Dell Technologies is launching their 2024 Precision workstations with AI, providing an end-to-end solution for customers’ AI initiatives. The company has had AI-ready workstations for many years, as they’ve helped to propel AI technology forward. The AI-based Dell Optimizer software was built on and for Dell Precision workstations before it was released across many of their other commercial PCs. More about that here.
To deliver the AI features, Dell has partnered with Intel Technologies to introduce the innovative Intel Core Ultra processors within their new 3000 and 5000 Series mobile workstations. These processors has a combined integrated multi-processor package of Central Processing Unit (CPU), Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), designed to enhance the performance of AI features in more than 100 applications, enabling them to operate with optimised speed and power efficiency. For example, it can be used to power all-new collaboration experience such as AI powered video conferencing, which features background blur, face framing and eye contact correction capabilities. The NPU effectively offloads these tasks from the CPU or GPU (Graphical Processing Unit), resulting in up to a 40% reduction in power consumption. This translates to less battery discharge, which keeps users working for longer without needing to find somewhere to plug in. These new CPUs also have faster Intel Arc Pro Integrated Graphics to provide improved performance for more media intensive AI workloads. Effectively, the CPU, NPU and GPU come together to deliver a flexible, performant and energy efficient AI engine, that provides a premium experience to users.
Working simultaneously, the NPU helps offload light, continuous AI tasks, while the NVIDIA GPU takes on more demanding day-to-day AI processing. For a large majority of the customers who need more advanced AI and graphics processing (think developing advanced 3D models & scenes, industrial & creative design, as well as AI inferencing and training and development work), the Precision’s full mobile and fixed lineup will have the NVIDIA RTX Ada Generation GPU stack – including the all- new, higher- performing, entry-level NVIDIA graphics RTX 500 and 1000 Ada Generation Laptop GPUs Ada, which provides powerful AI, ray tracing, and graphics capabilities. NVIDIA’s RTX technology has been integrated in hundreds of applications since their Tensor Core technology for AI acceleration was introduced several GPU architectures ago. Customers can use GPU-accelerated AI in a wide range of content creation, rendering, and even business productivity applications to supercharge productivity, today.
Dell’s Precision 3490 and 3590 mobile workstations now comes with up to NVIDIA RTX 500 Ada graphics, while the 3591 steps customers more into the design and creator space, including entry-level 2D and 3D CAD. The Precision 5000 Series mobile workstations take creative application performance to the next level with a small footprint of a 16-inch mobile workstation, the Precision 5690, that gives users a vast viewing area, combined with mobility and amazing application performance with up to an NVIDIA RTX 5000 graphics card. Plus, the powerful 14-inch, the Precision 5490, delivers no compromises on performance and experience in an ultra-mobile device. These new mobile workstations will be shipped with Windows 11, and customers will be able to take advantage of Copilot in Windows with instant access through a dedicated hardware key.
Dell also developed an incredible amount of performance into their entry-level desktop workstations. For example, the Precision 3280 CFF, which is a small workstation that supports Tensor Core GPUs, will also bring forward accelerated AI inferencing and high-performance computing capabilities, and enhanced CPU performance with the latest Intel Core 14th Gen processors and new thermal solutions. With up to an NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation GPU, it delivers solid performance for AI-driven and advanced graphics workflows in a compact footprint. The Precision 3680 Tower (which will also feature the Intel Core 14th Gen processors and up to an NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada Generation GPU) is their fastest workstation for single-threaded tasks and will offer “Unlimited Turbo Duration,” which effectively keeps the workstation running at turbo speeds for longer. Thermals have been improved to support this performance, helping to keep the system running cool and quiet while powering through heavy application workloads.Â
Security advancements
Being a secure commercial PC, Dell’s Precision offers hardware and firmware features to combat modern cyberattacks. The Precision will have enhanced defences with new built-in vulnerability detection feature coming this spring. The new capability, designed to help IT further mitigate the growing risk of device-level attacks, will scan for publicly reported security flaws and provide recommendations for remediation. This feature will be available, starting with BIOS vulnerabilities, in April 2024.