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Dell Precision 5540 in Review: Workstation Doubles as a Hand Warmer

OLED and 4K. The Precision 5530's successor, the construction of which is identical to the Dell XPS 15, offers a powerful CPU and mid-range graphics from Nvidia. While the build quality is, as usual, phenomenal, the components first have to prove themselves in our tests.
Dell Precision 5540

Dell has decided to leave the physical features of its business laptops unchanged and instead focused on hardware upgrades. The result is today's test model Dell Precision 5540, which is equipped with an Intel Core i9-9980HK and an Nvidia Quadro T2000 Max-Q. These components make it the workstation counterpart to the Dell XPS 15 with GeForce GTX 1650. The Precision 5540 comes with 32 GB of RAM and a 512-GB SSD.

In this review, we will compare Dell's workstation to the devices listed below. Additionally, we will compare it to the XPS 15 with Full HD panel, since this particular display option is also available on the Precision 5540. Other devices from our database can also be added to the tables for comparison.

Dell Precision 5540
Processor
Intel Core i9-9980HK 8 x 2.4 - 5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 1200 MHz, Memory: 1751 MHz, NVIDIA 419.72, Intel UHD Graphics 630
Memory
32 GB 
, Dual-channel
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 282 PPI, SDCA029, OLED, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel CM246
Storage
SK hynix PC400 512 GB, 420 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm, Card Reader: SD, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Intel Ethernet Connection I219-LM (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17 x 357 x 236 ( = 0.67 x 14.06 x 9.29 in)
Battery
97 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 MP, 16:9 (1280x720)
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 36 Months Warranty
Weight
2 kg ( = 70.55 oz / 4.41 pounds), Power Supply: 440 g ( = 15.52 oz / 0.97 pounds)
Price
3000 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
86.9 %
11/2019
Dell Precision 5540
i9-9980HK, Quadro T2000 Max-Q
2 kg17 mm15.60"3840x2160
86.3 %
09/2019
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
i5-9300H, UHD Graphics 630
1.9 kg17 mm15.60"1920x1080
85 %
06/2019
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
1.9 kg18 mm15.60"3840x2160
87.8 %
08/2019
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
i7-9850H, Quadro T1000 (Laptop)
1.7 kg18.4 mm15.60"1920x1080
84.4 %
11/2018
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
i7-8750H, Quadro P1000
2.1 kg18.9 mm15.60"3840x2160

Case - Robust Chassis with Matte Finish

Since the case and the port selection have remained unchanged, we recommend that you take a look at our existing review of the Dell XPS 15 for more details.

Dell Precision 5540
Dell Precision 5540
Dell Precision 5540
Dell Precision 5540
Dell Precision 5540
Dell Precision 5540


Size Comparison

361.8 mm / 14.2 inch 245.7 mm / 9.67 inch 18.4 mm / 0.724 inch 1.7 kg3.79 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 254 mm / 10 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 2.1 kg4.61 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 247 mm / 9.72 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 1.9 kg4.19 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 236 mm / 9.29 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 1.9 kg4.19 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - Dell Workstation with Thunderbolt

Front: No ports
Front: No ports
Left: AC adapter, USB 3.1 Gen 1, HDMI 2.0, Thunderbolt 3, combined 3.5 mm audio output
Left: AC adapter, USB 3.1 Gen 1, HDMI 2.0, Thunderbolt 3, combined 3.5 mm audio output
Back: No ports
Back: No ports
Right: SD card reader, USB 3.1 Gen 1, battery indicator, Noble lock
Right: SD card reader, USB 3.1 Gen 1, battery indicator, Noble lock
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
181 MB/s +5%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
178 MB/s +3%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
174 MB/s +1%
Dell Precision 5540
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
173 MB/s
Average of class Workstation
  (54.8 - 200, n=17, last 2 years)
95.8 MB/s -45%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
211.6 MB/s +12%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
198.2 MB/s +5%
Dell Precision 5540
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
188.7 MB/s
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
188 MB/s 0%
Average of class Workstation
  (78.6 - 262, n=17, last 2 years)
133.6 MB/s -29%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
1421 MBit/s +140%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
755 MBit/s +28%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
706 MBit/s +19%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
650 (629min - 713max) MBit/s +10%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
633 (606min - 660max) MBit/s +7%
Dell Precision 5540
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
592 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
1385 MBit/s +121%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
666 (328min - 700max) MBit/s +6%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
630 MBit/s 0%
Dell Precision 5540
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
628 MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
625 MBit/s 0%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
490 (376min - 596max) MBit/s -22%

Accessories & Warranty

Dell offers buyers of the Precision 5540 a three-year warranty. Apart from an AC adapter and the laptop itself, there are no extras included in the box. However, Dell offers a variety of matching adapters and docking stations on its website.

