Dell updates its Precision M3800 mobile workstation

Exactly a year after our review of the Precision M3800, Dell has introduced updated configurations of this compact mobile workstation. Previously, the buyers could choose between a Full HD (1920x1080) and a QHD+ (3200x1800) panel, the latter option already providing extremely sharp image on a 15.6-inch screen. Now Dell also offers an Ultra HD ("4K", 3840x2160) IGZO panel, claiming it as a major advantage over Apple's MacBook Pro 15 Retina. According to the company, the panel offers rich, brilliant colors and a high luminance, which isn't hard to believe based on our past experience with IGZO screens. It remains to be seen, however, whether Dell will provide accurate calibration out of the box or force the users to perform one on their own, as was the case with the QHD+ Precision M3800. It's also worth noting that the new UHD screen is touch-enabled and therefore glossy, thus not necesarrily appealing to many users who prefer a reflection-free workspace to richer colors.

On the storage side, up to 2 TB of total space can now be configured during purchase by selecting a 1 TB mSATA SSD and an additional 1 TB HDD. Alternatively, an additional 512 GB SATA SSD can be installed instead of the hard drive, but both additional drives restrict the user to a 61 Wh battery instead of 91 Wh available when no secondary drive is added. Also, a Thunderbolt 2 port is now available, supporting up to 20 Gbps bandwidth. The rest of the specifications remain unchanged from the previous model. Prices start with $1650 for the basic configuration (with a Full HD screen) but can exceed $3500 with the Ultra HD panel and high capacity storage.

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