The Dell Precision 5550 mobile workstation laptop is impressive inside and out. It combines a beautiful and elegant design with some of the most powerful hardware. But is it the best workstation on the market? Let’s find out.
Dell is famous for its well-built and reasonably priced laptops for what you get from workstation laptops. Just check out their Precision 5540 model, for example: it was released in 2019, but is still very popular in the business world due to its
specifications and solid performance. And the Precision 5550 is no exception. This Dell 2020 workstation offers
everything you need to be productive and more: 10th generation Intel Core processors, including a Xeon chip, powerful NVIDIA Quadro series graphics cards, it is capable of running CAD and Adobe Creative Cloud Suite smoothly, configurable up to 64 GB of RAM and an impressive 92% screen-to-body ratio. While being a 4.06 lb workstation! But if you’re not a Dell fan, check out HP Zbook 17 G5 and a full review of Lenovo workstations!
Detailed specifications of the Dell Precision 5550
As we noted above, the Precision 5550 is a powerful version of a laptop. It can be configured during purchase with the following hardware options:
Multiprocessor:
- Intel Core i5-10400H, 4 cores, 2.60 GHz, Turbo up to 4.60 GHz
- Intel Core i7-10750H, 6 cores, 2.60 GHz (overclocking speed up to 5.00 GHz)
- Core i7-10850H, 6 cores, 2.70 GHz, Turbo up to 5.10 GHz
- i7-10875H, 8 cores, 2.30 GHz up to 5.10 GHz overclocked
- Core i9-10885H, 8 cores, 2.40 GHz, Turbo up to 5.30 GHz
- Intel Xeon W-10855M, 6 cores, 2.80 GHz, Turbo up to 5.10 GHz
Dedicated Graphics:
- NVIDIA Quadro T1000 with 4 GB of GDDR6 VRAM memory
- NVIDIA Quadro T2000 with 4 GB of GDDR6 VRAM memory
RAM Memory:
Options range from 8 GB to 64 GB max supported, DDR4, 2933 MHz
Storage:
Options range from 256 GB to 2 TB, PCIe x4 Gen 3, NVMe
Display options:
15.6 inches, FHD+ (1920 x 1200) InfinityEdge, 60 Hz, anti-glare, low blue light, non-touch, 500 nits, sRGB 100% min
15.6-inch UHD+ (3840 x 2400) InfinityEdge, 60 Hz, anti-reflective, low blue light, touch screen, 500 nits, 100% AdobeRGB
I/O ports:
- Thunderbolt 3 x 2 Cable
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C x1
- Display port x1
- Combo audio jack x1
- SD card reader x1
- Power button / Fingerprint reader
Communication:
- Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
- Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 + Bluetooth 5.1
Operational System:
- Windows 10 Professional, 64-bit
- Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, 64-bit
Dimensions and Weight:
13.56” (W) x 9.07” (D) x 0.30” (H), weighing 4.06 pounds.
Design of the Dell Precision 5550
Being only 0.30 inches thick, it is an extremely lightweight workstation. Really, a 4lb laptop won’t weigh you down. And because it is so thin, it will easily fit in your luggage or in a carry-on bag when you travel.
In terms of design, it is very similar to the Dell XPS 15 laptop. The chassis is made of aluminum (rear and bottom cover) and carbon fiber (palm rest). The trackpad map is important, which is a bonus. Many newer performance laptops have come with smaller touchpads lately, and these can seem rather annoying.
The screens of the new Precision and XPS series are simply beautiful. A screen-to-body ratio of 92% offers a maximum visual experience, while minimizing clutter.
The camera is placed on the upper edge of the bezel frame, although its width is rather marginal. This location is an improvement over the placement of the lower left corner of the earlier XPS and Precision models, as it provides a better viewing perspective. Because the camera aligns with the user’s eye line, it provides a more natural and convenient viewing experience.
Performance and Features
- Dell has managed to design a very portable and beautiful Precision 5550 workstation without compromising its performance.
- The Intel Core i7-10750H Hexa-core and octa-core i7-10875h processors increase the overall performance speed while offering the stability of the Intel architecture. And if you are willing to spend more on Core i9 or Xeon configurations, nothing will stop you.
- NVIDIA Quadro T1000 and Quadro T2000 cards are capable of handling complex tasks. But if you work with CAD and Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, for example, you should choose the T2000 configuration.
Other features:
- Dell optimizer for accuracy. It is an integrated AI platform, designed to learn how you work in order to continuously adapt and improve your productivity and overall user experience.
- Low blue light. This optional feature uses TUV certified low blue light panels to reduce eye strain.
- Reliable Dell Pro memory technology (RMT Pro). Designed to protect your work from potential accidents. This proprietary Dell technology works with ECC memory to identify and correct memory errors in real time.
Autonomy
This one comes with the 86Wh li-ion battery, compared to 97Wh on the Precision 5540 previous version. It holds up surprisingly well, offering about nine hours of web browsing and running apps in the background. Note that the nine-hour mark is more than impressive for a workstation, as it requires a lot of power for high performance. It takes about two hours to fully charge the battery.
Used Dell Precision 5550 Trade-in value
The model is quite new and we don’t see why anyone would want to get rid of this pretty awesome laptop already, but hey, there are things going on. So if you are not enjoying the performance of the Precision 5550 as you thought and it is now too late to return it, we have a few options for you. With Gadget Salvation, you can sell the laptop and get some of the value back quickly and easily, like 1-2-3. How much can you get for your laptop? Here are some estimates for the two most popular configurations:
- Dell Precision 15 5000 5550 Series Core i5 basic configuration gives up to cash offer.
- Dell Precision 15 Series 5000 5550 Intel Core i7 10th Generation obviously has a much higher resale value, saving you up to money.
We know life can get hectic, so if you don’t have time to put your laptop up for sale on Facebook or Craigslist and then run around the city to meet potential buyers, we’re happy to save you the trouble. If you are satisfied with your online estimate, fill out a quick payment form, receive your prepaid shipping label, send the laptop and get paid. It’s really that simple!
Final Thoughts
The Dell Precision 5550 may well be the sexiest mobile workstation on the market today. It is a very light and stylish laptop that offers decent battery life and excellent specifications to boot. The model is capable of performing energy-intensive tasks, allowing you to manage your office workload quickly and efficiently. Dell currently offers five different configurations of the Precision 5550 on its website. That said, there are certainly more powerful workstation options that can be found today. But if you are often on the go and don’t want to spend a fortune on a laptop, it’s hard to beat the Precision 5550.