Precision 7730,5530,7530 (Coffee Lake) pre-release

Speculating about the timing of the Precision XX40 series already... Normally these systems launch about 15 months apart, timed with Intel's CPU releases. I've been worried that Intel may slip on Ice Lake CPUs (which would power the next-gen Precisions), because it's been looking like they're not even going to have Cannon Lake out (in volume) this year. Cannon Lake is their first 10nm architecture, and it was supposed to be low-end CPUs only with Coffee Lake (just now launching) filling in the high-end at 14nm, and the Cannon Lake successor Ice Lake bringing high-end 10nm CPUs one generation later.

Sure enough, today comes news that Cannon Lake won't arrive in volume until 2019, so it seems likely to me that it will be more than 15 months before we see Ice Lake on the market.

That said, it says that they will continue iterating on the 14nm line until 10nm is ready, which was previously not really expected. So, maybe we'll see yet another 14nm batch of CPUs next year (basically a successor to Coffee Lake)...
[Edit] There will indeed be another 14nm generation, it is "Whiskey Lake".... So, I'd speculate that's what the Precision XX40 will be based on (and the 15-month schedule can be maintained), and Ice Lake will go to XX50.

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@Dell-Mano_G
Thanks for stopping by. Can you answer a few more questions?

Are we correct in that the ePort dock has been removed from these systems? (Haven't seen it officially confirmed and also haven't seen a photo of the bottom side of these systems.)
Can the 7530 and 7730 operate normally without a power adapter if connected to two docks? (TB16 or WD15) (More of a curiosity for me but I will probably do it to have three 4K displays connected...)
[Edit 2] - This one may be answered already, I see in the spec sheet that you posted that there is a new "dual" TB18 dock that can deliver 210W of power to the system.
Are all M.2/NVMe ports in the 7530 and 7730 the same, in terms of both physical size and speed? (I.e., the Alienware 17 has three M.2 ports, but two are 80mm and one is 42mm)
Are those air intake vents on the sides...? Is there anything else interesting/new about the cooling systems in the 7000-series? (I.e. Alienware 17 recently added a vapor chamber)

Thanks for fixing the keyboard! :-D

 

How heavy is the 7730? with and without the power adapter?

 

According to the post from Dell-Mano_G where he linked the pdf specs: Starting at 6.81lbs, 3.09kg

 

Just noticed in the specs from Dell-Mano_G that the 7730 comes with a 180 W instead of a 240 W power brick.

Also, the Core i9-8950HK doesn't support vPro.
Confirmed this on the Intel website:

https://ark.intel.com/products/134903/Intel-Core-i9-8950HK-Processor-12M-Cache-up-to-4_60-GHz

 

Woot, TB18DC with only 1 cable for 7730? seems promising, not sure if the DP port at the dock is capable of passing gsync to monitor.

 

Thanks. I did not see the link, downloaded it now.

 

With prior systems, dock ports are driven by the Intel GPU (so, no gsync), unless you have graphics switching off. When I turned graphics switching off I was only to get one display working off of the TB16 dock.

 

Those are great questions @Aaron44126 . I like pretty much everything about the new systems and tb18 dock, at least on paper anyway. Will be interesting to see how the new TB18 docks work in your environment. Maybe you'll get all of your displays to work on the new TB18 without a problem. Or maybe daisy chain displays (or daisy chain docks?), or connect two TB18 docks directly to laptop's dual TB ports. Looking forward to when you try them out and report back to us.

I also wonder if new dock will use two TB3 cables bonded together with Y split at end for connecting to the dual TB3 ports on laptop, in order to pass through all 200+ watts. Probably doesn't work that way but I'm very curious.

I'm hoping my 2yr old 7710 will last me many more years to come, but is fun to analyze the new systems.

My only negs about new system:
- I'd miss eSATA alot if the ePort docks goes away. I'd finally have to transition to TB3 accessories, which isn't terrible, but is way overkill if I'm using it to write to HDDs with max write of 140MBps. eSata was sweet spot connector for external HDD connections.
-I could actually live with having only two USB type A ports on the new precision, but it would be tight. [*correction, sounds like there will be three USB type A ports, not two]

Serious looking forward to these new systems and I'm really only interested if new keyboard and ribbon cables will work in my 7710

 

According to Dell-Mano_G's spec sheet, the 7730 has three USB 3.1 ports (with PowerShare), not two.

 

I think you're right on... I'm just speculating but the spec sheet mentions "dual DC" or some such for the TB18, I suspect that it connects to both Thunderbolt ports for the extra power. (Hopefully that means extra throughput for additional dock-attached displays as well.)

Also, what power supply must the dock come with? The TB16 comes with a 240W power supply to provide 130W of power to the system (a good amount of overhead for the dock itself). Is the TB18 going to come with one of the 330W power supplies used in the Alienware line?

And yeah, these systems are launching at a good time because we are looking to purchase some new development systems at the office this summer... Probably will get a few 7530's but not right at launch.