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Dell announces Precision M4500; time for Precision M4500 vs Elitebook 8540w!

Dell Precision M4500; announced today

Guess what? Dell just announced their new Precision M4500 “mobile workstation”. This latest offering from Dell will come with Core i5 and Core i7 options (all the way till i7 Extreme 920XM), 4 DDR3 RAM slots for up to 16 GB of memory, a full HD 1920 x 1080 sRGB LED-backlit display with a familiar 16:9 aspect ratio, choice of Nvidia Quadro FX880M or FX1800M graphics, 3 megapixel webcam, backlit keyboard (minus numeric keypad, me thinks), Precision On instant-boot and a hard disk bay with support for an optional, additional mini card for SSD only (without sacrificing the optical drive). In terms of port selection, there’s 4 USB ports (one of which is combined with eSATA), mini Display Port, VGA port, dedicated headphone and microphone jacks, FireWire and the usual affair.

In case you haven’t gotten the point yet, this is a direct competitor to HP’s Elitebook 8540w Mobile Workstation!!! In some ways, the Precision M4500 can be considered ’superior’ to its HP counterpart (yes, I make it a point to provide unbiased news coverage here, and will point out flaws that exist instead of the “fanboy mode” other sites go into when they try to hide the negative aspects of their favorite brand/product). Quad core 2.0 GHz Core i7 Extreme (8540w maxes out with quad core 1.73 GHz Core i7 at the moment), 3 megapixel webcam and ability to add on an SSD in additional to your main hard disk, without sacrificing the optical drive, are three plus points the Dell has over HP’s 15 inch Elitebook.

But guess what else? I STILL want the Elitebook 8540w, and so do a lot of other people. In my opinion, the HP Elitebook 8540w is an overall more versatile notebook and here’s why…

