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Dell Precision 7530 (i9-8950HK, Quadro P3200) Workstation Review

Performance step-up. Dell crams in one of the fastest mobile Intel CPUs into a thinner chassis than the last generation Precision 7510. Can owners really get the full performance out of the processor? Or is it throttle city?

The Precision lineup consists of the budget 3000 series, mid-range 5000 series, and the high-end 7000 series for professional workstation users. The latest model in the 7000 series is the Precision 7530 that Dell is advertising as "the world's most powerful 15-inch workstation" that also happens to be VR ready. While we find the claim debatable, its specifications are still nothing to scoff at. The system can be configured with up to a Core i9-8950HK CPU, Quadro P3200 GPU, 4K UHD display, three internal storage bays, and a large 97 Wh battery. The lower-end configuration starts with just the Core i5-8300H and integrated UHD Graphics for only $1200 USD. As with most dedicated workstations from Dell, the range of SKUs is much wider than the consumer XPS lineup to cover as many use cases as possible.

Our test unit today is fully configured to represent the best that the Precision 7530 has to offer. We'll be comparing it to direct competitors like the HP ZBook 15 and Lenovo ThinkPad P52 along with the 2016 Precision 7510 that it replaces. Is this latest system a massive improvement over its two-year old predecessor?

More Dell Precision reviews:

Dell Precision 7530 (Precision 7000 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i9-8950HK 6 x 2.9 - 4.8 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA Quadro P3200 - 6 GB VRAM, Core: 708 MHz, Memory: 7010 MHz, GDDR5, 398.27, Optimus
Memory
32 GB 
, DDR4-2666, 19-19-19-43, Dual-Channel
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 282 PPI, Sharp LQ156D1, IPS, SHP1430, Dell P/N: 43N80, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel CM246
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo, Card Reader: SD reader, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor
Networking
Intel Ethernet Connection I219-LM (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9260 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 29.95 x 375.9 x 251.3 ( = 1.18 x 14.8 x 9.89 in)
Battery
97 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Dell PremierColor, Power Manager, 36 Months Warranty
Weight
2.6 kg ( = 91.71 oz / 5.73 pounds), Power Supply: 616 g ( = 21.73 oz / 1.36 pounds)
Price
3700 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The Precision 7530 retains the MIL-STD 810G certification of the 7510 with a similar magnesium alloy skeleton but in slightly smaller dimensions. The result is a more compact system that serves as an evolutionary step forward for the series while feeling just as tough. Rigidity is excellent from top to bottom especially around the reinforced edges and corners of the base. Attempting to twist the base or flex the keyboard results in no creaking and almost no flexing as one would expect from a flagship Precision model. Aside from the fingerprint-loving carbon fiber and rubberized surfaces, Dell fans will be happy to know that this machine feels sturdier than the ThinkPad P series and is a step above the HP ZBook 15 as far as robustness is concerned.

We're able to notice one weak spot around the keyboard deck on an otherwise firm base. More specifically, the area between the Space key and right Alt key is more flexible than the rest of the keyboard. It's a minor complaint worth mentioning especially for a high-end system that revels in its unblemished build quality.

Another area that could use improvement is the lid as it is not nearly as inflexible as the base. It's still stronger than the lid of the ThinkPad P52 and most super-thin Ultrabooks, but it's not any better or worse than the outgoing Precision 7510. On the bright side, the hinges are uniformly firm up to their maximum angle with no teetering when typing or transporting.

Construction quality is perfect on our test unit with no unintended gaps or noticeable defects. The inner display bezel aligns perfectly with the edges of the screen unlike on certain MSI laptops.

As for size and weight, the Dell is nearly identical to the ThinkPad P52 and so those familiar with the Lenovo will already have a good sense of the Precision 7530 in terms of portability. Users who want a lighter and more travel-friendly 15.6-inch workstation should consider the ThinkPad P1 or Precision 5530 based on the XPS 15 chassis.

Lid opens just over 180 degrees
Lid opens just over 180 degrees
Reinforced edges and corners
Reinforced edges and corners
The rubberized outer lid is a fingerprint magnet
The rubberized outer lid is a fingerprint magnet
Relatively heavy system for the size at 2.6 kg
Relatively heavy system for the size at 2.6 kg
390 mm / 15.4 inch 267 mm / 10.5 inch 40 mm / 1.575 inch 3.1 kg6.85 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 33 mm / 1.299 inch 2.7 kg6.04 lbs386 mm / 15.2 inch 264 mm / 10.4 inch 26 mm / 1.024 inch 2.6 kg5.83 lbs377.4 mm / 14.9 inch 252.3 mm / 9.93 inch 29.4 mm / 1.157 inch 2.6 kg5.71 lbs375.9 mm / 14.8 inch 251.3 mm / 9.89 inch 29.95 mm / 1.179 inch 2.6 kg5.73 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 235.3 mm / 9.26 inch 16.82 mm / 0.662 inch 2 kg4.37 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Available ports are a mixed bag. While thinner and lighter workstations like the Precision 5530 or 5530 2-in-1 can get away with fewer ports, thicker and heavier models like our 7530 should carry more options. The 7530 has just two full-size USB ports and both are along the right edge only. The left edge houses dual Thunderbolt 3 ports and so it's clear that Dell is encouraging the use of Thunderbolt 3 docking stations since there is no E-Port or legacy docking pins. We would've preferred additional USB Type-A ports and a more easily accessible SIM slot or even VGA since there is plenty of space along the right and rear edges. The two-year old HP ZBook 15 G3 manages to house three USB Type-A ports and a VGA port in addition to dual Thunderbolt 3.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: 3.5 mm combo audio, 2x USB 3.1, Noble Lock
Right: 3.5 mm combo audio, 2x USB 3.1, Noble Lock
Rear: Gigabit RJ-45, mini DisplayPort, HDMI, AC adapter
Rear: Gigabit RJ-45, mini DisplayPort, HDMI, AC adapter
Left: 2x Thunderbolt 3, SD reader, Smartcard reader (optional)
Left: 2x Thunderbolt 3, SD reader, Smartcard reader (optional)

SD Card Reader

The spring-loaded SD card reader is fast with sequential read rates approaching 200 MB/s on our UHS-II test card. It's not quite as fast as the card reader on the Gigabyte Aero 15X, but it's still comparable to other XPS and Precision laptops. Transferring 1 GB worth of images from card to desktop takes about 5.5 seconds.

