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Dell Venue 10 Pro (5056) Tablet Review

Solid. Dell's 10.1-inch Windows tablet comes with an impressive list of features: 128 GB of flash storage, LTE modem, and an IPS display. At 662 g (1.46 lbs), the Venue 10 Pro isn't exactly a lightweight, however.

For the original German review, see here.

The Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056 is the successor of the Venue 10 Pro 5055, which we reviewed 2015. Both are 10.1-inch Windows tablets which turn into convertibles when an optional keyboard dock is attached. Models in the 5055-series featured Bay Trail processor, but the 5056 tablets are based on the Cherry Trail platform. Visually, there are changes as well. Competing tablets include the Apple Ipad Air 2, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 and the Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10. Since the Venue can be used as a convertible as well, the list of competitors also needs to include models like the Google Pixel C or the Asus Transformer Book T100HA..

Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056 (Venue Series)
Processor
Intel Atom x5-Z8500 4 x 1.4 - 2.2 GHz, Cherry Trail
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Core: 600 MHz, Dual-Channel, 10.18.15.4248
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3, Dual-Channel, soldered on
Display
10.10 inch 16:10, 1920 x 1200 pixel, Capacitive, native pen support, AU Optronics, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
128 GB eMMC Flash, 128 GB 
, 90 GB free
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Audio combo-jack, Card Reader: MicroSD, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Acceleration sensor, GPS, TPM 2.0
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2, Dell Wireless 5809E LTE, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 9.85 x 262.6 x 175.8 ( = 0.39 x 10.34 x 6.92 in)
Battery
32 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Primary Camera: 8 MPix No flashlight
Secondary Camera: 2 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, 12 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
662 g ( = 23.35 oz / 1.46 pounds), Power Supply: 227 g ( = 8.01 oz / 0.5 pounds)
Price
789 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Dell uses a chassis made from black plastic. The back features a large maintenance over which can be removed without any tools. The cover is rubberized, which provides slip resistance, though fingerprints show easily. The new model can't deny resemblance to the predecessor Venue 10 Pro 5055. Thanks to the slightly tapered edges, the tablet looks slimmer, even though the overall dimensions are more or less identical. With a weight of 662 g, the 5056 is a good deal heavier than the Apple Ipad Air 2 (444 g) or the Amazon Fire HD 10 2015 (420 g). We can't find any fault with the build quality; the overall sturdiness is decent as well, although we'd wish for more torsional rigidity. As is, the tablet can be twisted fairly easily.

Size Comparison

276 mm / 10.9 inch 188 mm / 7.4 inch 27 mm / 1.063 inch 1.1 kg2.36 lbs280 mm / 11 inch 182 mm / 7.17 inch 14.4 mm / 0.567 inch 850 g1.874 lbs262.6 mm / 10.3 inch 175.8 mm / 6.92 inch 9.9 mm / 0.3898 inch 656 g1.446 lbs262.6 mm / 10.3 inch 175.8 mm / 6.92 inch 9.85 mm / 0.3878 inch 662 g1.459 lbs262 mm / 10.3 inch 159 mm / 6.26 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 432 g0.952 lbs256.5 mm / 10.1 inch 177 mm / 6.97 inch 9.1 mm / 0.3583 inch 595 g1.312 lbs254.3 mm / 10 inch 161.1 mm / 6.34 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 487 g1.074 lbs242 mm / 9.53 inch 179 mm / 7.05 inch 7 mm / 0.2756 inch 517 g1.14 lbs240 mm / 9.45 inch 169.5 mm / 6.67 inch 6.1 mm / 0.2402 inch 444 g0.979 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The ports are located on the tablet's right and left sides. The bottom edge houses a connector for the optional keyboard dock - which we unfortunately didn't get to review. The USB 3.1 port is used to charge the tablet as well. A positive aspect: the cable from the power adapter to the USB 3.1 connector is quite long - about 180 cm / 6 feet; the power cable to the outlet is about 80 cm / 2.6 feet. It's therefore no problem to have the tablet on the desk while it is plugged in underneath. A closer look at the USB 3.1 port reveals a displayport symbol. A USB 3.1 to displayport adapter can thus increase the functionality. A USB 3.0 (Type A) port allows the connection of other peripherals. Our review slate is also equipped with an LTE modem. The SIM and the MicroSD card slots are hidden under a cover on the right edge.