• Unless you really need the extra 0.27 GHz per core and 0.17 GHz when both are Turbo Boosted, the Elitebook 8540w’s 1.73 GHz Core i7 processor should be more than enough for most users. If you need the extra power, however, the Dell Precision M4500 might be for you with its 2.0 GHz Core i7 processor. But would it be worth sacrifici’ng all the other plus points of the Elitebook 8540w (listed below) just for that extra few megahertz? Food for thought. But until HP makes the 920XM available in their Elitebook models, the model with more processing power is obvious here. Winner: Precision
• If you’re shopping for a mobile workstation, I’m sure the number of ‘megapixels’ that its webcam has would be one of the bottom few, if not at the very bottom, of the “things that will influence my decision” list. I don’t know about you, but the 2 MP webcam of the Elitebook 8540w is more than enough for me and my web conversations/business card scanning, thanks. Winner: Precision
• For the record, you can add on a secondary HDD or SSD to all HP Elitebooks if you’re willing to sacrifice the optical drive. That goes the same for the Elitebook 8540w. The Dell Precision M4500 allows you to add on an SSD without removing the optical drive (but SSD only). Winner: Precision
• In terms of visual aesthetics, I think it’s a tie here – some may prefer the Precision for it’s Thinkpad-esque look, some may like the Elitebook better for its cleaner, modern design (and non-ugly lid, IMO). The Precision does have a slightly slimmer profile here. Winner: Precision
• The Dell Precision M4500 has a backlit keyboard, which many would consider the ‘inferior’ solution to illuminating the keyboard versus a dedicated keyboard light or two above the screen (I’m sure both Elitebook and Thinkpad owners would agree here). While a backlit keyboard undeniably does its job to light up the keyboard, an external keyboard light (like the ones on Elitebooks and some business Thinkpads) is far more versatile – you can illuminate documents, paperwork, even things around your notebook, in the dark; in addition to illuminating just your keyboard. Winner: Elitebook
• While the Dell Precision M4500 seems to have a centralized “standard” notebook keyboard from press shots, the Elitebook 8540w makes full use of all that real-estate on its lower deck with a full-size keyboard with numeric pad. If you like number crunching or a nice, spread out alternative to usually-cramped arrow keys, you’ll be especially attracted to the Elitebook 8540w. Even if you’re not some part-accountant, part-CAD designer or mad number puncher, at least you know you’ll have the number pad at your disposal anytime (or maybe even learn to appreciate its usefulness!). Winner: Elitebook
• More ports on the HP Elitebook 8540w: HP’s solution has a total of a whopping five USB ports (that’s even more ports than the upcoming Elitebook 8740w!), two of which are USB 3.0 and the other three being USB 2.0. The Elitebook 8540w also has a dedicated eSata port. Now THAT is a true Mobile Workstation! The Dell Precision M4500, on the other hand, has just three USB ports, plus an additional USB + eSata combo port. Dell has mentioned nothing thus far about USB 3.0 (and manufacturers usually like to boast about ‘new’ features), so we can safely assume the Precision M4500 has only USB 2.0 ports. Double win for the Elitebook 8540w here: Availability USB 3.0 ports and ability to connect up to 6 devices simultaneously (5 USB and 1 eSata) versus 4 devices for the Dell. Winner: Elitebook
• DreamColor 2 color precise RGB LED backlit display is coming to the Elitebook 8540w, ensuring color accurate results and amazing 10-bit color depth (that’s about one billion colors to you!) and more. The DreamColor 2 option isn’t available yet, but rumors say it won’t be soon before long. Well, that beats the Dell Precision M4500’s more conventional sRGB LED backlit display. The DreamColor 2 option may not be available yet, but at least the Elitebook 8540w notebook itself has been available for purchase for more than a month now. On the other hand, the Precision M4500 itself won’t even be appearing for sale for another few weeks. Winner: Elitebook
• The ATI FirePro M5800 workstation-class graphics card will also be making its way into the Elitebook 8540w in the near future. This DX11-supporting card will probably be based off the high-end Mobility Radeon 5850 card, but even if it isn’t, at least we know it’s gonna be just as good, and very likely more affordable, than its Nvidia counterparts. With the HP Elitebook 8540w and Dell Precision M4500 having the same Nvidia graphics card options, the ATI option on the Elitebook gives future buyers an alternative route when configuring their notebook. Winner: Elitebook
• Availability, options and price. Despite currently lacking the above-mentioned DreamColor 2 and ATI FirePro options during the order process, the Elitebook 8540w is available NOW with all other options, while the Dell Precision M4500 won’t be out for sale for another few weeks. HP also makes a more affordable, silver colored version of the Elitebook 8540w called the Elitebook 8540p with Nvidia Quadro NVS graphics (opposed to Quadro FX on the more expensive w-series). So if you want it now and want it bad, you can have an Elitebook now. If you’re strapped for cash and still want a 15.6 inch mobile workstation for whatever your reason, the slightly less pricey (but still over $1000) Elitebook 8540p is also available as an option. Winner: Elitebook

So yes, the HP Elitebook 8540w is overall a more versatile notebook for the reasons above. And that is why I’m closely eying it as my next notebook… Hope you enjoyed the little comparison I made here today, and perhaps you can now make a more informed decision when you shop for a mobile workstation this spring/summer!

Update (thanks, Frank!): I noticed claims that the Precision M4500 can last for just under 8 hours with a 9 cell battery (this is a figure people quote from Dell, so it was probably tested under light load to maximize battery life). While I don’t dispute this claim, and the Elitebook 8540w can do almost 7 hours in ‘typing and surfing’ mode with its 8 cell battery, I think it’s important to point out that the Precision M4500 may be using a 6 cell battery in press photos. I have a friend who has a Dell Precision M4400 (last-gen’s 15 inch mobile workstation from Dell), who says that the ‘flush-fitting’ battery of the M4×00 series, and also shared by a few Latitude notebooks, is a 6 cell battery. He also has a 9 cell battery for his notebook and it sticks out the back of his notebook slightly – same case might apply to the new M4500 launched today (and it’s probably true, because no way a 9 cell battery can be so “short” in length, unless it’s really deep and they’ve changed the battery type from last generation which they have probably not). So if you don’t like protrusions, the Dell Precision M4500’s 9 cell battery will stick out slightly from the notebook, while the 6 cell battery won’t (though you’ll have to sacrifice some power). The HP Elitebook 8540w, however, has a flush-fitting 8 cell battery. More food for thought, eh?