Input Devices - Good ClickPad but Small Keys

Keyboard

Dell Precision 5540 - Keyboard
Dell Precision 5540 - Keyboard
Dell Precision 5540 - Small arrow and enter keys
Dell Precision 5540 - Small arrow and enter keys

Touchpad

Dell Precision 5540 - Input devices
Dell Precision 5540 - Input devices
Dell Precision 5540 - ClickPad
Dell Precision 5540 - ClickPad

Display - Precision 5540 with OLED Panel

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The Precision 5540's screen is defined by its 15.6-inch OLED panel, which has a native resolution of 3840x2160 pixels. While the brightness level of 411 cd/m² on average is the lowest among the devices in our comparison, it is far from a bad result by itself. By contrast, the illumination of 89% is better than that of any competitor. According to our measurements, the display flickers at a frequency of 240.9 Hz at brightness levels of less than 50%, which may cause issues for sensitive users.

Dell also offers a touch-enabled version of the installed 4K OLED panel. An IPS Full HD variant that is supposed to achieve 100% color-space coverage is available as well.

411
cd/m²
433
cd/m²
420
cd/m²
406
cd/m²
427
cd/m²
403
cd/m²
403
cd/m²
410
cd/m²
387
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
SDCA029 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 433 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 411.1 cd/m² Minimum: 4.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 427 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 2.8
ΔE Greyscale 1.8 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
86.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
97.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.15
Dell Precision 5540
SDCA029, OLED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
LQ156M1, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
AU Optronics AUO41EB, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
N156HCE-GN1, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
AUO30EB, IPS LED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Display
-22%
-5%
-27%
-22%
Display P3 Coverage
99.9
66.5
-33%
84.4
-16%
62.4
-38%
68.2
-32%
sRGB Coverage
100
98
-2%
100
0%
91.5
-8%
96.2
-4%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
97.3
68.4
-30%
98.5
1%
63.4
-35%
68.8
-29%
Response Times
-788%
-1295%
3081%
-1498%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
2.8 ?(1.2, 1.6)
52.8 ?(25.6, 27.2)
-1786%
51 ?(24, 27)
-1721%
34.4 ?(17.2, 17.2)
-1129%
60.8 ?(30, 30.8)
-2071%
Response Time Black / White *
3.2 ?(1.2, 2)
32 ?(16.4, 15.6)
-900%
31 ?(18, 13)
-869%
14 ?(4.4, 9.6)
-338%
32.8 ?(16.4, 16.4)
-925%
PWM Frequency
240.9 ?(50)
1020 ?(25)
323%
26040 ?(70)
10709%
Screen
2%
-23%
-12%
-22%
Brightness middle
427
588
38%
445
4%
542
27%
417
-2%
Brightness
411
555
35%
462
12%
528
28%
412
0%
Brightness Distribution
89
89
0%
83
-7%
84
-6%
85
-4%
Black Level *
0.4
0.5
0.41
0.29
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.2
2.5
22%
4.75
-48%
3.5
-9%
4.4
-38%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.4
6.3
25%
7.79
7%
7.8
7%
6.7
20%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
2.8
0.6
79%
1.3
54%
1.9
32%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.8
4.5
-150%
4.49
-149%
4.8
-167%
5
-178%
Gamma
2.15 102%
2.2 100%
2.49 88%
2.33 94%
2.28 96%
CCT
6176 105%
6836 95%
7374 88%
7690 85%
7575 86%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
86.8
63.2
-27%
87
0%
58.8
-32%
62.3
-28%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
98
-2%
100
0%
91.1
-9%
96
-4%
Contrast
1470
890
1322
1438
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-269% / -161%
-441% / -214%
1014% / 604%
-514% / -233%

* ... smaller is better

The contrast ratio and black value is excellent, which is typical for OLED. The same holds true for the color-space coverage of 100% (sRGB) and 89% (AdobeRGB) for a vivid and well-saturated image as well as clearly differentiated colors. Additionally, the Precision 5540 comes with Dell's PremierColor software preinstalled, which allows for switching between various color profiles.

As the CalMAN analysis shows, the colors only marginally deviate from their ideal values. Despite this, the deltaE-2000 can be improved through a display calibration and further reduce the already low value of 1.8 to 0.7. Our ICC file is available for download next to the display illumination image above.

CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Color accuracy (calibrated)
CalMAN - Color accuracy (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation (calibrated)

The Dell Precision 5540 is well-suited to outdoor use, at least in the shade. While the display brightness is sufficient for use in bright environments, the glossy display then suffers from a moderate amount of glare and reflections, which obscure the screen contents.

