Dell refreshes mobile workstations with Haswell chips

Dell has refreshed its mobile workstation range to include support for Intel's Haswell processors, full HD screens and Nvidia's Quadro high-performance discrete graphics.

The M4800 and M6800 feature 15.6in and 17.3in displays, respectively, with resolutions up to 1920 x 1080 available. Both are aimed at business users who want to run enterprise class design and editing applications on the move.

Dell has packed in virtually identical specifications into the 4800 and 6800. There's a choice between Intel's 4th generation Core i5 or i7 processors and vPro management, support for up to 16GB of 1866MHz or 32GB of 1600MHz RAM, and discrete graphics from AMD or Nvidia depending on needs.

The laptops include enterprise grade features such as ISV certification, fingerprint readers and FIP-certified TPM drives. Dell has also had the devices certified to the MIL-STD 810G rating, meaning they can tolerate extreme temperatures, shock and dust.

Dell has also thrown in the ability to swap out the primary hard drive tool-free as the firm aims to increase serviceability, something which is more commonly associated with competing HP products.

Connectivity is the same on both laptops with 4 x USB 3.0 ports, eSATA/USB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, Displayport, Ethernet and a 9-in-1 smartcard reader dotted around the chassis. Both also include a slot for a 54mm Expresscard and a Smart Card reader is optional.

Battery life will vary with the smaller M4800 shipping with a 6-cell and the M6800 with a 9-cell pack. Dell is touting around eight hours of usage, and the 17.3in device supports a slice battery extension for longer use.

The mobile workstation will be available from 12 September with pricing starting at 1,152 for the M4800 and 1,380 for the M6800.

Khidr Suleman is the Technical Editor at IT Pro, a role he has fulfilled since March 2012. He is responsible for the reviews section on the site - so get in touch if you have a product you think might be of interest to the business world. He also covers the hardware and operating systems beats. Prior to joining IT Pro, Khidr worked as a reporter at Incisive Media. He studied law at the University of Reading and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism and Online Writing at PMA Training.