A fully inserted SD card sits flush against the edge for safe transporting.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell Precision 7530
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
193.2 MB/s
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
191 MB/s -1%
Dell Precision 3530
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
179 MB/s -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
173.6 MB/s -10%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
128.6 MB/s -33%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
242 MB/s +24%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
230.5 MB/s +18%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
206.5 MB/s +6%
Dell Precision 3530
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
201 MB/s +3%
Dell Precision 7530
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
194.6 MB/s

Communication

SIM, WLAN, and WAN
SIM, WLAN, and WAN

The Intel 9260 comes standard across all SKUs whereas older models shipped with the slower Intel 8260 or 8265. While our test setup is limited by a 1 Gbps line, the wireless module is capable of transfer rates of up to 1.73 Gbps. We experienced no connection issues during our time the unit.

Mobile broadband is available in certain SKUs with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X7 LTE module for Verizon, Sprint, or AT&T connectivity. If configured, the module would sit adjacent to the WLAN card and SIM slot.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Dell Precision 3530
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
690 MBit/s +1%
Dell Precision 7530
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
681 MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
645 MBit/s -5%
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
523 MBit/s -23%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
510 MBit/s -25%
iperf3 receive AX12
Dell Precision 3530
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
680 MBit/s +7%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
667 MBit/s +5%
Dell Precision 7530
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
636 MBit/s
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
609 MBit/s -4%
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
567 MBit/s -11%

Security

The Noble Lock comes standard with optional fingerprint reader and vPro. On the software side, Dell includes Data Guardian, Client Command Suite, and Endpoint Security Suite for protection down to the BIOS level.

Maintenance

Serviceability requires only a Philips screwdriver. Users get direct access to the system fans, storage bays, SODIMM slots, battery, WWAN slot, WLAN slot, and SIM slot. Our test unit is not compatible with WWAN cards and there are no pre-installed antenna should we want to install one ourselves. The motherboard between the system fans is protected by a firm plate for increased rigidity.

Easy access to key modules and slots
Easy access to key modules and slots

Accessories and Warranty

There are no extras in the box outside of the AC adapter and warranty card. A cleaning cloth or USB-C to VGA adapter would have been nice extras to have.

It's common for businesses to choose Dell for its support and protection services and the Precision 7530 is no different. Dell offers a 36-month limited warranty as standard with extensions of up to five years. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The backlit keyboard (~34.4 x 10.3 cm) remains essentially identical to the keyboard on the Precision 7510. This isn't bad, however, as we found the keyboard on the 7510 to be one of the best for its size. Travel is deeper than on the XPS 15 with firm but relatively quiet clatter. The NumPad keys are not reduced in size in any way unlike on many other 15-inch laptops.

We're hopeful that future iterations will increase the size of the small Arrow keys. Additionally, the dedicated "Calc" key could have been more versatile if it were a generic customizeable launcher key instead.

Touchpad

The trackpad (~10.0 x 5.5 cm) is small in surface area especially when compared to most Ultrabooks, but it makes up for the small size with dedicated mouse keys and a trackpoint. The keys are very quiet when pressed with moderate travel and satisfactory feedback. The bottom row of keys is slightly softer than the top row.

As for the trackpad itself, its slightly roughened surface allows for smooth cursor control. Our only nitpicks are the sticky fingers when moving very slowly and a surface that is slightly more susceptible to warping than the surrounding palm rests. Fortunately, none of these are acute enough to impact day-to-day use.

Identical layout and feel to the Precision 7510
Identical layout and feel to the Precision 7510
One of the best chiclet keyboards for a 15-inch notebook
One of the best chiclet keyboards for a 15-inch notebook

Display

Multiple display options are available that differ in color coverage (45 percent, 72 percent, or 100 percent) and resolution (FHD or 4K UHD). We recommending choosing carefully as some options omit the webcam, microphone, and even WWAN. Note that Dell utilizes the LQ156D1 IGZO panel from Sharp across a wide range of its 15.6-inch 4K laptops including our Precision 7530, XPS 15 9575, Precision 5510, XPS 15, and even the last generation Precision 7510. As a result, the Precision 7530 shares similar color ranges to all of these products.

Colors are vibrant on our 4K UHD test unit with good contrast. Beyond that, however, most everything else is average. The display is not as bright as the XPS series or even the ThinkPad P1 and black levels aren't as deep. Furthermore, the matte panel suffers from a grainy overlay that prevents onscreen content from looking as sharp as they do on the glossy XPS 15 9575. Users sensitive to onscreen flickering may want to avoid brightness levels below 25 percent as we are able to detect pulse-width modulation when at these low settings. Lastly, light-moderate backlight bleeding is present on our unit as shown by the image below.