Color-space coverage (sRGB) - 100%
Color-space coverage (sRGB) - 100%
Color-space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 86.8%
Color-space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 86.8%
Dell Precison 5540 - Outdoors
Dell Precison 5540 - Outdoors
Dell Precison 5540 - Outdoors
Dell Precison 5540 - Outdoors

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
3.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 1.2 ms rise
↘ 2 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 9 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
2.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 1.2 ms rise
↘ 1.6 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 7 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 240.9 Hz ≤ 50 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 240.9 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 50 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 240.9 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The OLED panel of the Dell Precision 5540 has very good viewing angles. However, there is a visible gray tint when looking at the display from extreme angles, although this is typical for the underlying panel technology.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - Workstation with Nvidia Quadro T2000

The Dell Precision 5540 is suitable for many different use cases. Aside from our test configuration, buyers can choose between the processors Intel Core i5-9400H, i7-9850H and i9-9880H. Additionally, there are various RAM and storage configuration options and the choice between the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630, the Nvidia Quadro T1000 and the Quadro T2000.

Note: In Dell's power manager software, various different power profiles can be selected independently from the Windows settings. We performed the performance and emission tests using the preset "Optimized".

 

Processor

The installed Intel Core i9-9980HK is an eight-core processor with an unlocked multiplier that is based on the Coffee Lake architecture and able to run at clock rates of between 2.4 and 5 GHz or up to 4.2 GHz on all cores. Thanks to Thermal Velocity Boost, even higher clock speeds are possible while the core temperatures remain below 50 °C. Thus, the maximum Turbo Boost duration largely depends on the cooling solution.

While the Precision reaches good results in our Cinebench R15 loop test initially, the performance subsequently drops by about 7% and eventually drops even further. At the end of the test, the performance level decreases a second time. Over the course of the test, the overall performance deficit amounts to a total of about 15%.

In the single-thread tests, the CPU performance stays below our expectations. While the multi-core score is slightly lower than that of an Intel Core i9-9880H as well, the i9-9980HK inside the Precision 5540 has a slower single-core performance than even a Core i7-9850H. In battery mode, Dell's workstation only scores 673 points in the multithread CPU test.

0801602403204004805606407208008809601040112012001280136014401520Tooltip
Dell Precision 5540 Intel Core i9-9980HK, Intel Core i9-9980HK: Ø1288 (1207.8-1407.71)
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel Core i5-9300H: Ø788 (771.02-810.57)
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657 Intel Core i9-9880H, Intel Core i9-9880H: Ø1439 (1417.84-1545.36)
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE Intel Core i7-9850H, Intel Core i7-9850H: Ø961 (896-1114)
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1018 (1008.9-1100.84)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Workstation
  (166.2 - 301, n=27, last 2 years)
254 Points +32%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK
201 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i9-9980HK
  (181 - 215, n=13)
198.8 Points +3%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Core i9-9880H
196 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
193 Points 0%
Dell Precision 5540
Intel Core i9-9980HK
193 Points
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Intel Core i7-8750H
175 Points -9%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel Core i5-9300H
175 Points -9%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Workstation
  (706 - 3625, n=27, last 2 years)
2343 Points +67%
Average Intel Core i9-9980HK
  (1327 - 1930, n=14)
1656 Points +18%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK
1600 (1090.6min, 1367.66P1 - 1369.3max) Points +14%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Core i9-9880H
1545 Points +10%
Dell Precision 5540
Intel Core i9-9980HK
1407 (1126.13min - 1407max) Points
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Intel Core i7-8750H
1127 Points -20%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
1114 (896min - 1114max) Points -21%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel Core i5-9300H
787 (771.02min - 810.57max) Points -44%
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
5840
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
50439
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
9734
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
141.2 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
14.81 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
2.25 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
193 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
216 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1407 Points
Help

System Performance

In the PCMark 10 benchmark, the Dell Precision 5540 achieves very good results and places first in our comparison overall. In the PCMark 8 home and work benchmarks, it only scores an average result compared to the other competing devices. During daily use, the workstation offers smooth system operation and fast application start-up. Accessing folders and files incurs no delays or stuttering either.

The expected performance of other laptops can be looked up in our CPU benchmark list.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Workstation
  (5488 - 8587, n=27, last 2 years)
6843 Points +29%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
5469 Points +3%
Dell Precision 5540
Quadro T2000 Max-Q, i9-9980HK, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
5296 Points
Average Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
 
5296 Points 0%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
5211 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
5046 Points -5%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Quadro P1000, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4462 Points -16%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
4105 Points -22%
Essentials
Average of class Workstation
  (9151 - 12197, n=27, last 2 years)
10513 Points +10%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
9701 Points +1%
Dell Precision 5540
Quadro T2000 Max-Q, i9-9980HK, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
9580 Points
Average Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
 
9580 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
9566 Points 0%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
9000 Points -6%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
8961 Points -6%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Quadro P1000, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7739 Points -19%
Productivity
Average of class Workstation
  (7846 - 10820, n=27, last 2 years)
9113 Points +29%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
7494 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
7243 Points +3%
Dell Precision 5540
Quadro T2000 Max-Q, i9-9980HK, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
7060 Points
Average Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
 
7060 Points 0%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
6771 Points -4%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Quadro P1000, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6573 Points -7%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
5986 Points -15%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Workstation
  (5399 - 13947, n=27, last 2 years)
9196 Points +54%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
7161 Points +20%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
6110 Points +3%
Dell Precision 5540
Quadro T2000 Max-Q, i9-9980HK, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
5960 Points
Average Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
 