Left side: audio combo-jack, volume rocker switch, MicroHDMI, speaker, USB 3.0, USB 3.1/power jack
Left side: audio combo-jack, volume rocker switch, MicroHDMI, speaker, USB 3.0, USB 3.1/power jack
Right side: lock slot, speaker, SIM slot, MicroSD slot, Windows button
Right side: lock slot, speaker, SIM slot, MicroSD slot, Windows button
Top: power button, microphone
Top: power button, microphone
Bottom : docking port
Bottom : docking port

Software

The operating system is Windows 10 Pro (64-bit). External recovery media is not included.

Communication & GPS 

The Venue ships with an Intel Dual Band Wireless AC 8260 module which supports not only 802.11 a/b/g/n but also the faster ac-standard. Bluetooth 4.2 functionality is integrated as well. What's new here is easy to summarize: faster, more secure, higher efficiency. We didn't encounter any reception issues and the connection was stable 15 meters / 50 feet from our router.

Our review tablet is also equipped with an LTE modem (Dell Wireless 5809e Gobi), so cell networks can be used to connect to the Internet. The modem is optional - and only models with that modem come with a GPS module.

Our review slate features an LTE modem (Sierra Wireless).
Our review slate features an LTE modem (Sierra Wireless).
The camera lacks a flash.
The camera lacks a flash.

Cameras & Multimedia

The tablet is equipped with two cameras: one webcam (2 MP) for video conferencing and another one (8 MP) for photos. Neither one is very impressive and the resulting photos are pale and lack details. We took the example photos in bright sunshine.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Accessories

The tablet ships without any other accessories besides the quickstart-poster and the warranty information. Dell does sell additional accessories like a keyboard dock and an active stylus in their online shop for about 192 Euro (~$ 220) for both. Cases and protective covers are offered as well. The docking station hooks up to the USB 3.1 port; in addition, the company offers a combo-adapter (HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, USB 3.0) for this port as well. 

Warranty

The tablet is protected by a 12 month warranty. As always, Dell offers additional plans and extensions. 

Input Devices & Operation

The touchscreen works without any problems and reacts promptly to inputs. Both fingers and a stylus can be used and up to 10 inputs are recognized simultaneously. The well-known Windows keyboard is available for typing. Users who don't want to purchase the optional dock can hook up a mouse or keyboard to the USB Type A port. Even an old PS/2 keyboard worked just fine when we connected it using a USB-to-PS/2 adapter. We also used Bluetooth input devices and experienced no issues during use.

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The Venue 10 Pro comes with a 10.1-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. Both the brightness (348.1 cd/m²) as well as the contrast (1521:1) are very good. The display doesn't exhibit any PWM flickering at all.

354
cd/m²
361
cd/m²
348
cd/m²
348
cd/m²
365
cd/m²
333
cd/m²
336
cd/m²
344
cd/m²
344
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 365 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 348.1 cd/m² Minimum: 26 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 365 cd/m²
Contrast: 1521:1 (Black: 0.24 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 8.31 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.39 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
60% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.72% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.38% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 1.96

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 not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Venue 10 Pro vs. sRGB
Venue 10 Pro vs. sRGB
Venue 10 Pro vs. AdobeRGB
Venue 10 Pro vs. AdobeRGB

As shipped, the display has a DeltaE color deviation of 8.31 (the target value is less than 3). We didn't notice a bluish hue or cast. The tablet cannot cover the professional cover spaces adequately: coverage for AdobeRGB is only 38 % and 60 % for sRGB.

CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Graylevels
CalMAN - Graylevels
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation

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 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7 ms rise
↘ 19 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. » 57 % 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
30 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 16 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. » 33 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The Venue 10 Pro is equipped with an IPS display with great viewing angle stability, so the screen content can be read from all angles. Outdoor use is possible as well, although we recommend cloud cover or seeking out shade whenever possible.

Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
IPS, 1920x1200
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055
IPS, 1920x1200
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
IPS, 2048x1536
Google Pixel C
LTPS, 2560x1800
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
IPS, 1920x1200
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
IPS, 1280x800
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
IPS, 1280x800
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE
Super AMOLED, 2048x1536
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
TFT, 1024x768
Display
18%
26%
Display P3 Coverage
40.38
48.01
19%
52.8
31%
sRGB Coverage
60.7
70.6
16%
73
20%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.72
49.79
19%
53.3
28%
Response Times
-39%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
30 ?(14, 16)
42 ?(19, 23)
-40%
Response Time Black / White *
26 ?(7, 19)
36 ?(12.4, 23.6)
-38%
PWM Frequency
Screen
-22%
8%
-14%
-15%
-7%
18%
27%
-17%
Brightness middle
365
436
19%
423
16%
487
33%
345
-5%
458
25%
480.2
32%
358
-2%
394
8%
Brightness
348
418
20%
427
23%
510
47%
337
-3%
434
25%
455
31%
357
3%
392
13%
Brightness Distribution
91
92
1%
92
1%
91
0%
94
3%
86
-5%
85
-7%
86
-5%
80
-12%
Black Level *
0.24
0.58
-142%
0.61
-154%
0.39
-63%
0.43
-79%
0.43
-79%
0.324
-35%
0.51
-113%
Contrast
1521
752
-51%
693
-54%
1249
-18%
802
-47%
1065
-30%
1482
-3%
773
-49%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
8.31
5.17
38%
2.86
66%
5.24
37%
5.86
29%
4.18
50%
3.45
58%
1.78
79%
3.59
57%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
16.47
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.39
4.68
-38%
2.37
30%
7.95
-135%
5.63
-66%
4.54
-34%
2.67
21%
1.38
59%
4.25
-25%
Gamma
1.96 112%
2.31 95%
2.43 91%
2.16 102%
2.33 94%
2.15 102%
2.34 94%
2.24 98%
2.56 86%
CCT
6451 101%
6652 98%
6941 94%
6565 99%
6533 99%
7083 92%
6164 105%
6366 102%
7148 91%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38
88
132%
45.7
20%
47.28
24%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
60
70.1
17%
84.38
41%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-22% / -22%
8% / 8%
-27% / -20%
2% / -6%
-7% / -7%
22% / 20%
27% / 27%
-17% / -17%

* ... smaller is better

Performance

The Venue 10 Pro 5056 is a 10.1-inch tablet. In addition to "normal" tasks, the tablet can also handle simple desktop application like word processing or web browsing. Our review tablet sells for 790 Euro (~$900); other versions are available as well at a starting price of 530 Euro (~$600).

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
LatencyMon
 

Processor

The Venue comes with a quad-core Atom x5 Z8500 (Cherry Trail) processor. Thanks to the extremely low TDP of less than 4 watts, the CPU doesn't require active cooling. The base clock speed is 1.44 GHz, although the Turbo can overclock to 2.24 GHz. The Atom didn't maintain the maximum Turbo: during the single-threaded tests, the processor fluctuated between 1.5 and 2.24 GHz - frequencies between the upper and lower limit were completely omitted. During the multi-threaded tests, the CPU started at full speed, but started slowing down soon after that. At the end of the Cinebench R15 benchmark test, the speed had dropped to 1.84 GHz.

The Cherry Trail processors aren't really faster than the Bay Trail predecessors. At the same frequencies, the results are virtually identical. That's not really surprising, since Intel more or less didn't touch the architecture.

Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
118 Points
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, SanDisk SEM128
98 Points -17%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
127 Points +8%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
35 Points
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, SanDisk SEM128
37 Points +6%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
36 Points +3%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1.42 Points
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, SanDisk SEM128
0.72 Points -49%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
1.63 Points +15%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
0.43 Points
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, SanDisk SEM128
0.36 Points -16%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
0.43 Points 0%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
3563 Points
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, Hynix HCG8E 64 GB
2926 Points -18%
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2380 Points -33%
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, SanDisk SEM128
1876 Points -47%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
4107 Points +15%
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1164 Points
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, Hynix HCG8E 64 GB
949 Points -18%
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
696 Points -40%
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, SanDisk SEM128
1003 Points -14%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
1168 Points 0%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
900 Points
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
783 Points -13%
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
551 Points -39%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
766 Points -15%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
Adreno 306, 410 APQ8016, 16 GB eMMC Flash
465 Points -48%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
3061 Points
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2196 Points -28%
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1600 Points -48%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1499 Points -51%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
Adreno 306, 410 APQ8016, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1443 Points -53%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
374.1 ms *
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, Hynix HCG8E 64 GB
844 ms * -126%
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
510 ms * -36%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
291.1 ms * +22%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
833 ms * -123%
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1761 ms * -371%
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, SanDisk SEM128
348.7 ms * +7%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1230 ms * -229%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
399.8 ms * -7%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1016 ms * -172%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
Adreno 306, 410 APQ8016, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1584 ms * -323%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
55 Points
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
26.11 Points -53%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
47.4 Points -14%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
41 Points -25%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
41.12 Points -25%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
4706 ms *
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, Hynix HCG8E 64 GB
5705 ms * -21%
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
9343 ms * -99%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
2396 ms * +49%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
5533 ms * -18%
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
8253 ms * -75%
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, SanDisk SEM128
4370 ms * +7%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5658 ms * -20%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
4472 ms * +5%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
5142 ms * -9%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6483 ms * -38%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
Adreno 306, 410 APQ8016, 16 GB eMMC Flash
13257 ms * -182%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
8072 Points
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, Hynix HCG8E 64 GB
6331 Points -22%
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3408 Points -58%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
10512 Points +30%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
7563 Points -6%
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4692 Points -42%
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, SanDisk SEM128
8408 Points +4%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5835 Points -28%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
8197 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6885 Points -15%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
Adreno 306, 410 APQ8016, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2925 Points -64%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
710 Points
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, Hynix HCG8E 64 GB
909 Points +28%
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
564 Points -21%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
2750 Points +287%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
141 Points
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
158 Points +12%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
128 Points -9%
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
73 Points -48%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
84 Points -40%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
111 Points -21%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
79 Points -44%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
Adreno 306, 410 APQ8016, 16 GB eMMC Flash
47 Points -67%
Browsermark - 2.1 (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1147 points
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
3646 points +218%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
2472 points +116%

* ... smaller is better

GPU Performance

Dell relies on the Intel HD Graphics for graphics processing. The GPU supports DirectX 12 and processes with speeds up to 600 MHz. While the CPU performance didn't really improve going from Bay Trail and Cherry Trail, the GPU performance did increase significantly: the results of the 3D Mark Benchmarks show about twice the performance. The reason is the new architecture: the Cherry Trail GPUs are based on Intel's Broadwell, the Bay Trail models based on the pre-predecessor (Ivy Bridge) architecture. 

A decoder integrated into the GPU takes load of the processor during video playback. The decoder supports more formats than the predecessor and can handle the H.265 format, which is the successor to H.264. H.265 has the same picture quality, but reduced file size. When we played our test video (4k, H.265, 60 fps), the CPU utilization remained under 10 %. For our playback we chose the "Movies & TV" application integrated into Windows 10, since it supports hardware acceleration of H.265 material.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
464 Points
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, Hynix HCG8E 64 GB
203 Points -56%
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
203 Points -56%
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, SanDisk SEM128
364 Points -22%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
419 Points -10%
3DMark - 1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
20633 Points
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
11788 Points -43%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
0 Points -100%
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8700, SanDisk SEM128
5275 Points -74%
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
18603 Points -10%
3DMark 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
3316 Points
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, Samsung CGND3R eMMC
3330 Points 0%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
7.9 fps
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
12 fps +52%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
4.3 fps -46%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
9 fps
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
24 fps +167%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6.6 fps -27%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
10.4 fps
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
11.5 fps +11%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
13 fps +25%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
7 fps -33%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
5.8 fps -44%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
11.4 fps
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
17.9 fps +57%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
31 fps +172%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3.2 fps -72%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
11 fps -4%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
15.6 fps
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
27 fps +73%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
22 fps +41%
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
8.7 fps -44%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
12 fps -23%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
8.5 fps -46%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
17.1 fps
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
37.6 fps +120%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
40 fps +134%
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
8.8 fps -49%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
7.2 fps -58%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
18 fps +5%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
38.5 fps
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
70.4 fps +83%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
69 fps +79%
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
21 fps -45%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
15 fps -61%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
34 fps -12%
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 128 GB eMMC Flash
33.8 fps
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
52.1 fps +54%
Google Pixel C
Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU, X1, 64 GB eMMC Flash
39 fps +15%
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
22 fps -35%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
22 fps -35%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 32 GB eMMC Flash
20 fps -41%

Gaming Performance

The popular casual games available in the Windows Store shouldn't pose a problem, but modern 3D games like Rise of the Tomb Raider are simply out of the question because the hardware isn't powerful enough. Only a few games achieve playable frame rates - at least as long as the resolution and the quality are set to low. An example here is the game Sims 4.

low med. high ultra
Trackmania Nations Forever (2008) 128 29.2 16.8
Tomb Raider (2013) 25.7 12 8.3 3.7
BioShock Infinite (2013) 20.1 9.3 7.6 2.4
Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014) 9.5 5.7
Dirt Rally (2015) 20.1 12.5
Metal Gear Solid V (2015) 15.1 9.8
Anno 2205 (2015) 8.1 3.9
Star Wars Battlefront (2015) 8.8 4.8
Rainbow Six Siege (2015) 11.5 7

Emissions

Temperature

The Venue during the stress test.
The Venue during the stress test.

