News on Haswell based mobile Precision M6800 ?

- Hashwell CPUs advantage AVX2
- better display connectivity with support for higher resolutions, high Hz, and 3D
- maybe possibility to use iGPU on low loads even with ATIs firepro or 10bit display?
- LTE Modem.e.g. Intel talks up first in-house LTE modem
- Wlan ac
- more screen touch options/wacom digitizer?

 

AVX2, yes, OK, naturally the CPUs bring some optimizations, but is it really worthy of a special mention?

Display connectivity support? Doesn't that depend primarily on the dedicated graphics card? And these are pretty much the same.

The 10-bit color support doesn't seem to be present the new Intel GPUs, but Dell might decide to support Enduro this time around.

Don't know what WLAN AC refers to..

 

I don't see any, at least none of any consequence. Minor improvements is all.

As for the chassis, funny that Dell got so much heat from reviews any yet all Apples chassis look the same from day one? To be sure, I'd appreciate stability and workmanship over glossy exterior. Get everything working internally with the precision of a Swiss watch first (see what I did? ), then tinker with cosmetics. Especially when non of that makes the laptop work any better.

Still, none of us want to carry around an antiquated chassis from the 90s. HP did an admirable job updating their chassis (but that's just because it was such a butt ugly used parts bin abomination to begin with), but is the chicklet keyboard more functional than the one it replace? Even so, I do appreciate Dell's discretion of sparing us the Batman signal glowing log--at least for this go round.

That said, if I had a wish list, I'd be for more recess in the ports. I can add two more USB 3.0 ports (no, they're not as fast as the integrated ones), but it module sticks out a bit. 2) when the battery, a latch that comes down or a cover or even better, a wrap around chassis? 3) and if I must, a bit richer looking/feeling keyboard and surround. I feel as if I just bought a fully equipped Mercedes with vinyl upholstery. 4) I'd also continue the move toward all 3.0 USB, and go for that coveted Thunderbolt port in lieu of VGA.

You'd think that would be a bigger priority with their their feud and all? But I'd like to see Thunderbolt incorporated first.

Really? Not from where I'm sitting.

 

Also, I couldn't find much about the actual chipsets being used for mobile Haswell - one important issue here would be the current SATA2 limitation for the mSATA port.

 

voted. Just for fun, thought I'd ask for a WQXGA option ( 2560x1600, also 16:10 ).

 

Wish list would be something like this :
Thunderbolt
Ultrabay options
2x Msata
New touch/stylus ips panel and design
Lid open all the way to "tablet mode"
Possibly reduce some weight

If they keep the same design, there are little reason to upgrade from even m6600 unless cpu power and battery life value a lot.

 

I don't mind the design continuation. Especially since its a utilitarian device, and maintaining it gives greater value in current machines. Making it "pretty" won't matter much on a construction site, or conference room.

That said, a new design would solve that pesky battery out instability issue. But really, exteriors aren't going to compel me to go out and buy a new machines. It power, upgradeability, and connectivity, like your dual mSATAs or Thunderbolt, or USB 3.0 all around, or 2k display.

These are what interests me. Looks are a convenient tool to promote sales in the absence of these. But that's not what I look for primarily in a workhorse computer.

 

Personally, I wouldn't mind a design a tad thinner, a battery that doesn't have a rubber foot on it too, kinda makes it hard to run the notebook without the battery. The M6700 was a refinement of the M6600 if you read Bokeh's review. I'd like for the M6800 to continue that trend.

 

So the question would be, do we continue to refine, or start over?

I'm pretty sure we could have just as easily purchased the ultimate thin and light Macbook Pro instead of a Precision.

Nevertheless, we all chose Precision. Why? Because we know in the greater scheme of things that the compromises were too great:
Its flexibility? Its capacity? Its performance? It upgradeability? For all its superior thin and lightness, it wasn't enough to supplant our desire for those things we needed most.

If MBP could give me thin and light plus all that I have in the Precision I would certainly have chosen it instead.

One more thing, it was really all about new chassis would we all have simply chosen the HP 8770? Clearly, there's a lot more to this equation than just the cover.

 

I see the Precision as arguably the most powerful reasonably mobile workstation on the market (my Dell bias noted) - the 6700 is one high performance laptop. While thinner and lighter is better, IMHO not if it unduly compromises performance, capacity, or upgradability. This is all a tradeoff decision of course, but IMHO Dell has other options if people want a truly lightest/thinnest laptop. Precision is a performance workstation, and should continue as one.