Light-moderate backlight bleeding along the bottom edge of our screen
Light-moderate backlight bleeding along the bottom edge of our screen
Subpixel array (282 PPI). Note the very grainy overlay
Subpixel array (282 PPI). Note the very grainy overlay
PremierColor settings used for colorimeter measurements
PremierColor settings used for colorimeter measurements
PremierColor version
PremierColor version
279
cd/m²
280.4
cd/m²
269.8
cd/m²
303.5
cd/m²
292.8
cd/m²
316.4
cd/m²
314.7
cd/m²
296.3
cd/m²
299.3
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Sharp LQ156D1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 316.4 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 294.7 cd/m² Minimum: 11.98 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 292.8 cd/m²
Contrast: 813:1 (Black: 0.36 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.48 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.13
ΔE Greyscale 4.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.6% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
84.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
96.2% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
82.5% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.2
Dell Precision 7530
Sharp LQ156D1, IPS, 15.60, 3840x2160
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
B156ZAN03.2, IPS, 15.60, 3840x2160
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
Sharp SHP148D, IPS, 15.60, 3840x2160
Dell Precision 3530
BOE BOE06F1, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
CMN15E7, IPS LED, 15.60, 1920x1080
Eurocom Tornado F5W
AUO52ED B156HTN05.2, TN, 15.60, 1920x1080
Display
3%
5%
-15%
-46%
-22%
Display P3 Coverage
82.5
86.4
5%
91.2
11%
72.8
-12%
43.05
-48%
66.1
-20%
sRGB Coverage
99.4
99.9
1%
99.9
1%
94.6
-5%
64.7
-35%
87.7
-12%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
96.2
99.1
3%
99.4
3%
69.3
-28%
44.5
-54%
64.2
-33%
Response Times
-38%
105%
128%
4287%
51%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
35.2 ?(17.2, 18)
55.6 ?(38, 37.6)
-58%
49.6 ?(25.2, 24.4)
-41%
40.4 ?(22, 18.4)
-15%
41.6 ?(22, 19.6)
-18%
23.2 ?(18.8, 4.4)
34%
Response Time Black / White *
26.4 ?(14, 12.4)
30.8 ?(16.4, 14.4)
-17%
37.6 ?(20.4, 17.2)
-42%
34.8 ?(20.8, 14)
-32%
28.8 ?(15.6, 13.2)
-9%
8.5 ?(6.8, 1.7)
68%
PWM Frequency
198.4 ?(25)
990 ?(25)
399%
1053 ?(98)
431%
25770 ?(40)
12889%
Screen
5%
14%
-16%
-22%
-53%
Brightness middle
292.8
397.6
36%
430.9
47%
285.7
-2%
229
-22%
405.7
39%
Brightness
295
396
34%
398
35%
275
-7%
212
-28%
397
35%
Brightness Distribution
85
85
0%
79
-7%
85
0%
88
4%
92
8%
Black Level *
0.36
0.25
31%
0.35
3%
0.31
14%
0.23
36%
0.65
-81%
Contrast
813
1590
96%
1231
51%
922
13%
996
23%
624
-23%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.48
4.95
-42%
3.29
5%
5.84
-68%
4.2
-21%
8.5
-144%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.81
10.23
-50%
7.46
-10%
8.76
-29%
18
-164%
16.2
-138%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.13
4.22
-35%
3.58
-14%
3.14
-0%
4.2
-34%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.1
5.1
-24%
2.6
37%
6.5
-59%
2
51%
11.6
-183%
Gamma
2.2 100%
2.234 98%
2.19 100%
2.383 92%
2.23 99%
2.37 93%
CCT
6740 96%
7543 86%
6870 95%
7176 91%
6292 103%
10468 62%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
84.4
87.6
4%
87.2
3%
62
-27%
41
-51%
57
-32%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99.6
100
0%
100
0%
94
-6%
64.5
-35%
87
-13%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-10% / -1%
41% / 28%
32% / 10%
1406% / 734%
-8% / -33%

* ... smaller is better

Color space covers sRGB in its entirety and AdobeRGB almost completely. The panel was designed with accurate colors and digital artists in mind.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Colors are accurate out of the box with a color temperature that is slightly on the cool side. Our calibration attempts address the color temperature for a more accurate grayscale. Interestingly, Red and Green remain slightly less accurate than other primary and secondary colors when at lower saturation levels. It's a small nitpick for a panel that is otherwise fit for professional use.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

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
26.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 12.4 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 61 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
35.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17.2 ms rise
↘ 18 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 42 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to 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 198.4 Hz ≤ 25 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 198.4 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 25 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 198.4 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.

Outdoor visibility is average when under shade and poor under sunlight. The backlight is not powerful enough to overcome bright ambient lighting and glare becomes noticeable despite the matte panel. Viewing angles are very wide with only minimal degradation in contrast and colors from obtuse angles.

Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

The system targets users in need of high CPU performance whereas the Precision 5530 or 5530 2-in-1 are more mid-range offerings. The Core i9-8950HK is the highlight of the system and so is the uncommon Quadro P3200. This particular GPU sits in between the GTX 1060 and GTX 1070 in terms of the number of ROPs, TMUs, and shaders. The Lenovo ThinkPad P72 carries the same Quadro GPU option but lacks the Core i9 CPU. It's somewhat disappointing to see no Quadro P4000 or P5000 options for the Precision 7530, though our stress tests below reveal that the cooling solution may be the reason why.

Nvidia Optimus is included for automatic switching to the integrated UHD Graphics 630. ECC RAM is available if configuring with a Xeon CPU. Non-ECC RAM can be configured with 32 GB modules for up to a whopping 128 GB total.

Processor

The Core i9-8950HK in our Precision is only 3 percent faster than the i7-8750H and yet it costs $300 more. Its performance benefits are minimal at best due to the very warm CPU temperatures of the i9-8950HK when under load as our Stress Test section below will detail. This isn't to say that the i9-8950HK is slow because it is one of the fastest mobile CPUs available and about 50 percent faster than the i5-8300H, but its performance-per-dollar is quite poor for this particular implementation. The Xeon E-2176M is comparable and anyone upgrading from the last generation Xeon E3-1535M will still see a respectable CPU performance boost of about 40 percent.

Running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop is a good way to test Turbo Boost sustainability. The initial score of 1192 points drops to 1124 points over time for a performance dip of only about 6 percent. Since the average score of the i9-9850HK in our database is 1227 points, this suggests that the i9-8950HK in our Precision 7530 is poor at maintaining Turbo Boost clock rates. Our Stress Test analysis below back up this observation.