The fact that both the CPU and GPU are throttled at maximum workloads isn't that surprising, since the tablet is cooled passively. Just two minutes after the start of our stress test, the CPU and GPU had dropped to 480 and 280 MHz, respectively. The tablet doesn't get unduly warm and we encountered higher temps only in a few areas around the processor. During normal use that shouldn't be any issues. Our stress test simulates an extreme - and normally not encountered - scenario. 

Max. Load
 38.1 °C
101 F
42.2 °C
108 F
34.3 °C
94 F
 
 29.3 °C
85 F
30 °C
86 F
27.9 °C
82 F
 
 31.4 °C
89 F
34.4 °C
94 F
35.6 °C
96 F
 
Maximum: 42.2 °C = 108 F
Average: 33.7 °C = 93 F
37.9 °C
100 F
50.2 °C
122 F
43.5 °C
110 F
32 °C
90 F
36.8 °C
98 F
30 °C
86 F
28 °C
82 F
29 °C
84 F
28.1 °C
83 F
Maximum: 50.2 °C = 122 F
Average: 35.1 °C = 95 F
Power Supply (max.)  39 °C = 102 F | Room Temperature 20.4 °C = 69 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.7 °C / 93 F, compared to the average of 30 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.2 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 50.2 °C / 122 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.6 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
Z8500, HD Graphics (Cherry Trail)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055
Z3735F, HD Graphics (Bay Trail)
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
Z3735F, HD Graphics (Bay Trail)
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
A8X, PowerVR GXA6850
Google Pixel C
X1, Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
Z8700, HD Graphics (Cherry Trail)
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
MT8135, PowerVR G6200
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
Z8500, HD Graphics (Cherry Trail)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE
Exynos 5433, Mali-T760 MP6
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
410 APQ8016, Adreno 306
Heat
-8%
6%
9%
11%
-1%
23%
22%
12%
11%
Maximum Upper Side *
42.2
43.6
-3%
39
8%
36.2
14%
42.3
-0%
51
-21%
30.4
28%
35.2
17%
40.8
3%
37
12%
Maximum Bottom *
50.2
47.6
5%
44.9
11%
42.8
15%
36
28%
55
-10%
30.2
40%
33.4
33%
35.7
29%
36.9
26%
Idle Upper Side *
34.1
38
-11%
31.1
9%
31
9%
31.8
7%
27.1
21%
29.8
13%
27.6
19%
31.2
9%
33.7
1%
Idle Bottom *
31.2
37.8
-21%
33
-6%
32
-3%
28
10%
29
7%
28
10%
25.8
17%
29.1
7%
29.8
4%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

Pink noise
Pink noise

The two speakers are located on the right and left edges. The sound is clear, but bass is lacking. Voices are easy to understand. For a better sound experience we recommend hooking up headphones or external speakers.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Positive: the charging cable is quite long.
Positive: the charging cable is quite long.

We measured a maximum power consumption of 6.2 watts during idle. For the given hardware, this is an acceptable result - although the Venue can't keep up here with many of the ARM-based competitors, which need less. During the stress test, the power draw increases to 11.2 watts, which is lower than during medium load levels. The reason: both the CPU and the GPU are throttled heavily during the stress test. The power adapter is rated at 30 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.38 / 0.6 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.2 / 6 / 6.2 Watt
Load midlight 14.5 / 11.2 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 Venue 10 Pro 5056
Z8500, HD Graphics (Cherry Trail)
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055
Z3735F, HD Graphics (Bay Trail)
HP Pro Tablet 10 EE G1
Z3735F, HD Graphics (Bay Trail)
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
A8X, PowerVR GXA6850
Google Pixel C
X1, Tegra X1 Maxwell GPU
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
Z8700, HD Graphics (Cherry Trail)
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
MT8135, PowerVR G6200
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE
Exynos 5433, Mali-T760 MP6
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
410 APQ8016, Adreno 306
Power Consumption
12%
5%
27%
22%
11%
48%
23%
44%
Idle Minimum *
3.2
2.8
12%
3.5
-9%
1.2
62%
1.82
43%
2.4
25%
1.24
61%
2.3
28%
1.1
66%
Idle Average *
6
5.4
10%
5.5
8%
5.1
15%
4.26
29%
5.1
15%
3.81
36%
4.5
25%
3.6
40%
Idle Maximum *
6.2
5.5
11%
5.7
8%
5.4
13%
4.33
30%
6
3%
3.92
37%
5
19%
3.9
37%
Load Average *
14.5
10.9
25%
10.7
26%
7.9
46%
9.82
32%
14.7
-1%
5.94
59%
9.4
35%
6.8
53%
Load Maximum *
11.2
11.1
1%
12.2
-9%
11.1
1%
13.99
-25%
5.94
47%
10.4
7%
8.4
25%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

