Dell Precision 15 5000 Series Mobile Workstation Review: Pro Power And Style

Performance Summary: It’s easy to picture a desktop PC when thinking of a workstation, but a few notebook manufacturers (Dell and Lenovo in particular) have been working hard to bring true workstation capabilities to the laptop form factor. There’s no doubt that the Dell Precision 5510 has workstation chops, particularly after witnessing its impressive performance in SPECviewperf 12. Its Intel Xeon E3-1505M and Quadro M1000M graphics combination provide real horsepower and even help the Precision 15 5510 to capable of some light-duty gaming, when you are ready to put your feet up at the end of the day.


Although style may be lower on the list of priorities for some folks buying a commercial laptop, it certainly doesn’t hurt that the Dell Precision 15 5510 is such a classy, premium-built machine. The aluminum exterior and carbon fiber palm rest make for a professional look, and the slim profile adds to its pro vibe. And why not make a pro workstation the envy of your teammates? It's high time professionals got in on some flash and flare and the Precision 15 5510 gives workstations users a premium option with a very similar chassis design and materials to that of Dell's successful XPS 15 model.
Of course, the system does more than just look good. As we mentioned earlier, its UHD IGZO display is downright beautiful: bright and colorful with excellent saturation and very responsive to typical taps, swipes, and other gestures. The keyboard is comfortable and should see you through long hours of typing with solid ergonomics. The laptop is truly built for serious work. For around $2600 as tested, it's not cheap, though we received a top-end config in for review. Base pricing starts at $1399, however. 

That’s not to say it’s perfect: Some will miss physical buttons on its touchpad and anyone who travels with a bag full of gear will wish for a third USB port on laptop, too. But for many business users, the Dell Precision 15 5510 is going to strike the right balance between serious component selection, portability, performance, style and yes, precision.