See our dedicated page on the Core i9-8950HK for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R15
CineBench R15
07014021028035042049056063070077084091098010501120119012601330Tooltip
Dell Precision 7530 Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1123 (1110.46-1192.57)
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M Quadro P2000, E-2176M, SK hynix PC400 512 GB; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1024 (1006.14-1126.25)
MSI GT75 8RG-090 Titan GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-8950HK, 2x Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP (RAID 0); CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1353 (1323.32-1378.12)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average Intel Core i9-8950HK
  (185 - 206, n=14)
195.9 Points +5%
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
192 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Intel Xeon E-2176M
187 Points 0%
Dell Precision 7530
Intel Core i9-8950HK
187 Points
Dell Precision 7720
Intel Xeon E3-1535M v6
179 Points -4%
HP EliteBook 1050 G1-4QY20EA
Intel Core i7-8750H
177 Points -5%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
172 Points -8%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-8706G
172 Points -8%
Dell G3 15 3579
Intel Core i5-8300H
168 Points -10%
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5
163 Points -13%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
Intel Xeon E3-1535M v5
162 Points -13%
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
140 Points -25%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
1359 Points +14%
Average Intel Core i9-8950HK
  (1051 - 1391, n=14)
1220 Points +2%
Dell Precision 7530
Intel Core i9-8950HK
1193 Points
HP EliteBook 1050 G1-4QY20EA
Intel Core i7-8750H
1131 Points -5%
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
1129 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Intel Xeon E-2176M
1118 Points -6%
Dell Precision 7720
Intel Xeon E3-1535M v6
848 Points -29%
Dell G3 15 3579
Intel Core i5-8300H
831 Points -30%
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5
815 Points -32%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-8706G
781 Points -35%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
Intel Xeon E3-1535M v5
750 Points -37%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
552 Points -54%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average Intel Core i9-8950HK
  (2.1 - 2.34, n=7)
2.23 Points +4%
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
2.16 Points 0%
Dell Precision 7530
Intel Core i9-8950HK
2.15 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Intel Xeon E-2176M
2.12 Points -1%
HP EliteBook 1050 G1-4QY20EA
Intel Core i7-8750H
1.99 Points -7%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-8706G
1.99 Points -7%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
1.93 Points -10%
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5
1.92 Points -11%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
Intel Xeon E3-1535M v5
1.8 Points -16%
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
1.55 Points -28%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
14.98 Points +13%
Average Intel Core i9-8950HK
  (12 - 15.1, n=7)
13.6 Points +3%
Dell Precision 7530
Intel Core i9-8950HK
13.22 Points
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
12.5 Points -5%
HP EliteBook 1050 G1-4QY20EA
Intel Core i7-8750H
12.35 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Intel Xeon E-2176M
12.29 Points -7%
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5
8.91 Points -33%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-8706G
8.44 Points -36%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
Intel Xeon E3-1535M v5
8.06 Points -39%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
5.86 Points -56%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Intel Xeon E-2176M
43681 Points +21%
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
38810 Points +8%
Average Intel Core i9-8950HK
  (32438 - 39380, n=5)
36321 Points +1%
Dell Precision 7530
Intel Core i9-8950HK
36095 Points
HP EliteBook 1050 G1-4QY20EA
Intel Core i7-8750H
33110 Points -8%
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
25561 Points -29%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-8706G
24130 Points -33%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
17505 Points -52%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Intel Xeon E-2176M
9142 Points +28%
Average Intel Core i9-8950HK
  (6978 - 7735, n=5)
7282 Points +2%
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
7243 Points +1%
Dell Precision 7530
Intel Core i9-8950HK
7149 Points
HP EliteBook 1050 G1-4QY20EA
Intel Core i7-8750H
6643 Points -7%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-8706G
6549 Points -8%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
6445 Points -10%
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
4330 Points -39%
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
353.2 s *
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
Intel Xeon E3-1535M v5
329.6 s *
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5
299 s *
Average Intel Core i9-8950HK
 
245 s *
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-8706G
199.6 s *
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
120.9 s *

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6819
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
36095
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
7149
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
125.7 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
13.22 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
2.15 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
179.3 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1193 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
187 Points
Help

System Performance

PCMark benchmarks rank our Precision 7530 as one of the fastest notebooks in its class. Its PCMark 10 score is 25 percent higher than the average workstation with results close to the Eurocom Tornado F5W. Even so, differences are not all that large even when compared to the less powerful Precision 5530 2-in-1. Navigation is smooth and near instantaneous as one would expect from a SSD-based PC. We experienced no software or hardware issues during our time with the unit.

PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Workstation
  (5488 - 8587, n=27, last 2 years)
6843 Points +19%
Dell Precision 7530
Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
5738 Points
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Quadro P5000, E3-1280 v5, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
5340 Points -7%
Dell Precision 3530
Quadro P600, E-2176M, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
4817 Points -16%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
4760 Points -17%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB2T0HMLB
4618 Points -20%
Essentials
Average of class Workstation
  (9151 - 12197, n=27, last 2 years)
10513 Points +13%
Dell Precision 3530
Quadro P600, E-2176M, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
9366 Points +1%
Dell Precision 7530
Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
9288 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB2T0HMLB
8321 Points -10%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
8317 Points -10%
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Quadro P5000, E3-1280 v5, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
8293 Points -11%
Productivity
Average of class Workstation
  (7846 - 10820, n=27, last 2 years)
9113 Points +14%
Dell Precision 7530
Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
7994 Points
Dell Precision 3530
Quadro P600, E-2176M, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
7798 Points -2%
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Quadro P5000, E3-1280 v5, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
7236 Points -9%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
7009 Points -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB2T0HMLB
6824 Points -15%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Workstation
  (5399 - 13947, n=27, last 2 years)
9196 Points +33%
Dell Precision 7530
Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
6907 Points
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Quadro P5000, E3-1280 v5, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
6889 Points 0%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
5020 Points -27%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB2T0HMLB
4709 Points -32%
Dell Precision 3530
Quadro P600, E-2176M, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
4154 Points -40%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Quadro P5000, E3-1280 v5, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
5273 Points +26%
Dell Precision 3530
Quadro P600, E-2176M, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
4233 Points +1%
Dell Precision 7530
Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
4200 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB2T0HMLB
3536 Points -16%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
3480 Points -17%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Dell Precision 7530
Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
5568 Points
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Quadro P5000, E3-1280 v5, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
5433 Points -2%
Dell Precision 3530
Quadro P600, E-2176M, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
5295 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB2T0HMLB
4404 Points -21%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
4146 Points -26%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Quadro P5000, E3-1280 v5, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
8015 Points
Dell Precision 3530
Quadro P600, E-2176M, SK hynix PC400 512 GB
5126 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB2T0HMLB
4832 Points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4200 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5568 points
PCMark 10 Score
5738 points
Help

Storage Devices

Three RAID-compatible M.2 2280 NVMe storage bays are available by default. Users have the option to replace the third M.2 slot for a 2.5-inch SATA III bay before purchasing, but this is only available in SKUs with the smaller 64 Wh battery. Our test unit is configured with a single 512 GB Samsung PM961 NVMe SSD.