5960 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
5033 Points -16%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Quadro P1000, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4741 Points -20%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
3096 Points -48%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
4175 Points +13%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
3986 Points +8%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
3799 Points +3%
Dell Precision 5540
Quadro T2000 Max-Q, i9-9980HK, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
3684 Points
Average Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
 
3684 Points 0%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
3505 Points -5%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Quadro P1000, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3433 Points -7%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
5332 Points +17%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
5070 Points +11%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
4762 Points +4%
Dell Precision 5540
Quadro T2000 Max-Q, i9-9980HK, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
4558 Points
Average Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
 
4558 Points 0%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
4482 Points -2%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Quadro P1000, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4453 Points -2%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3684 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4558 points
PCMark 10 Score
5296 points
Help

Storage Solution

Dell has equipped the Precision 5540 with a 512-GB SK Hynix SSD. While we were able to record good read and write speeds in our storage benchmarks, it cannot quite keep up with the storage solutions of competing models. The SSD is still very fast in practice and there are no noticeable delays when accessing data.

For more information on the performance level of other drives, please consult our HDD/SSD benchmark list.

Dell Precision 5540
SK hynix PC400 512 GB
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Average SK hynix PC400 512 GB
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
23%
65%
43%
5%
5%
Write 4K
98
93.6
-4%
105.6
8%
162.2
66%
102.7
5%
103.1 ?(97.8 - 113.6, n=3)
5%
Read 4K
41.25
41.87
2%
46.32
12%
43.71
6%
38.32
-7%
41.2 ?(41.2 - 41.3, n=3)
0%
Write Seq
1295
1698
31%
2910
125%
2441
88%
1417
9%
1341 ?(1295 - 1417, n=3)
4%
Read Seq
1441
1978
37%
2820
96%
1753
22%
1289
-11%
1668 ?(1441 - 1896, n=3)
16%
Write 4K Q32T1
429.2
383.1
-11%
545
27%
397.6
-7%
278.9
-35%
411 ?(355 - 450, n=3)
-4%
Read 4K Q32T1
400.1
326.9
-18%
632
58%
520
30%
348.8
-13%
377 ?(327 - 404, n=3)
-6%
Write Seq Q32T1
1366
2778
103%
3349
145%
2519
84%
1895
39%
1387 ?(1366 - 1411, n=3)
2%
Read Seq Q32T1
2201
3119
42%
3333
51%
3448
57%
3352
52%
2748 ?(2201 - 3095, n=3)
25%
Write 4K Q8T8
1381
1575
Read 4K Q8T8
1371
1607
AS SSD
28%
56%
58%
48%
4%
Seq Read
1743
2357
35%
2860
64%
2980
71%
2379
36%
2198 ?(1743 - 2682, n=3)
26%
Seq Write
930
1235
33%
2604
180%
2094
125%
1780
91%
1075 ?(930 - 1272, n=3)
16%
4K Read
39.1
43.29
11%
45.15
15%
45.05
15%
51
30%
34.5 ?(26 - 39.1, n=3)
-12%
4K Write
92.1
99.7
8%
100.2
9%
155.4
69%
109.5
19%
95.9 ?(92.1 - 102.8, n=3)
4%
4K-64 Read
956
1020
7%
1428
49%
1291
35%
1184
24%
973 ?(956 - 994, n=3)
2%
4K-64 Write
863
1502
74%
1401
62%
1506
75%
1725
100%
899 ?(863 - 926, n=3)
4%
Access Time Read *
0.074
0.07
5%
0.049
34%
0.064
14%
0.057
23%
0.082 ?(0.073 - 0.099, n=3)
-11%
Access Time Write *
0.053
0.039
26%
0.037
30%
0.024
55%
0.034
36%
0.053 ?(0.053 - 0.053, n=3)
-0%
Score Read
1170
1299
11%
1759
50%
1634
40%
1472
26%
1228 ?(1170 - 1288, n=3)
5%
Score Write
1048
1726
65%
1762
68%
1871
79%
2013
92%
1102 ?(1048 - 1138, n=3)
5%
Score Total
2781
3640
31%
4411
59%
4300
55%
4217
52%
2905 ?(2781 - 3013, n=3)
4%
Copy ISO MB/s
2145
2015
1989
1701
Copy Program MB/s
565
597
457
346
Copy Game MB/s
1320
1449
1121
1050
Total Average (Program / Settings)
26% / 26%
61% / 60%
51% / 52%
27% / 30%
5% / 4%

* ... smaller is better

SK hynix PC400 512 GB
Sequential Read: 1568 MB/s
Sequential Write: 1301 MB/s
512K Read: 1223 MB/s
512K Write: 1122 MB/s
4K Read: 40.93 MB/s
4K Write: 97.7 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 395.9 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 440.8 MB/s

GPU Performance

Currently, the Dell Precision 5540's fastest GPU option, which is also installed in our test model, is the Max-Q variant of the Nvidia Quadro T2000. Although the Nvidia Quadro T2000 Max-Q distinguishes itself with low energy consumption, this comes at the cost of performance. There are two versions of the T2000 Max-Q with different clock speeds. The Precision 5540 is equipped with the faster model that achieves an up to 10% faster performance than Nvidia's Quadro T1000.