Dream Color 2 rumors

Okay, I bet most of us are happy that an ATI Mobility Radeon 5000-series based FirePro M5800 is coming to the Elitebook 8540w, an even better FirePro M7820 is on its way to the upcoming Elitebook 8740w and that the Elitebook 8740w jigsaw has been (mostly) pieced together… But are you sitting down?! Rumors of the new DreamColor 2 display (first discovered about a month ago in an Elitebook 8540w service manual and leaked by HP themselves) have recently surfaced. Wow, with so many rumors and things pouring out recently, we can speculate that something must be brewing… HP? ATI?

The DreamColor display by HP, launched in 2008 with DreamWorks (yes, must be the people who made Shrek and Over The Hedge), has been renowned for showing off ‘true colors’ without breaking the bank (much). This latest iteration (DC2) is rumored to have higher native color bit (10 bits versus 8 bits of DreamColor 1), IPS technology (just like the current 24 inch DreamColor monitor) and ‘improved’ backlighting, among other things…and, based on past news, will be making its way into -at least- the 8540w and 8740w.

For those asleep because they thought DreamColor 2 was going to just feature ‘more colors’, wake up! Because rumors seem to be pointing to something more impressive than just an ‘evolution’ of DreamColor 1.

ATI FirePro M7820 graphics leaked; and more Elitebook 8740w news

Bye bye Nvidia workstation graphics exclusivity, first it was the FirePro M5800 leak last month and reported marriage with the HP Elitebook 8540w. Just recently, news from an anonymous party has just surfaced about a new ATI FirePro M7820 workstation class graphics card that will feature 1 GB of GDDR5 memory and DirectX 11, and based off the powerful Mobility Radeon 5870 ‘gaming class’ card. And this puppy will find its way first into the upcoming Elitebook 8740w Mobile Workstation AND… get ready your tissues to wipe off that drool… the ATI FirePro M7820 will supposedly sit a step or two higher than Nvidia’s flagship mobile workstation FX3800M graphics card! ATI’s seriously been making a big comeback for the last couple of months and it doesn’t look like they’re losing steam anytime soon. In other news, the 17 inch Elitebook 8740w is said to sport a fully backlit keyboard (partial chiclet keys with numeric pad, no less), a “first” for an HP Elitebook.

When, when, when? You ask frantically. Patience is a virtue, my friend – likely this month. Who else here has a feeling that the leaked ATI FirePro M5800 will also appear alongside its newfound big brother, the FirePro M7820 at the same time during launch?

HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam edition announced

HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam edition

Get this, less than five days after HP announced their new Elitebook 2540p, 2740p and new ProBooks, they made another separate announcement today! This time it’s the successor to the Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam consumer-designer netbook – introducing the HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam edition. This new designer netbook features a special Butterfly design(one of those love-hate things) on the lid and all-gold (just paint of course, not real gold) casing, and will be available for $600 in the near future. Other specifications like that Atom N450 processor, 1 RAM slot and other things are exactly the same as you would find on a regular HP Mini 210. Like butterflies and gold? Then the HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam edition is probably your dream come true (at a small price premium over a conventional Mini 210 of course!)

HP Eliteboook 8740w specifications leak; plus leaks roundup

Picture by reader T.Y.: Is this the 8740w's lid?!

