Dell Precision 5560 and 5760 are laptops from the manufacturer with 15-inch and 17-inch screens. The models are among the few in the current market that can be qualified as true alternatives to Apple’s MacBooks Pro. The detail is that the power of the Precision line has a price, and it is high: you can not take one home for less than $1,800 at the moment.
With a modern and elegant design, 4K+ screen, processors up to 11th generation Xeon from Intel, and dedicated cards from Nvidia’s Quadro line, the laptops guarantee very powerful hardware for professionals in areas that depend on fast computers for more demanding workflows.
Dell Precision 5560 and Dell Precision 5760
| Precision 5560 | Precision 5760 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From $1,800 | From $2,000 |
| Screen | 15 inches | 17 inches |
| Screen resolution | Full HD+ or 4K+ | Full HD+ or 4K+ |
| Processor | Core i5, Core i7, Core i9, or Intel Xeon | Core i5, Core i7, Core i9, or Intel Xeon |
| RAM | From 8 GB with ECC | From 8 GB with ECC |
| Storage | From 256GB NVMe SSD | From 256GB NVMe SSD |
| Video card | Integrated or Nvidia Quadro T1200, RTX A2000, or RTX A3000 | Integrated or Nvidia Quadro T1200, RTX A2000, or RTX A3000 |
| Ports and Interfaces | three USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, card reader, headphone output, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5 | four USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, card reader, headphone output, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5 |
| Battery | 56 or 87 Whr | 56 or 97 Whr |
| Dimensions and weight | 34.4 x 23.3 x 1.16 cm; 1.84 kilos | 37.4 x 24.8 x 1.16 cm; 2.13 kilos |
Design
The design of the Precision is the same as the current XPS line: you can think of it as a larger XPS 13, in 15 and 17 inches.
In this sense, the same compliments given to the small-screen XPS’s look are worth it: the profile is slim, the finish is premium in a mix of aluminum with carbon fiber and the screen shows a 16:10 aspect ratio with edges so small that the 17-inch Precision would be the size of a 15-inch laptop.
Dell’s two workstations are, however, a bit conservative in physical interfaces, even losing out to the current MacBook Pro: on the 15-inch model, there are three USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 (and one of them needs to be used as a power port to recharge the laptop). There is also a headphone jack and a memory card reader.
The Precision 5760 follows the same pattern, with the advantage of having one more USB-C with Thunderbolt 4. In wireless networking, there is fifth-generation Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 6, and Dell delivers both models with a USB-C to USB-A and HDMI adapter in the box.
Performance
When it comes to performance, Dell’s Precision promises to be among the most powerful laptops in the market. Both the 5560 and 5570 are equipped with 11th generation Intel CPUs from the same lines used in gaming laptops – including an Intel Xeon in the high-end configuration of the 17-inch model.
In addition, the computers run with high-speed RAM, including with error correction factor, and offer options with Nvidia Quadro graphics cards. In storage, as you might expect, the machines have options with state-of-the-art NVMe SSDs.
The workstation profile of the Precision is very evident in two points: the first is the availability of dedicated graphics cards from Nvidia’s Quadro line. Unlike GeForce, Quadro is more focused on creative work. Video editors, professionals working with 3D modeling, designers, and areas involved in complex simulations end up benefiting from the focus on productivity rather than entertainment in these GPUs.
While not gaming-focused graphics cards, the Quadro used by Dell is quite advanced. Precision’s RTX A2000 and RTX A3000 have a mid-range GPU profile, including ray tracing and DLSS. Completing the menu is the Quadro T1200, the simplest card among the dedicated options available.
Another highlight is the ECC RAMs: the technology acts at the hardware level to mitigate errors in data written to memory, thus providing greater stability and performance to the system. Typically associated with servers and workstations in standards up to DDR4, ECC is one of the innovations that should become popular with DDR5.
Screen
The two Precision can be ordered from Dell in two resolution ranges: in the lowest configurations, the screen has Full HD+ resolution counted at 1920 x 1200 pixels, applying the 16:20 screen aspect ratio found in the XPS 13 and all MacBooks. Those who decide to invest more have the option of a 4K+ display with 3840 x 2400 pixels, also in the same 16:10, but with touch interactions offered.
The screens of the Precision line are the same as the XPS 15 and 17 and are highly praised for their color accuracy and good brightness level. The downside of the two LCDs is the lower contrast – especially in comparison to the Mini LED of the latest MacBooks – as well as the refresh rate, which is fixed at 60 Hz.
Battery
Both models of the Precision line come with a large capacity battery, but you have to consider that the powerful hardware means higher consumption. Whoever gets the laptop without Nvidia’s dedicated card gets a unit with a 56 Wh (Watts-hour) capacity component, both in the 15-inch and 17-inch versions.
Opting for one of the boards offered by Nvidia compulsorily increases the battery capacity in the product configurations: For the 15-inch Precision 5560, the component is 87 Wh, while the brother 5760 goes equipped with a 97 Wh unit.
Resources
Workstations are heavy-duty computers, and this is reflected in the level of additional features added to the product. Dell can offer more complete after-sales services and support on these computers, which can also be factory configured with software more suitable for professional environments, such as Pro versions of Windows, factory-activated virtualization feature vPro, and Linux distros.
From a usability point of view, both Precision PCs have a webcam compatible with Microsoft’s facial recognition authentication technologies. In addition, there is a fingerprint reader on the power button, and a large touchpad with a glass surface, possibly inspired by what Apple has been doing for years in its MacBooks.
A significant advantage of both Precision over any MacBook of the last decade is the upgrades: on both laptops, you can swap RAMs, as well as install up to two SSDs at the same time.
Pricing and Availability
As laptops, discounting the “eccentricity” of the boards, the Precision is among the best in the market today and is among the few laptops in the market that can be indicated as alternatives to the MacBook Pro. However, this comes at a cost – and it is high.
The most basic 15-inch version, with Core i5 11500H, no dedicated graphics card, 16 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD, and Full HD+ display, is listed on the brand’s official website going for $1,839 at the moment. Upping the Precision 15 to a Core i7 11850H, with a 4K+ display and Quadro RTX A2000, brings the price of the computer to $2,919.
The value progression – as well as component options – is similar for the 17-inch Precision. For the “entry” edition of the model, it is $2,059 on Dell’s website.
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