CGSociety :: Product Review Dell Precision 380 Workstation and 2405FPW Monitor review
Joseph Tan, 30 August 2005
The Precision 380 is compared to a Precision M70 mobile workstation, which Joseph reviewed a couple of month’s back. Dell's other Precision desktop workstations include the 370, which features a single processor Pentium 4 CPU, and the Precision 470 and 670 featuring dual processor Xeon CPUs. The Precision 380 is the only one in the Precision range that supports the new dual-core Pentium D.
The new Precision 380 features a new chassis design, leaving behind the cheap plastic look of the Precision 370, 470, 670. Dell corporate machines tend to be conservative looking, and this includes the Precision 380.
Each processor core in the Pentium D is a physically independent processor on the same chip. This contrasts with dual-CPU workstations that have two single-core processors. Workstations with dual-CPUs have much higher price tags as specialized motherboards, more expensive CPUs, and more capable power supplies need to be fitted.
With the introduction of the dual-core CPUs, the Intel Pentium D's now offer dual-processor performance for around the same price as a regular single-processor workstation. Dell's general-consumer Dimension series also feature the new Intel dual core processor.
Surely there must be a catch, and expectedly there does seem to be one.
The current Intel Pentium D's fastest speed grade is 3.2GHz, whereas the fastest Pentium 4s available now that extend up to 3.8GHz. For multi-threaded application like non-real time image rendering in 3ds max, the Pentium D's second core should still come on top. For running a single non-multithreaded application where the Pentium D's second core sits almost idle, a quicker single-core CPU will probably get the job done faster.
Our Precision 380 review unit was configured as an entry-level workstation.
Our initial expectations were that this machine wasn't going to raise the bar in terms of benchmark performance. This is due to the relatively low clock rate (2.8GHz) of the CPU and the use of a Quadro FX 1300 (derived from its GeForce 5-series cousin).
Our expectations were confirmed later in the benchmarks. It's odd that Dell shipped the system as configured, as the Quadro FX 1300 is not available on the US or Australian Precision 380 Dell configuration page.
Price:
Dell US$2,025 Dell Australia US$2,800
Vendor:
DELL
Machine:
Precision 380
CPU:
Pentium D 820 (Dual core 2.8GHz, 2x1MB L2 cache, EMT64)
Dell also shipped two 24-inch WideAspect 2405FPW LCD monitors that run off the Quadro FX 1300's DVI connectors. The screens provided massive screen estate with a display resolution of 1920x1200 pixels. With 24-inch (diagonal) of viewable space this is the kind of computer monitor that you once only saw in sci-fi movies.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Price:
Dell US US$1,200, Dell Australia AUD$1,738
Vendor:
DELL
Resolution:
1,920 x 1,200 Wide Aspect
Contrast:
1:1000
Response Time:
16ms
Video-In:
Composite, S-video, Component. Can display 480p, 720p, 1080i HD video via Component.
The 2405 monitor comes as a two piece unit. The sturdy stand allows the LCD panel to pan, tilt, rise, and swivel. A fully-raised monitor to be swiveled 90 degrees for portrait orientation. Once the display is manually rotated, the display becomes an enormous portrait document page viewer.