It looks like we now have enough information to construct a rumors + specifications roundup, with special thanks going out for a few anonymous tipsters, a person by the name ‘HP Fan‘ who has seen an Elitebook 8740w datasheet (!!) and plenty of internet searchers =). First off, a little update about announcement time: a reliable source is “pretty confident” that the Elitebook 8740w will be coming out this month along with other products targeting designers and people who do graphics work (ie DreamColor 2 and new external display panels) – I can see the adrenaline build-up in the crowd already!

HP Elitebook 8740w processor options (Thanks, Google Cache!)

And here’s what’s been confirmed about the HP Elitebook 8740w so far (I’ve included links to old/related posts in case you’ve missed them in the past):

• Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6 GHz quad core processor and 820QM 1.73 GHz quad core processor; ‘other’ Core i5 processors
• 4 DDR3 1333 MHz RAM slots for up to 16 GB of total RAM
• ONE hard disk bay with optical drive; removable optical drive doubles as expansion bay
• NEW ATI FirePro M7820 workstation graphics; with 1GB GDDR5 memory
• Choice of new ATI FirePro M7820 graphics above, Nvidia Quadro FX3800M or Nvidia Quadro FX2800M
• 17 inch display (up to full HD); optional full HD DreamColor 2 display (same tech, but obviously different size, as 8540w DC2)
• Full-size keyboard with number pad; partial-chiclet style!
• Selective number of USB 3.0 ports
• Single-touch trackpad with pointing set; 2 sets of 3 mouse buttons
• 7.86 lbs weight AKA 3.57 kg

Oh, the Elitebook 8740w will also be compatible with some sort of new “2010 Advanced WKS Docking Station”… whatever that means, along with other newly launched Elitebooks (except 2540p and 2740p).

Got something to share? Pictures? Info? Post a comment or email me! (Email at the top right of the site’s sidebar!)

HP Elitebook 8740w receives EPEAT Gold rating, puts on weight, and poses for pic?!

HP Elitebook 8740w on EPEAT's website (click for larger)

There’s a high possibility the HP Elitebook 8740w might be announced later this month, but right now, HP’s elusive 17 inch Mobile Workstation is more official than ever with news of Epeat (special thanks to Casper) giving this unannounced notebook their Gold award and Energy Star certification. According to that page on EPEAT’s website (EPEAT stands for Electronics Products Environmental Assessment Tool, by the way) on the Elitebook 8740w, the notebook was ‘registered’ for green certification not that long ago – barely a week – on February 23 and has since received 21 of 27 Optional Points along with an EPEAT Gold rating.

Elitebook 8740w listed weight on EPEAT site

But hey, how many of us actually obsess over how ‘green’ our notebooks are? Well, not yet… but if you’ve come here looking for other juicy titbits on the 8740w, not just the pride of improving air freshness and reduction of waste landfills, when you dispose your several grand Mobile Workstation one day, don’t fret. EPEAT also lists the weight of the HP Elitebook 8740w under the Materials section of their site – it will come in weighing 7.86 lbs (that’s 3.57 kg based on Windows 7’s units conversion calculator). Okay, you may be thinking “so what? If I could carry the 7.50 lbs 8730w, then what’s a mere 0.3 lbs increase to me?!”. Well, that leads us to become suspicious of WHY the Elitebook 8740w put on that wee bit amount of weight. Could it be that it has two built-in hard disk bays PLUS an optical drive?! Could it be an increase in build quality? Bulletproof plating, perhaps? Nah I’m just kidding about the bulletproof plating, but the various weight fluctuations between 2010 Elitebooks and their 2008 predecessors gives us a good reason to be suspicious – the weight increase in the 8740w could be because of an additional something or two, or nothing at all!

Pic sent by reader T.Y.: Is this the 8740w's lid?

And finally, a picture was sent by a reader going by the initials T.Y. claiming it’s the lid of the Elitebook 8740w. Using some rather primitive yet effective tools in Paint to measure logo distance and area around it, and comparing them to those of the 8440/8540, there is reason to somewhat believe that this may be real… or maybe not. Another one of those things up for speculation, folks.