More benchmark comparisons for the Nvidia Quadro T2000 can be found in our GPU benchmark list.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Workstation
  (7432 - 54334, n=27, last 2 years)
23544 Points +105%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9880H
20837 Points +82%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
12388 Points +8%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
11468 Points
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (11454 - 11468, n=2)
11461 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
10407 Points -9%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
5982 Points -48%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel UHD Graphics 630, Intel Core i5-9300H
1750 Points -85%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9880H
65859 Points +55%
Average of class Workstation
  (32743 - 133204, n=15, last 2 years)
62922 Points +48%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
48965 Points +15%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
45246 Points +7%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
42409 Points
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (39803 - 42409, n=2)
41106 Points -3%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
21391 Points -50%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel UHD Graphics 630, Intel Core i5-9300H
9765 Points -77%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Workstation
  (4816 - 35868, n=28, last 2 years)
16313 Points +101%
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9880H
16100 Points +99%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
8532 Points +5%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (8107 - 8416, n=2)
8262 Points +2%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
8107 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
7558 Points -7%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
4756 Points -41%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel UHD Graphics 630, Intel Core i5-9300H
1178 Points -85%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Workstation
  (1882 - 16218, n=28, last 2 years)
6389 Points +108%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
3353 Points +9%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (3066 - 3122, n=2)
3094 Points +1%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
3066 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
2834 Points -8%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
1395 Points -55%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel UHD Graphics 630, Intel Core i5-9300H
382 Points -88%
SPECviewperf 13
3ds Max (3dsmax-06)
Average of class Workstation
  (61.6 - 284, n=25, last 2 years)
155.8 fps +67%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
93.3 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (88.9 - 93.3, n=2)
91.1 fps -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
83.9 fps -10%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
50.7 fps -46%
Catia (catia-05)
Average of class Workstation
  (99.5 - 409, n=26, last 2 years)
231 fps +72%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (134.6 - 143.9, n=2)
139.3 fps +3%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
134.6 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
121.3 fps -10%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
78.1 fps -42%
Creo (creo-02)
Average of class Workstation
  (76.8 - 398, n=25, last 2 years)
205 fps +87%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (109.6 - 116.8, n=2)
113.2 fps +3%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
109.6 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
99.9 fps -9%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
66.9 fps -39%
Energy (energy-02)
Average of class Workstation
  (7.71 - 109.7, n=26, last 2 years)
41.2 fps +177%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (14.9 - 15.7, n=2)
15.3 fps +3%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
14.87 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
12 fps -19%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
3.28 fps -78%
Maya (maya-05)
Average of class Workstation
  (77.5 - 449, n=26, last 2 years)
220 fps +108%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (105.7 - 110.2, n=2)
108 fps +2%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
105.7 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
101 fps -4%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
71 fps -33%
Medical (medical-02)
Average of class Workstation
  (34.5 - 176.2, n=26, last 2 years)
90.2 fps +116%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (41.7 - 48, n=2)
44.9 fps +8%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
41.71 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
33.45 fps -20%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
13.58 fps -67%
Showcase (showcase-02)
Average of class Workstation
  (24.8 - 190.3, n=26, last 2 years)
82.5 fps +120%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (37.6 - 42.4, n=2)
40 fps +6%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
37.56 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
35.27 fps -6%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
27.23 fps -28%
Siemens NX (snx-03)
Average of class Workstation
  (48.9 - 551, n=26, last 2 years)
242 fps +68%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
143.8 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (139.4 - 143.8, n=2)
141.6 fps -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
127.8 fps -11%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
102.6 fps -29%
Solidworks (sw-04)
Average of class Workstation
  (91.8 - 227, n=26, last 2 years)
151.8 fps +56%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (97.2 - 103.9, n=2)
100.6 fps +3%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
97.2 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
89.2 fps -8%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
76.6 fps -21%
SPECviewperf 12
1900x1060 3ds Max (3dsmax-05)
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (93.7 - 94, n=2)
93.9 fps 0%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
93.7 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
85.5 fps -9%
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
77.9 fps -17%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
50.8 fps -46%
1900x1060 Catia (catia-04)
Average of class Workstation
  (73.8 - 268, n=10, last 2 years)
183.1 fps +106%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (88.9 - 92, n=2)
90.5 fps +2%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
88.9 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
82.4 fps -7%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
54 fps -39%
1900x1060 Creo (creo-01)
Average of class Workstation
  (86.9 - 204, n=9, last 2 years)
153.8 fps +74%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (88.3 - 89.6, n=2)
89 fps +1%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
88.3 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
75 fps -15%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
51.2 fps -42%
1900x1060 Energy (energy-01)
Average of class Workstation
  (8.45 - 31.5, n=8, last 2 years)
20.4 fps +162%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
7.79 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (6.31 - 7.79, n=2)
7.05 fps -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
5.79 fps -26%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
3.66 fps -53%
1900x1060 Maya (maya-04)
Average of class Workstation
  (62.9 - 232, n=10, last 2 years)
144.2 fps +183%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
51 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (50.4 - 51, n=2)
50.7 fps -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
47.5 fps -7%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
36.99 fps -27%
1900x1060 Medical (medical-01)
Average of class Workstation
  (29.5 - 136.7, n=9, last 2 years)
84.5 fps +138%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
35.53 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (28.6 - 35.5, n=2)
32.1 fps -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
24.99 fps -30%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
14.89 fps -58%
1900x1060 Showcase (showcase-01)
Average of class Workstation
  (30.5 - 172.5, n=10, last 2 years)
115.5 fps +205%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (37.8 - 42.8, n=2)
40.3 fps +7%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
37.81 fps
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
27.42 fps -27%
1900x1060 Siemens NX (snx-02)
Average of class Workstation
  (27.2 - 309, n=10, last 2 years)
170 fps +128%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
74.6 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (74.5 - 74.6, n=2)
74.6 fps 0%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
55.7 fps -25%
1900x1060 Solidworks (sw-03)
Average of class Workstation
  (88.8 - 225, n=10, last 2 years)
162.2 fps +61%
Dell Precision 5540
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q, Intel Core i9-9980HK
100.8 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (94 - 100.8, n=2)
97.4 fps -3%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
NVIDIA Quadro P1000, Intel Core i7-8750H
75.2 fps -25%
3DMark 06 Standard Score
36376 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
39269 points
3DMark 11 Performance
11695 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
28401 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
7320 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
3356 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Since the Quadro T2000 Max-Q is a graphics card for workstation applications, it has not been optimized for gaming scenarios. However, the latest AAA titles aside, most games can still be played smoothly at medium settings. Users who want to game on the Precision 5540 may want to stick to Full HD in most cases.

