Latitude E5570 configuration questions

Hello,

I am currently looking at two configurations. The offer here in Romania is pretty limited so far.
Basically, there's one with a i5-6300U, integrated graphics and a 256GB SSD and the other one is a i5-6440HQ paired with Radeon R7 M370 and a 500GB HDD. Both with 8GB of RAM.
For me, best combo would be a i5-6440HQ with a SSD and probably integrated graphics (only casual gaming, i guess the HD530 can manage that). SSD is mandatory, can't live without one these days

Two questions arise:
- can i mount an SSD while keeping the 500GB HDD, all this without losing the warranty?
- is the i5-6300U capable of running multiple excel sheets, autocad drawings and also multiple browser tabs?

 

Have you studied the owner's manual to see how the slots are arranged inside? Page 12 of the manual shows an M.2 2280 SSD bay at the end of the 2.5" drive bay but it is unclear if they overlap. The comment here indicates you need some extra parts to fit the SSD.

I suspect that the E5570 will have much in common with the E5470 in which case read this thread which has a report near the end that a an M.2 2242 SSD works in the WWAN slot.

Provided you follow the instructions in the owner's manual, changing parts does not invalidate the overall warranty. Dell's warranty only covers what is supplied by Dell so it's prudent to keep any parts which you remove and put them back if you encounter problems so you can confirm that the problem exists in the Dell-supplied configuration.

Regarding the i5-6300U, I'm running all that you mention with an i5-5300U, and don't feel that CPU power is a constraint. Is you AutoCAD work simple 2D drawings or 3D rendering (the latter will benefit from a more powerful GPU)? The extra CPU cores only matter if you are running programs which are designed to benefit from a multi-cored CPU. The vast majority of programs are still single-threaded. Check the CPU usage on your current computer when you run your normal workload using Task Manager's Performance tab. does the CPU run at full speed for sustained periods (HWiNFO shows the speed of each CPU core, which adds a little more insight).

Inspection of the manual also suggests that you can have either the 6 cell battery or the 2.5" drive. This may be a consideration if you want maximum time away from a power socket.

John

 

Thank you John for your comprehensive reply.
I have searched the forums before posting, found the mentioned post, but still not really clear about the possibility to run both SSD and HDD. Also, as you mentioned, manual doesn't clearly state it. I was hoping, still am, for a owner's reply Maybe someone who succeded.
I currently have a i3 (can't tell exactly which one, bought about 4 years ago), with 4GB of RAM and use the integrated graphics. Working with large 2D files, the pc stutters. I know the current desktop is too slow.
Also, mobility is not that important.
From what you are saying, i get the feeling i could go with the lower spec i5 and be happy for the next 3-5 years.

 

I am 99% sure you can put a 2242 ssd in the wwan port, thus you can run ssd and hdd at the same time. I have the 5570 i5-6300u config and it runs very smooth. I just do Photoshop and very little Premiere, but it is enough for me. I also have a desktop i5-4570 and my laptop runs similar to the desktop.

 

I'm sure that the 4GB RAM is one of your current performance constraints. Once the RAM starts to fill then Windows will dump some of the contents to virtual memory which will slow the system because the drive is concurrently trying to handle both reading material to go into RAM and writing to the virtual memory.

John

 

Right click on my computer and select properties. The window that pops up should list the CPU model.

 

@tr0tt3r - i'll keep that in mind, thanks for the info.
@John Ratsey - i'm confident now that the i5-6300U paired with 8GB will suffice. And i can add more RAM in time.
@alexhawker - i know, it's just that i''m not at work currently to verify

 

Something you haven't mentioned and we haven't discussed is the display. Don't spend your money on a low resolution (and probably low quality) 1366 x 768 resolution panel. Reference to the specs at the back of the manual show that he 1366 x 768 panels are TN panels with poor viewing angles and low brightness. You need the higher resolution panel which has good brightness and also wide viewing angles.

There's not a big difference in price but there is a big difference in quality between these panels. I'm puzzed why, at this stage in the 21st centry, big screen notebooks are offered with displays that have lower resolution than my phone, but I presume that the lower cost is attractive to the bean counters (particularly if buying 1,000 computers) who look at the cost but don't have to look at the displays.

John

 

Haven't discussed this because FHD is the only way. No options. And no touch as well, pointless for me.

 

Good to hear that you have this aspect under control. There's the risk that whoever has specified your limited selection will have chosen the cheaper screen option.

John