Sequential transfer rates from our Samsung SSD are good at 1807 MB/s read and 1540 MB/s write to be comparable to the SK Hynix 400 in the Precision 3530. The Samsung PM961, however, is rated for a sequential read rate of 3000 MB/s which we are only able to record in the sequential 128KiB block size test. The Samsung SSD 960 Pro in our Eurocom is still the faster SSD overall.

See our table of SSDs and HDDs for more benchmark comparisons.

CDM 5.5
CDM 5.5
AS SSD
AS SSD
The third M.2 slot is squeezed next to the battery under the right palm rest
The third M.2 slot is squeezed next to the battery under the right palm rest
Each M.2 slot is protected by a secured plate
Each M.2 slot is protected by a secured plate
Dell Precision 7530
Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB2T0HMLB
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
Dell Precision 3530
SK hynix PC400 512 GB
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
12%
1%
11%
64%
-15%
Write 4K
105.9
108
2%
128.9
22%
113.6
7%
211.4
100%
98.8
-7%
Read 4K
23.87
37.24
56%
45.7
91%
41.18
73%
56.7
138%
33.98
42%
Write Seq
1542
1476
-4%
635
-59%
1417
-8%
1983
29%
395.7
-74%
Read Seq
1916
1367
-29%
2065
8%
1896
-1%
2841
48%
2063
8%
Write 4K Q32T1
305.4
302.4
-1%
336.6
10%
355
16%
571
87%
352.3
15%
Read 4K Q32T1
358.4
375
5%
393.6
10%
404.3
13%
606
69%
281.8
-21%
Write Seq Q32T1
1572
2433
55%
662
-58%
1411
-10%
1986
26%
355
-77%
Read Seq Q32T1
3061
3493
14%
2664
-13%
3095
1%
3467
13%
2775
-9%
Write 4K Q8T8
361
Read 4K Q8T8
447.3
Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3061 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1572 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 358.4 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 305.4 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1916 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1542 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 23.87 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 105.9 MB/s

GPU Performance

The Quadro P3200 is most similar to the GTX 1060 according to 3DMark benchmarks. Users can expect a significant performance advantage over the Quadro P2000 and last generation M2000M by 70 percent and 170 percent, respectively. If more power is desired, the Precision 7720 with Quadro P5000 graphics can offer a 30 percent graphics boost. As for workstation performance, SpecViewPerf 12 shows the P3200 consistently outperforming the P2000 by wide margins yet again.

Nvidia Quadro GPUs are more than capable at playing the latest games even if gaming is not their intention. The P3200 has the 1080p prowess of a GTX 1060 but with even better 4K capabilities because of its higher shader count. While not the most efficient way to play games in 4K, it's certainly possible at 30 FPS or higher with settings tuned down. Frame rates are stable with no recurring drops as shown by our Witcher 3 graph below.

Annoyingly, games are locked to 60 FPS by default even when on High Performance mode and with V-Sync disabled. This can be rectified by right-clicking the exe file and checking the box "Disable fullscreen optimizations".