The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
80.8 fps +149%
Average of class Workstation
  (19.6 - 156.5, n=28, last 2 years)
62.9 fps +94%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
36 fps +11%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
  (32.4 - 33.4, n=2)
32.9 fps +2%
Dell Precision 5540
Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
32.4 (30min, 31P1 - 34max) fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Intel Core i7-9850H, NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop)
30.9 (28min, 28P1 - 32max) fps -5%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA Quadro P1000
16.1 fps -50%
BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
148.8 fps +87%
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
88.1 fps +11%
Dell Precision 5540
Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
79.5 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
 
79.5 fps 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Intel Core i7-9850H, NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop)
72.9 fps -8%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
68.5 fps -14%
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA Quadro P1000
51 fps -36%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel UHD Graphics 630
9.8 fps -88%
Anno 1800
1920x1080 High Graphics Quality (DX11)
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Intel Core i7-9850H, NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop)
37.2 fps +280%
Dell Precision 5540
Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
9.8 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
 
9.8 fps 0%
1920x1080 Medium Graphics Quality (DX11)
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Intel Core i7-9850H, NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop)
52.8 fps +309%
Dell Precision 5540
Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
12.9 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
 
12.9 fps 0%
1280x720 Low Graphics Quality (DX11)
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Intel Core i7-9850H, NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop)
69.6 fps +150%
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
 
27.9 fps 0%
Dell Precision 5540
Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
27.86 fps

As our The Witcher 3 loop shows, the Dell workstation offers consistent gaming performance even under prolonged stress.

051015202530Tooltip
Dell Precision 5540 Quadro T2000 Max-Q, i9-9980HK, SK hynix PC400 512 GB: Ø32.4 (30-34)
low med. high ultra4K
BioShock Infinite (2013) 79.5
The Witcher 3 (2015) 32.4
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 145 132 118 108 43.4
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 41.7 28.8 12.3
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 101 87 73
Anno 1800 (2019) 27.86 12.9 9.8

Emissions - Warm Chassis and Mediocre Speakers

System Noise

While the Dell Precision 5540 is fairly quiet during use, the fans occasionally start to spin even with just an internet browser open. However, these intervals are rather short and for the most part not distracting. The fan noise is constant, steady and easily obscured by ambient noise. We did not record any additional noise sources such as coil whine on our test device.

Our measurements were performed using the "Optimized" profile in Dell's power manager software. The "Ultra performance" profile causes the fans to spin faster and increases their noise level to a slightly higher 38.8 dB(A).

