Dell Precision T7610 review

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.