See our dedicated page on the Quadro P3200 for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Alienware 17 R5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
23414 Points +60%
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
19569 Points +33%
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (14673 - 17021, n=4)
16233 Points +11%
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Radeon RX 580 (Laptop), R5 1600
15182 Points +3%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
14673 Points
Asus Strix GL504GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
14476 Points -1%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
10020 Points -32%
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
8201 Points -44%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
8148 Points -44%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
5023 Points -66%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
4702 Points -68%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
3632 Points -75%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (10960 - 22606, n=4)
14342 Points +15%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
12508 Points
Alienware 17 R5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
11288 Points -10%
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
10778 Points -14%
Asus Strix GL504GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
9352 Points -25%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
8166 Points -35%
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
8059 Points -36%
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Radeon RX 580 (Laptop), R5 1600
7838 Points -37%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
7777 Points -38%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
5028 Points -60%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
4936 Points -61%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
4606 Points -63%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Alienware 17 R5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
115714 Points +101%
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
86679 Points +51%
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (57501 - 84059, n=4)
76643 Points +33%
Asus Strix GL504GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
72692 Points +26%
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Radeon RX 580 (Laptop), R5 1600
70020 Points +22%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
57501 Points
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
42598 Points -26%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
38986 Points -32%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
29178 Points -49%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
28679 Points -50%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
26869 Points -53%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
17922 Points -69%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Alienware 17 R5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
17792 Points +57%
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
14666 Points +30%
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (11316 - 12558, n=4)
12246 Points +8%
Asus Strix GL504GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
11829 Points +5%
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Radeon RX 580 (Laptop), R5 1600
11512 Points +2%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
11316 Points
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
7333 Points -35%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
6742 Points -40%
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
6741 Points -40%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
4193 Points -63%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
4127 Points -64%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
2644 Points -77%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Alienware 17 R5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
5689 Points +52%
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (3732 - 4378, n=3)
4155 Points +11%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
3732 Points
Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC-GC204T
AMD Radeon RX 580 (Laptop), R5 1600
3570 Points -4%
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
2898 Points -22%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
2062 Points -45%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
2049 Points -45%
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
2046 Points -45%
SPECviewperf 12
1900x1060 Catia (catia-04)
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
139.9 fps +15%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
121.8 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (105.1 - 126.8, n=5)
117.3 fps -4%
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
69.6 fps -43%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
64.5 fps -47%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
64.4 fps -47%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
45.28 fps -63%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
39 fps -68%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
17.1 fps -86%
1900x1060 3ds Max (3dsmax-05)
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (110 - 110.3, n=2)
110.2 fps
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
31.28 fps
1900x1060 Creo (creo-01)
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
117.2 fps +9%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
107.1 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (97.2 - 112.6, n=5)
106.4 fps -1%
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
65 fps -39%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
57.4 fps -46%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
55.7 fps -48%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
45 fps -58%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
42.19 fps -61%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
18.82 fps -82%
1900x1060 Energy (energy-01)
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
14.22 fps +57%
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (9.04 - 10.7, n=5)
10.2 fps +13%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
9.04 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
6.43 fps -29%
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
5.27 fps -42%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
3.98 fps -56%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
3.12 fps -65%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
2.94 fps -67%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
0.26 fps -97%
1900x1060 Maya (maya-04)
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
88.8 fps +9%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
81.5 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (64.9 - 92.7, n=5)
79.8 fps -2%
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
59.2 fps -27%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
47.2 fps -42%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
42.84 fps -47%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
37.66 fps -54%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
35.55 fps -56%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
11.75 fps -86%
1900x1060 Medical (medical-01)
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
62.7 fps +43%
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (43.7 - 48.7, n=5)
46.2 fps +5%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
44 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
26.61 fps -40%
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
22.84 fps -48%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
19.94 fps -55%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
18.19 fps -59%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
12.78 fps -71%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
3.99 fps -91%
1900x1060 Showcase (showcase-01)
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
68.8 fps +16%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
59.3 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (58.5 - 59.9, n=5)
59.1 fps 0%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
38.31 fps -35%
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
30.73 fps -48%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
30.01 fps -49%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
21.15 fps -64%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
20.02 fps -66%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
7.28 fps -88%
1900x1060 Siemens NX (snx-02)
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
157.4 fps +30%
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (108.4 - 134.5, n=5)
124.1 fps +2%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
121.3 fps
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
65.8 fps -46%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
60 fps -51%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
57 fps -53%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
37.65 fps -69%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
32.41 fps -73%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
18.74 fps -85%
1900x1060 Solidworks (sw-03)
Dell Precision 7720
NVIDIA Quadro P5000, E3-1535M v6
142.3 fps +2%
Dell Precision 7530
NVIDIA Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK
139.5 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (102 - 148.4, n=5)
130.4 fps -7%
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
NVIDIA Quadro P2000, E-2176M
103.8 fps -26%
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, i7-8706G
75.2 fps -46%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q, E-2176M
71.3 fps -49%
Dell Precision 3530
NVIDIA Quadro P600, E-2176M
69 fps -51%
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, E3-1535M v5
68.7 fps -51%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U
31.31 fps -78%
3DMark 06 Standard Score
24576 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
45851 points
3DMark 11 Performance
14244 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
49190 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
30100 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
10128 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
3979 points
Help
The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Eurocom Tornado F5W
Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5, NVIDIA Quadro P5000
54 fps +30%
Average NVIDIA Quadro P3200
  (41.6 - 46.4, n=4)
44.9 fps +8%
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Founders Edition 6 GB
Intel Core i7-6700K, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (Desktop)
44.4 fps +7%
Dell Precision 7530
Intel Core i9-8950HK, NVIDIA Quadro P3200
41.6 fps
Dell Precision 5530 Xeon E-2176M
Intel Xeon E-2176M, NVIDIA Quadro P2000
26 fps -37%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
Intel Xeon E-2176M, NVIDIA Quadro P2000 Max-Q
25 fps -40%
HP ZBook 15 G4-Y4E80AV
Intel Xeon E3-1535M v6, NVIDIA Quadro M2200
18 fps -57%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52 20MAS03N00
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA Quadro P1000
15.7 fps -62%
Dell Precision 3530
Intel Xeon E-2176M, NVIDIA Quadro P600
14 fps -66%

Frame rates are stable when idling on Witcher 3 to show no interrupting background activity.

0510152025303540Tooltip
Dell Precision 7530 Quadro P3200, i9-8950HK, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP: Ø39.9 (37-43)
low med. high ultra4K
The Witcher 3 (2015) 208.9 141 80.6 41.6 28.2
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) 140 127 89 59 29
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 180.9 139.7 77.4 65.8 27.6

Emissions

System Noise

The cooling solution consists of two fans and just three heat pipes between them. Both fans will idle during very low loads like emailing or streaming for a silent experience. After a few minutes, however, fan noise jumps to about 30.3 dB(A) which is still quiet enough to be unnoticeable. We applaud Dell for its excellent fan behavior here during low loads with no pulsing to speak of especially when considering the powerful internals.

Fan noise jumps dramatically when under gaming loads or higher. When under these conditions, the 7530 becomes not all that different from the 7510. Expect a fan noise of almost 50 dB(A) during heavy use to be significantly louder than the its closest competitors including the more powerful Eurocom Tornado F5W

We can notice some slight electronic noise from our test unit when placing an ear near the keyboard. It's not noticeable during regular use in an office environment, though we were expecting better from a machine in this price range.

