three offered on other Precisions, though upgrades are available.
Under heavy loading fans are also more noticeable than they are standard 15-inch mobile workstations. Some may find the noise annoying but the processors did appear to keep running at full speed even under long term loading.
These compromises may be deal-breakers for some, but for a machine that offers such impressive portability in a stylish minimal package, the Dell Precision M3800 is simply in a class of its own.
To find out more about the advanced materials – magnesium, aluminium, silicone, and carbon fibre – that help make the M3800’s chassis strong and lightweight read our article.
To view comparative scores from other workstations please click here
For details of all our specific CAD/CAM/CAE benchmarks click here
This review is part of a comprehensive buyer’s guide to mobile workstations.
Below are links to the rest of the content
Ultra mobile workstations (14-inch and 15-inch)
HP ZBook 14
Mid-range 15-inch mobile workstations
Schencker W503
HP ZBook 15
Dell Precision M4800
Lenovo ThinkPad W540
High-end 17-inch mobile workstations
Scan 3XS MGW-10
Dell Precision M6800
Workstation Specialists WS-M1760
Click here to download a PDF of the entire mobile workstation buyer’s guide which includes a comprehensive matrix of all the specifications
Specifications
» Intel Core i7 4702HQ (2.20GHz up to 3.20GHz) (4 cores, 8 threads)
» 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3L 1,600MHz
» Nvidia Quadro K1100M (2GB GDDR5)
» 256GB Solid State Drive Full Mini Card + 500GB 5,400RPM Solid State Hybrid Hard Drive
» Graphics driver 326.8
» Screen 15.6 inch LED Backlit Touch Display with Truelife and QHD+ resolution (3,200 x 1,880)
» Keyboard / Mouse Backlit full size keyboard (no numeric keypad); Gesture enabled multi-touch touchpad with two buttons
» Battery Dell 61 WHr 6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery
» Wireless Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 + Bluetooth 4.0
» Ports 3 x USB 3.0 and 1 x USB 2.0 (all with PowerShare)
» Expansion / security 3-in-1 media card reader
» Display outputs HDMI, mini DisplayPort
» Docking No dedicated docking port
» Size (W x D x H) 372 x 254 x 8-18mm
» Weight (machine + power adapter) Starting at 1.88kg
» Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional 64-bit
» 1-year Next Business Day On Site Service (optional 3, 4 or 5 year)
CPU benchmarks
(secs – smaller is better)
CAM (Delcam PowerMill 2010) – ((i) 220 (ii) 336 (iii) 458
CAE (SolidWorks 2010 Simulation) – N/A
Rendering (3ds Max Design 2011) – 299
Graphics benchmarks
(bigger is better)
CAD (SolidWorks 2013 – SPECapc graphics composite) – Benchmark does not run on Windows 8
CAD (Creo 2.0 – SPECapc graphics test) – 4.32
Intel Core i7 4702HQ (2.20GHz up to 3.20GHz) (4 cores, 8 threads)
16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3L 1,600MHz
Nvidia Quadro K1100M (2GB GDDR5)
256GB Solid State Drive Full Mini Card + 500GB 5,400RPM Solid State Hybrid Hard Drive
1-year Next Business Day On Site Service (optional 3, 4 or 5 year)
N/A
220
336
458
N/A
299
N/A