During our practically relevant WLAN test, the tablet lasted for 7 hours and 31 minutes. The tests simulates web browsing. We enable the balanced profile and set the display brightness to 150 cd/m². Videos can be played for about 7 hours and 25 minutes. Here, we loop the short film Big Buck Bunny (H.264-Kodierung, 1920 x 1080 pixels) with the wireless modules turned off and the display set to 150 cd/m².

Overall, the battery life is decent. The new tablet lasts significantly longer than the predecessor Venue 10 Pro 5055. Only part of this increase can be attributed to the hardware. The battery of the Venue 10 Pro 5055 had already decreased in capacity by 16 %. We also conducted those tests with the keyboard dock attached.

The battery has a capacity of 32 Wh.
The battery has a capacity of 32 Wh.
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
14h 27min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 25.10586.0.0)
7h 31min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
7h 25min
Load (maximum brightness)
3h 25min
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056
32 Wh
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055
32 Wh
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
28 Wh
Google Pixel C
34 Wh
Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 10 2nd Gen
32 Wh
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
 Wh
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 YT3-X90L
23 Wh
Asus Transformer Book T100HA-C4-GR
30 Wh
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE
22 Wh
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
 Wh
Battery Runtime
-25%
29%
73%
17%
16%
43%
36%
20%
125%
Reader / Idle
867
675
-22%
1364
57%
2090
141%
866
0%
1142
32%
1261
45%
1460
68%
918
6%
2950
240%
H.264
445
562
26%
740
66%
545
22%
624
40%
644
45%
651
46%
WiFi v1.3
451
638
41%
448
-1%
450
0%
558
24%
541
20%
393
-13%
862
91%
Load
205
150
-27%
212
3%
294
43%
298
45%
188
-8%
323
58%
246
20%
291
42%
297
45%
WiFi
250
630

Pros

+ bright IPS display with lots of contrast
+ WUXGA resolution
+ good battery life
+ USB 3.1

Cons

- base version only has 1 year of warranty
- high price

Verdict

In review: Dell Venue 10 Pro (5056). Test model courtesy of Dell.
In review: Dell Venue 10 Pro (5056). Test model courtesy of Dell.

Dell's Venue 10 Pro is a solid 10.1-inch Windows tablet. Like all Windows tablets, the Venue allows the user to install and use normal desktop applications. The CPU can only handle simple tasks like word processing and web browsing. The 128 GB eMMC flash drive offers ample storage. We also like the bright IPS display with lots of contrast - although the display of the Venue 10 Pro 5055 was quite a bit brighter. The battery life is very decent. 

The stark appearance leaves no doubts that this is primarily a business device. The weight of 662 g is comparatively heavy. With the optional keyboard dock, the Venue tips the scales at almost 1300 g - same as some comparable netbooks and subnotebooks. 

At a price of 800 Euro, the Venue 10 Pro isn't exactly a bargain.

For the average home user, the Venue isn't really a very interesting choice. That's true even for the entry-level version selling for 530 Euro (~$600). Netbooks or consumer tablets are a more cost-effective alternative. 

Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056 - 04/18/2016 v5.1(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
75%
Keyboard
64 / 80 → 80%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
59 / 65 → 91%
Weight
80 / 40-88 → 83%
Battery
89%
Display
82%
Games Performance
38 / 68 → 56%
Application Performance
46 / 76 → 61%
Temperature
87%
Noise
100%
Audio
53 / 91 → 58%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
69%
81%
Tablet - Weighted Average

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Sascha Mölck, 2016-04- 4 (Update: 2018-05-15)