Cleaning the fans and heat sinks is tricky because the motherboard is upside-down
Cleaning the fans and heat sinks is tricky because the motherboard is upside-down
Twin ~50 mm fans
Twin ~50 mm fans
System noise
System noise
Dell Precision 7530
i9-8950HK, Quadro P3200
HP ZBook 15 G4-Y4E80AV
E3-1535M v6, Quadro M2200
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
E3-1535M v5, Quadro M2000M
Lenovo ThinkPad P52 20MAS03N00
i7-8750H, Quadro P1000
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
E-2176M, Quadro P2000 Max-Q
Eurocom Tornado F5W
E3-1280 v5, Quadro P5000
Noise
3%
-3%
6%
3%
0%
off / environment *
28.3
29.5
-4%
28.2
-0%
29.5
-4%
28.3
-0%
29.6
-5%
Idle Minimum *
28.3
29.5
-4%
29.8
-5%
29.5
-4%
28.4
-0%
31.2
-10%
Idle Average *
28.3
29.5
-4%
29.8
-5%
29.5
-4%
28.4
-0%
31.2
-10%
Idle Maximum *
30.5
30
2%
31.2
-2%
29.5
3%
29.2
4%
32.6
-7%
Load Average *
34.5
39.5
-14%
37.2
-8%
34.7
-1%
41.8
-21%
32.6
6%
Witcher 3 ultra *
49.5
39.5
20%
33.1
33%
39.1
21%
43.1
13%
Load Maximum *
49.5
36
27%
49.4
-0%
39.4
20%
41.8
16%
43.3
13%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
28.3 / 28.3 / 30.5 dB(A)
Load
34.5 / 49.5 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: 28.3 dB(A)

Temperature

Four sets of ventilation grilles
Four sets of ventilation grilles

Surface temperatures are warmer than expected at almost 40 C when idling on desktop likely due to the idling fans. Thankfully, this hot spot is above the first row or keyboards keys and away from the palm rests. The warm surface is not distracting during use, though be prepared for warm keys nonetheless. Note that the keyboard side of this particular notebook will always be warmer on average than the bottom of the notebook since the processors are closer to the top surface than to the bottom.

When under more extreme processing loads, the same hot spot on the keyboard can become as warm as 55 C compared to just 43 C on the ThinkPad P1.

System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Witcher 3 load (top)
Witcher 3 load (top)
Witcher 3 load (bottom)
Witcher 3 load (bottom)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (bottom)
Maximum load (bottom)

The very warm temperatures above can be traced back to warm processors. When idling, we are able to record a high CPU temperature of 66 C. If on the Power Saver profile, core temperature drops to 47 C and so we recommend being in Power Saver mode if the horsepower is not needed.

When running Prime95 to stress the CPU, we can observe clock rates of up to 4.2 GHz for the first few seconds before hitting 97 C. Thereafter, clock rates drop to 3.2 GHz to maintain a cooler core temperature of 83 C. With temperatures this high, it's clear that the Core i9 CPU is pushing the cooling solution to its limits. The base clock rate of the i9-8950HK is 2.9 GHz and so the system is only able to sustain a Turbo Boost clock rate of +300 MHz. Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously brings the CPU back up to 96 C without impacting CPU clock rate.

Witcher 3 stress is more representative of real-world demanding load. Both the CPU and GPU are much cooler at 73 C and 62 C, respectively.

Running on batteries will impact CPU and GPU performance even when set to the High Performance profiles on Windows, Nvidia Control Center, and the Dell Power Manager. A 3DMark 11 run on battery power returns Physics and Graphics scores of only 10400 and 5697 points, respectively, compared to 13522 and 14673 points when on mains. This is a disappointing find especially from a high performance workstation.

System idle
System idle
Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Witcher 3 stress
Witcher 3 stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
System Idle -- -- ~66 48
Prime95 Stress 3.3 -- 83 --
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 3.3 - 3.4 721 96 75
Witcher 3 Stress 4.4 1240 ~73 62
Max. Load
 46.2 °C
115 F
54.4 °C
130 F
48.8 °C
120 F
 
 43.2 °C
110 F
48.6 °C
119 F
39.2 °C
103 F
 
 28.8 °C
84 F
28.4 °C
83 F
28.4 °C
83 F
 
Maximum: 54.4 °C = 130 F
Average: 40.7 °C = 105 F
45 °C
113 F
48 °C
118 F
49 °C
120 F
30 °C
86 F
44.2 °C
112 F
41.2 °C
106 F
26.8 °C
80 F
27 °C
81 F
28.4 °C
83 F
Maximum: 49 °C = 120 F
Average: 37.7 °C = 100 F
Power Supply (max.)  55 °C = 131 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 40.7 °C / 105 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 54.4 °C / 130 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 49 °C / 120 F, compared to the average of 41.3 °C / 106 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 33 °C / 91 F, compared to the device average of 32 °C / 90 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 34.9 °C / 95 F, compared to the device average of 32 °C / 90 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28.8 °C / 83.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.8 °C / 82 F (-1 °C / -1.8 F).

Speakers

Sound quality from the speakers is above average. Our pink noise measurements show a relatively even reproduction of mid and high tones with respectable bass. It's certainly better than expected from a workstation.

The chassis will vibrate from the speakers even when set to just 50 percent volume. There's thankfully no rattling, but the vibration is noticeable on the palms and fingers more so than on other laptops.

Stereo speakers on bottom front corners of unit
Stereo speakers on bottom front corners of unit
Pink noise graph
Pink noise graph
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2037.538.42535.735.43133.333.74033.832.75031.233.16332.3348031.737.21003145.812528.353.416028.362.520027.664.725025.767.131526.469.940025.767.150025.167.463024.373.980024.471.5100024.166.4125023.771.3160023.774.5200023.671.8250023.571315023.569400023.266.4500023.269.6630023.168800023.171.2100002373.2125002365.6160002356.6SPL35.982.9N2.660.4median 23.7median 68Delta14.235.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseDell Precision 7530Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Dell Precision 7530 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (74.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.3% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (11.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 9% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 90% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 18%, worst was 35%
Compared to all devices tested
» 5% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 93% 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

Power Consumption

The system is more demanding than expected when idling on desktop as our unit draws anywhere between 15 W and 26 W compared to half that on the Lenovo ThinkPad P1. Power consumption when under higher loads is otherwise similar to a gaming laptop with GTX 1060 graphics like the Asus Strix GL504GM. When compared to the Precision 7510, the 7530 demands about 10 to 20 percent more power when under high loads for a significant 170 percent boost in raw graphics power.

