Intro and design
Workstations have evolved in three different directions. They're adopting a minimalist approach a la Apple Mac Pro, or going the route of an all-in-one like the HP Z1 G2, or more prosaically sticking to the big box approach like this Dell Precision T7610.
When we said big box, we mean it. The T7610 is a massive towering case at 438 (h) x 216 (w) x 545mm (d) (16.95 x 8.50 x 20.67 inch) and weighs about 14Kg (31lb).
It has two integrated aluminium handles, one at the front and one at the back, which makes moving that bulk around surprisingly easy, and it's ergonomically sensible. As expected, opening it is a doddle and the components are neatly arranged in the spacious case.
Big but not brash
Dell sent us the latest iteration of the T7610, one that is powered by a single Intel Xeon processor, the E5-2620 v2, a six-core monster clocked at 2.1GHz (with a 2.6GHz Turbo), 15MB cache and a TDP of 80W.
Our test machine came with Windows 7 Professional, a downgrade from Windows 8.1 that comes by default but a good option for those unwilling to make the jump to a whole new UI.
The charcoal-coloured tower houses a full-size Extended ATX motherboard with an Intel C602 chipset. The latter is populated with 16GB of RAM (four 4GB modules) ECC DDR3 RDIMM clocked at 1.866GHz, an integrated LSI 2308 SAS/SATA controller and a 3GB Nvidia Quadro K4000 full-size card with two DP and one DVI-I port.
Expansion galore
There's one free processor socket as well as 12 other free memory slots (allowing up to 256GB when filled with 16GB memory modules) plus a 1TB hard disk drive from Western Digital, a Caviar Blue model with 64MB cache, along with a slimline optical drive plus a removable 1300W PSU.
It is essentially a clever piece of code that utilises a 128GB Intel SSD to accelerate data transfer, acting as a supersized buffer between the system and the spinning hard drive, all for £148.95. We didn't get to test that option but Dell says that it will significantly improve the system's performance.
Expansion capabilities are unsurprisingly nothing short of exceptional. Two Intel-powered GbE NICs (82579LM and I210), four front-facing USB ports (one of them USB 3.0), 6 rear ones (half of them USB 3.0), legacy IOs (serial plus a pair of PS/2 ports), up to 5 free PCIe slots of various flavours (when used with two processors) and one PCI, one external 5.25-inch bay, 4 x 3.5-inch or 8 x 2.5-inch front accessible hard drive bays. Four are accessible from an external 5.25-inch bay behind a removable plastic bay.
Specs, performance & final verdict
Optionally, you can add a nifty little storage solution from Intel called the Cache Acceleration Software – Workstation (or CAS-W) which is described as the first enterprise-grade caching acceleration software application for workstations.
Note that you won't be able to configure the base unit at all online. Should you want more system memory or two processors, you will have to chat with one of Dell's Customer Service Assistants, who will then provide you with a customised quote, which kind of defeats the purpose of the online-only experience. A Dell CSA told us that the basic online configuration machines are built to ship but any specific configuration is likely to take longer.
You can only tweak the software (McAfee, Microsoft Office or Dell's Data Protection Encryption Software), the peripherals (display, keyboard or mouse) or the services bundled with the machine (data protection, client installation etc). By default, customers get a three-year next business day basic warranty plus a keyboard and mouse.
Performance
When in use, the T7610 proved to be a sturdy, capable, dependable and quiet workstation. It delivers the kind of firepower and data churning capabilities I expect to see with these components.
- PC Mark 8 Creative: 2,389
- Cinebench 15: 56.06 fps/646 points
- SpecWPC: 1.85
Verdict
Dell's base unit price for the T7610 starts at £2027.40 excluding VAT and delivery (about $3445, AU$3660). The similarly priced Apple Mac Pro comes with a quad-core Xeon E5 processor clocked at a much higher clock speed with less RAM and smaller capacity but faster flash storage.
Its dual D300 GPUs are roughly equivalent to a pair of AMD's FirePro W7000 (or roughly two Nvidia K4000 on paper). But comparing both workstations is a tricky and ultimately futile exercise as they are two completely different beasts targeting two different audiences.
We liked
A workstation is not just about raw power and it's a credit to Dell that it is so easy to open the T7610 for a quick peek through. The integrated handles and the front access to the hard drive cage are well thought out, and so are things like the motherboard layout and cable management.
We disliked
It is heavy and voluminous compared to the Apple Mac Pro but then you can't have everything (especially if you expect to swap or add components in the T7610 to increase its shelf life). I was also disappointed by the limited options available on Dell's website, unless you go through the chat console.
Final verdict
The Dell Precision T7610 is a brilliant piece of hardware packing some great components. It's built like a tank, and it feels like one, but is surprisingly quiet when in use, even under load. There's not much competition around as well especially if you're limiting yourself to tier-one vendors like HP or Lenovo.
James Potter