Dell Precision T1600 Workstation

Test Results

For our performance testing, we ran the Cadalyst C2011 v5.3b benchmark with AutoCAD 2011 configured for NVIDIA's NVG10.hdi enhanced AutoCAD driver. (The workstation was preloaded with NVIDIA's v8.17.12.5929 system driver for Windows 7 x64.) Per our testing standards, we verified hardware acceleration for AutoCAD and turned off vertical sync for the graphics card. We set the screen resolution to 1280 x 1024 and color depth to 32-bit.

The T1600's scores for the C2011 benchmark were as follows: total index of 821; 3D graphics index of 2,560; 2D graphics index of 222; disk index of 220; and CPU index of 282. Those last two numbers are all-time high scores for our testing. The RAID 0 drive array explains the disk index score and the 3.4-GHz quad-core Xeon CPU, the fastest processor we've tested to date, accounts for the CPU index score. The T1600's 3D graphics index score ranks second among workstations we've reviewed during the past twelve months. However, remember the T1600 represents Dell's entry-level workstation; the faster system had a higher-end graphics card — with a higher price to match.

In addition to the C2011 benchmark, we ran the SPEC ViewPerf 11 suite of tests, single sample mode only, on the T1600. The weighted scores were as follows: 31.41 for catia-03; 21.17 for ensight-04; 59.55 for lightwave-01; 22.42 for maya-03; 11.44 for proe-05; 42.66 for sw-02; 26.61 for tcvis-02; and 22.52 for snx-01.

Great Value

As configured, our workstation includes three years of basic hardware service with three years of next-business-day limited on-site service after remote diagnosis. I can tell you from personal experience that Dell's warranty service is excellent. After one of the hard drives died on my Dell personal computer, I made a single phone call and a service person arrived the next day to install and configure a new drive. For the record, I had no down time and zero loss of data, thanks to a RAID 1 configuration for my hard drives — an option I strongly recommend for all workstations. (Configuring our review system with 1 TB of storage in a RAID 1 configuration would cost an extra $250.)

There is one thing missing from Dell's workstation, something no one will complain about: noise. Even though it includes three fans — one each for the CPU and graphics card and a system fan at the rear of the case — the Precision T1600 is the quietest workstation I've ever reviewed.

As for the all-important price/performance metric, we compared the T1600 against other workstations we've reviewed in the past year. Its C2011 Total Index score was nearly double that of its closest competitor on price. At $2,185, the T1600 had a score of 821, versus a price of $2,060 and a score of 434 for the competition. Obviously, the Dell Precision T1600 workstation offers excellent value. Highly Recommended.

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