The medium-sized (~15.4 x 7.5 x 2.3 cm) 180 W AC adapter is able to sufficiently power the system if just barely. We are able to measure a maximum power consumption of 174 W to suggest that a more capable 200 W or 220 W AC adapter may have been more appropriate for a higher overhead.

Prime95+FurMark initiated at 20s mark. Consumption remains relatively steady throughout
Prime95+FurMark initiated at 20s mark. Consumption remains relatively steady throughout
Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Consumption is highest during the first few seconds before dropping and stabilizing at 116 W
Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Consumption is highest during the first few seconds before dropping and stabilizing at 116 W
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.6 / 0.8 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 15.7 / 20.3 / 25.7 Watt
Load midlight 118.9 / 174 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 7530
i9-8950HK, Quadro P3200, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
E-2176M, Quadro P2000 Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB2T0HMLB, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
i7-8706G, WX Vega M GL, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG), IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
E3-1535M v5, Quadro M2000M, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512), IGZO IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
i5-8550U, Radeon Pro WX 3100, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus Strix GL504GM
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Power Consumption
40%
43%
-16%
64%
14%
Idle Minimum *
15.7
7.1
55%
7.4
53%
23.9
-52%
3.2
80%
10
36%
Idle Average *
20.3
14.4
29%
12.4
39%
28.9
-42%
6.1
70%
16.9
17%
Idle Maximum *
25.7
14.6
43%
13.3
48%
30
-17%
9.7
62%
21.1
18%
Load Average *
118.9
93.9
21%
79.2
33%
95.2
20%
62
48%
112.4
5%
Witcher 3 ultra *
131.2
77.9
41%
82.2
37%
48
63%
135.5
-3%
Load Maximum *
174
88.3
49%
96.5
45%
157.1
10%
71
59%
157.3
10%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Runtimes are fairly short considering the large non-removable 97 Wh battery. Expect about 4.5 hours of real-world WLAN use compared to 8 hours or more on the less powerful Precision 5530. To Dell's credit, battery life is at least an improvement over the last generation Precision 7510.

Charging from near empty to full capacity takes just under 2 hours.

A less expensive 64 Wh battery option is also available as an alternative to the 97 Wh configuration. While we've yet to directly test the 64 Wh configuration, it's safe to assume a 30 percent shorter runtime than what we've recorded with our 97 Wh configuration.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
6h 22min
WiFi Websurfing
4h 38min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 35min
Dell Precision 7530
i9-8950HK, Quadro P3200, 97 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad P1-20MD002LUS
E-2176M, Quadro P2000 Max-Q, 80 Wh
Dell Precision 7510 (4K IGZO)
E3-1535M v5, Quadro M2000M, 91 Wh
Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1
i7-8706G, WX Vega M GL, 75 Wh
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
i5-8550U, Radeon Pro WX 3100, 56 Wh
Eurocom Tornado F5W
E3-1280 v5, Quadro P5000, 75.24 Wh
Battery Runtime
15%
-23%
41%
146%
-22%
Reader / Idle
382
268
-30%
737
93%
1301
241%
284
-26%
WiFi v1.3
278
320
15%
239
-14%
435
56%
514
85%
242
-13%
Load
95
70
-26%
70
-26%
200
111%
70
-26%

Verdict

Pros

+ integrated NFC, WAN, Smartcard, fingerprint reader
+ excellent build quality and rigidity; strong skeleton
+ compatible with AI-based Dell Precision Optimizer
+ wide internal storage bay options (up to 3x)
+ generally very quiet during low loads
+ very fast CPU and GPU performance
+ 36-month warranty standard
+ full AdobeRGB coverage
+ 2x Thunderbolt 3 ports
+ good speaker quality
+ ECC RAM options

Cons

- battery life could be longer; high idling power consumption
- Core i9 performance could be better; limited Turbo Boost
- SIM card access requires removing the bottom panel
- throttled performance when on battery power
- very high CPU temperatures when under load
- loud when running demanding loads
- no Quadro P4000 or P5000 options
- PWM on lower brightness settings
- no integrated VGA or E-Port dock
- only 2x USB Type-A ports
- grainy matte display
In review: Dell Precision 7530. Test model provided by Dell US
In review: Dell Precision 7530. Test model provided by Dell US

The Precision 7530 is a worthwhile upgrade from the 7510. It's smaller without sacrificing rigidity and it carries significantly faster CPU and GPU options that high performance workstation users will appreciate. It's optional WAN features also give it a leg up against the competition.

There are a fair number of drawbacks related to its processors and connectivity options. Firstly, the Core i9 CPU runs far too warm on the system to properly benefit from high Turbo Boost clock rates. As a result, performance is just marginally better than the less expensive Core i7-8750H at best and we recommend the i7-8750H or lower as a result. We're also disappointed to see reduced performance on batteries and no Quadro P4000 or higher options considering that this is the "world's most powerful and first ready for VR" 15-inch mobile workstation. The somewhat grainy matte 4K panel and loud fans during load further dampen an otherwise solidly built system.

As for connectivity, we certainly think it can do better than just 2x USB Type-A ports when the older Precision 7510 has twice this number. Look pass these downsides and the Precision 7530 is still a step up in both aesthetics and performance from its predecessors.

The Core i9 is a bit too much for the Precision 7530 to handle. For a more balanced machine, users would be better off configuring with the Core i7-8750H or Xeon E-2176M. This is a a well-built powerhouse of a workstation with 128 GB RAM options not found on most other workstations currently in the market.

Dell Precision 7530 - 10/25/2019 v7
Allen Ngo

Chassis
88 / 98 → 89%
Keyboard
90%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
68 / 80 → 86%
Weight
59 / 10-66 → 88%
Battery
61 / 95 → 65%
Display
87%
Games Performance
89%
Application Performance
90%
Temperature
85 / 95 → 89%
Noise
87 / 90 → 97%
Audio
60%
Camera
55 / 85 → 65%
Average
78%
87%
Workstation - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Dell Precision 7530 (i9-8950HK, Quadro P3200) Workstation Review
Allen Ngo, 2018-10-31 (Update: 2019-02-26)