Noise Level

Idle
28.6 / 28.6 / 28.6 dB(A)
Load
33.3 / 38 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.6 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs203531.831.931.831.735252728.231.32627.7273130.735.632.92728.930.74026.632.330.325.925.226.65025.631.831.831.930.925.66325.325.825.125.424.825.38026.225.123.722.922.726.210023.225.126.425.525.623.21252322.622.422.7232316023.623.822.122.823.223.620023.123.121.722.322.223.125022.5222222.521.422.531522.422.521.321.12022.440023.622.121.821.319.223.650023.721.72120.71923.763023.922.121.219.918.123.980024.823.221.319.517.324.8100025.222.921.519.81725.2125027.524.122.72116.527.5160029.225.924.42216.129.2200029.926.324.221.715.729.9250028.524.823.220.215.628.5315027.422.119.817.515.627.4400021.61817.51715.321.6500020.117.417.217.215.420.1630018.616.716.616.615.418.6800017.316.31717.715.417.31000016.115.916.917.115.316.11250015.515.515.916.115.115.51600015.315.115.215.314.915.3SPL3834.733.331.728.638N2.621.81.61.12.6median 23.2median 22.1median 21.3median 20.2median 16.5median 23.2Delta2.93.12.72.52.62.9hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseDell Precision 5540

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

During idle, the Dell Precision 5540's surface temperatures can reach up to 27.8 °C and up to 47.8 °C under load. The chassis then feels very warm and becomes uncomfortable after a short time, particularly when the laptop is set up on your lap. The hottest spots on the top and bottom are both in the center back.

During our one-hour-long stress test, the core temperatures of the Precision 5540 drastically rise in the beginning and eventually settle at an average value of about 78 °C. The base clock frequency of 2.4 GHz can be sustained for around 30 minutes, after which the clock frequency drops to an average of approximately 1.6 GHz. Users should expect to hit performance limits due to temperature thresholds, particularly when the system is under maximum load for a prolonged period of time.

Max. Load
 42.5 °C
109 F
46.2 °C
115 F
42.5 °C
109 F
 
 35.4 °C
96 F
41.5 °C
107 F
36.2 °C
97 F
 
 26.3 °C
79 F
26.9 °C
80 F
27.4 °C
81 F
 
Maximum: 46.2 °C = 115 F
Average: 36.1 °C = 97 F
41.5 °C
107 F
45.7 °C
114 F
40.7 °C
105 F
34.1 °C
93 F
40.3 °C
105 F
35.5 °C
96 F
29.9 °C
86 F
31.9 °C
89 F
31.2 °C
88 F
Maximum: 45.7 °C = 114 F
Average: 36.8 °C = 98 F
Power Supply (max.)  36.9 °C = 98 F | Room Temperature 20.9 °C = 70 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36.1 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 32 °C / 90 F for the devices in the class Workstation.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 46.2 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 38.1 °C / 101 F, ranging from 22.2 to 69.8 °C for the class Workstation.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.7 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 41.3 °C / 106 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.5 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 32 °C / 90 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 38.2 °C / 101 F, compared to the device average of 32 °C / 90 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.6 °C / 88.9 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.8 °C / 82 F (-3.8 °C / -6.9 F).
The Witcher 3 top
The Witcher 3 top
The Witcher 3 bottom
The Witcher 3 bottom
Stress test top
Stress test top
Stress test bottom
Stress test bottom

Speaker

The speakers of the Dell Precision 5540 offer a mediocre maximum volume level and a fairly wide sound stage, although it somewhat lacks bass. At higher volume levels, the speakers start clipping, which is not pleasant to listen to. While the speakers are suitable for occasional use in quiet environments, we recommend using external speakers or headphones.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.734.12527.726.63128.933.54025.233.25030.932.36324.825.48022.732.910025.641.41252344.916023.250.420022.253.225021.452.63152053.140019.257.7500195763018.166.880017.369.210001765.9125016.565.9160016.169.5200015.771.3250015.670.4315015.666.5400015.363.4500015.469.8630015.470800015.472.71000015.366.81250015.164.31600014.955.2SPL28.680.7N1.149median 16.5median 65.9Delta2.67.835.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseDell Precision 5540Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Dell Precision 5540 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 33% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 61% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 18%, worst was 35%
Compared to all devices tested
» 20% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 75% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management - Good Runtimes Even Under Load

Energy Consumption

According to our measurements, the Precision 5540 consumes at least 7.4 watts during idle and up to 135 watts under load. It should be noted, however, that the peak value is only consumed at the beginning of the stress test and later stabilizes at around 86 watts. This makes the Dell workstation one of the more economical laptops in our comparison.

