Dell Precision M4700 and M6700 - Preliminary Info

Oh, goodie, a 120 Hz screen (need it for gaming)

If it's of an OK quality (e.g. not like the first Chi Mei screens on M6600), it will help me get over not getting the IPS screen as I need the battery life (graphics switching).

 

AMD's firepro M4000 has either 1GB or 2GB GDDR5. Both Dell and HP offer M4000 with 1GB, is it possible that Dell will offer in the future an upgraded 2GB M4000 for the precision M4700?

 

Of course, Dell did not let the M6700 pricing/configuration/purchasing webpages go online until precisely after the recent "35% off any mobile Dell Precision workstation coupon" officially ended (7:00 AM Eastern time this morning). Although many company contracts and/or contacts afford comparable deals, many of us do not have access to them (work as independent contractors, with very small companies, etc.). Anyone expect/guess another 35% coupon for mobile precisions anytime soon or was that just to try to unload some of the M6600 inventory before the M6700s went up for sale online?
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Precision M6700 Mobile Workstation Details | Dell

 

Eh, I'm not impressed with the pricing or configuration options. It's all over the place, varying significantly depending which of the starting models you choose.

Not cool, Dell. Take a page from HP's otherwise-awful site: easy configuration options FTW. Speccing out a HP z820 is the easiest thing since sliced bread.

 

Also, why is the IPS display not available with the ATI card? Wasn't that fixed for the M6600, ultimately? I'm displeased to see it re-enter.

Edit: And showing the only upgrade from the ATI card as the NVidia 5000k? ? Jumping $1,640 in graphics card price as the only option with the IPS display?

Major W-T-F there.

Oh, and it's real cute to "recommend" 3 years ProSupport and only offer 4- or -5year of Accidental Damage protection, meaning you can't get 3 years ProSupport + Accidental Damage - you need to get 4 years ProSupport, nevermind your upgrade schedule.

This is sort of a disaster for web-ordering.

And the pricing on the 120Hz 3D-capable display is whoozy.

editedit So - W T F is removed from posts on publish? Ok. I guess.

 

Now that we're finally able to buy, I'm looking for recommendations on memory and SSD upgrades. Dell's "upgrades" seem pricy, but not knowing the market, I need some help to ensure I get the right parts. Specifically, I'm looking to get 32GB DDR3-1866MHz SDRAM and 2 x 512GB SSD's as the 2nd and 3rd drives. I'm willing to go with Dell's 256GB SSD mini-card as my primary drive but if there's a 512GB aftermarket option that's cheaper, I'd consider that too. Thanks in advance!

 

Just wanted to post an update here about mSata speed.

In HWINFO it shows the mSata drive as being Sata3, but when I test it I am getting Sata2 speeds. Fully pegged out Sata2 speeds, but still Sata2.

I may have misread what I saw in HWINFO and the Owner's Manual may be right. Sorry about the confusion. I have gone back and updated my older posts. I will keep testing, but everything currently points to the mSata drive being Sata2.

 

how is that possible, when the chipset has 2 sata3 ports? (2xDrivebay/1xDriveBay+CDrombay)

 

EXACTLY.
I have been waiting for this machine and was very excited about the spec, but IPS only with the nv5000? That is mental.

 

Are you sure? From leaked docs I was under impression that it is still Sata2.