The included AC adapter is rated for a nominal output of 130 watts, which considering the above results is a little on the lower end.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.55 / 0.93 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 7.4 / 12.1 / 12.7 Watt
Load midlight 98 / 135.1 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Dell Precision 5540
i9-9980HK, Quadro T2000 Max-Q, SK hynix PC400 512 GB, OLED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
i5-9300H, UHD Graphics 630, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0), IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
i7-9850H, Quadro T1000 (Laptop), WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
i7-8750H, Quadro P1000, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS LED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02, OLED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Average NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
 
Average of class Workstation
 
Power Consumption
35%
-38%
-33%
10%
-6%
-3%
-13%
Idle Minimum *
7.4
3.79
49%
9.4
-27%
13.7
-85%
6.8
8%
6.2
16%
6.5 ?(5.6 - 7.4, n=2)
12%
7.75 ?(2.6 - 19.5, n=26, last 2 years)
-5%
Idle Average *
12.1
6.9
43%
17.4
-44%
17.5
-45%
11.3
7%
9.6
21%
11.7 ?(11.2 - 12.1, n=2)
3%
12.5 ?(4 - 35.9, n=26, last 2 years)
-3%
Idle Maximum *
12.7
9.2
28%
19.6
-54%
20.9
-65%
14.3
-13%
21.2
-67%
15.6 ?(12.7 - 18.4, n=2)
-23%
18.3 ?(5.6 - 47, n=26, last 2 years)
-44%
Load Average *
98
62
37%
103
-5%
77.2
21%
78
20%
104.3
-6%
106 ?(98 - 114, n=2)
-8%
96.4 ?(47.7 - 182, n=26, last 2 years)
2%
Witcher 3 ultra *
89.9
64
29%
91.7
-2%
Load Maximum *
135.1
108
20%
216
-60%
123.7
8%
126
7%
135.3
-0%
134.7 ?(134.2 - 135.1, n=2)
-0%
157.6 ?(60.2 - 311, n=26, last 2 years)
-17%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The Dell Precision 5540 lasts 7 h 41 m in our Wi-Fi test, which aims to mirror real-world conditions, after which it has to be recharged. Thus it offers decent battery life relative to the installed components. Compared to the XPS 15 with Full HD panel, the Wi-Fi test result shows the higher energy consumption of the 4K OLED panel. Thus, buyers of the Full HD display version can expect significantly longer runtimes.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
14h 57min
WiFi Websurfing
7h 41min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness
5h 01min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
10h 34min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 42min
Dell Precision 5540
i9-9980HK, Quadro T2000 Max-Q, 97 Wh
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
i5-9300H, UHD Graphics 630, 97 Wh
MSI P65 Creator 9SF-657
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 82 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
i7-9850H, Quadro T1000 (Laptop), 80 Wh
HP ZBook Studio G5-4QH10EA
i7-8750H, Quadro P1000, 97 Wh
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 97 Wh
Average of class Workstation
 
Battery Runtime
49%
-32%
-7%
14%
32%
-3%
Reader / Idle
897
577
-36%
1036
15%
910
1%
755 ?(319 - 1072, n=6, last 2 years)
-16%
H.264
634
1053
66%
560
-12%
544
-14%
693 ?(347 - 1104, n=10, last 2 years)
9%
WiFi v1.3
461
844
83%
357
-23%
532
15%
582
26%
467
1%
533 ?(252 - 897, n=26, last 2 years)
16%
Load
102
100
-2%
65
-36%
79
-23%
131
28%
199
95%
79.6 ?(54 - 118, n=16, last 2 years)
-22%

Pros

+ more powerful Max-Q model of the Quadro T2000
+ high quality chassis
+ good maintenance options
+ vivid 4K OLED display

Cons

- chassis reaches high temperatures
- CPU performance could be better
- meager port selection

Verdict

In review: Dell Latitude 5540. Test device provided by: Dell Germany
In review: Dell Latitude 5540. Test device provided by: Dell Germany

In our review, the Dell Precision 5540 has proven itself to be a capable workstation. While the chassis is based on the same design and thus of the same high quality as the XPS 15, it is also the reason for the meager port selection. That said, the Thunderbolt 3 port offers a lot of flexibility and is able to make up for the missing ports with an appropriate adapter.

The Dell Precision 5540 is a good choice for users who are in the market for a device with mid-range performance and a high-resolution display. As usual, the chassis is solid and the battery life is good.

Unfortunately, the CPU does not perform quite as well as expected. Although the Nvidia Quadro T2000 reaches its expected performance level, the processor cannot quite keep up. Performance tends to steadily drop to be 15% slower at the end than the initial peak score in our test loop. Although the 4K OLED display looks fantastic, it comes at the cost of a significantly decreased battery life.

Dell Precision 5540 - 08/31/2022 v7
Mike Wobker

Chassis
94 / 98 → 96%
Keyboard
85%
Pointing Device
94%
Connectivity
66 / 80 → 82%
Weight
63 / 10-66 → 95%
Battery
82 / 95 → 87%
Display
90%
Games Performance
79%
Application Performance
86%
Temperature
87 / 95 → 91%
Noise
97 / 90 → 100%
Audio
80%
Camera
43 / 85 → 50%
Average
80%
87%
Workstation - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Dell Precision 5540 in Review: Workstation Doubles as a Hand Warmer
Mike Wobker, 2019-11-21 (Update: 2019-11-23)