Tiny desktop workstations the alternatives

Two more ultra-compact desktop workstations for space-constrained environments, or simply to sit pretty on your desk

Dell Precision 3260

At 190 x 72 x 178mm, Dell’s micro workstation is a little smaller than the HP Z2 Mini G9, but that narrows down your choice of CPUs to 65W ‘Alder Lake’ 12th Gen Intel Core.

This shouldn’t matter if you only use CAD — the difference in single threaded performance between the 65W Core i9-12900 and 125W Core i9-12900K will be negligible, but you’ll probably get less multi-threaded performance when rendering.

There’s no compromise on graphics with a choice of GPUs up the Nvidia RTX A2000 (12GB), covering CAD and entry-level viz.

The machine benefits from a wider choice of storage (2.5-inch HDDs and SSDs) and there are front USB ports for easy access.

It can be VESA-mounted and Dell’s compact all-in-one monitor stand (pictured right) helps keep your desk clutter-free.

■ dell.com/precision

Lenovo ThinkStation P360 Tiny

Tiny by name, tiny by nature, the ThinkStation P360 Tiny is by far the smallest workstation from a major OEM — coming in at 179 x 37 x 183mm. To give you an idea of just how small this machine is, simply look at the USB ports in the picture to the left. To keep thermals in check, one might presume the ThinkStation P360 Tiny can only have low power processors, but it can be configured with 35W or 65W ‘Alder Lake’ 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs (up to the Core i9-12900), plus a range of entry-level pro GPUs up to the Nvidia T1000 8GB - making it ideal for 3D CAD. The machine can be placed in desktop or tower mode (with the help of a stand) or secured under a desk or behind a VESA display with custom mounting brackets. It’s so small and light (1.4 kg) that you can easily throw it in a bag to move between office and home.

■ lenovo.com/workstations

Dell Precision 5470

This highly portable 14-inch mobile workstation impresses. Equipped with an Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU, it opens up possibilities beyond those of mainstream 3D CAD for this historically less popular form factor, writes Greg

Corke

The 14-inch mobile workstation form factor has come and gone over the years. They’ve never been great sellers, partly because performance has significantly lagged behind their 15-inch counterparts. But with the Precision 5470, Dell is looking to change that.

With a choice of 45-watt 12th Gen Intel Core H-Series CPUs and the Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU, this workstation-class 14-inch laptop certainly stands out from the competition. The HP ZBook Firefly comes with the less powerful Nvidia RTX A500 GPU while the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s has the Nvidia T550, which does not have RTX acceleration. Both laptops are also limited to 28-watt 12th Gen Intel Core P-Series CPUs.

Having a higher wattage CPU shouldn’t

12800H. When rendering in KeyShot it maintained 2.5 GHz across all P-cores. And it managed to do this without making too much noise, even in Dell’s ‘Ultra Performance mode’ where processor and cooling fan speed is increased for more performance. However, in Solidworks Visualize, when CPU and GPU can be hammered at the same time, CPU frequency dropped to 1.5 GHz and fan noise increased considerably. For a better balance of performance and noise choose the ‘optimised’ setting in Dell’s Power Manager where frequency drops to 1.3 GHz. The ‘Quiet’ setting takes this even lower, to 0.9 GHz. Tuning down the CPU in this way should also extend battery life when not plugged in.

Product spec

■ Intel Core i7-12800H processor (2.40 GHz, 4.80 GHz Turbo) (6 P-cores, 8 E-cores, 24 threads)

■ Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU (4 GB)

■ 32 GB, DDR5, 5,200 MHz, integrated memory

■ 1 TB, M.2 PCIe 4.0

NVMe SSD

■ 14-inch FHD+ (1,920 x 1,200)

100% sRGB, 500 nits display

■ 311mm x 210mm x 18.95mm (w/d/h)

■ From 1.48 kg

■ 14-inch FHD+ (1,920 x 1,200)

100% sRGB, 500 nits display

■ Microsoft Windows 11 Pro

■ ProSupport and Next Business Day Onsite Service, 36 Month

For graphics, the Nvidia RTX A1000 (4 GB) GPU easily delivers for 3D CAD and BIM, in applications like Revit and Inventor, but it also offers enough performance for entrylevel visualisation at FHD+ (1,920 x 1,200) resolution. With a small to medium sized BIM model in Enscape, the 50 Frames Per

■ £3,119 (Ex VAT)

■ www.dell.com/ precision responsive, although a little small compared to larger machines. The Pro 2.5 keyboard is excellent with a fingerprint reader built into the power button. Alternatively, gain access to the machine through facial recognition with the Windows Hello compliant HD IR camera.

The 100% sRGB, 500 nits IPS display is perfectly respectable, but lacks the impact of brighter and more vibrant OLED displays available on larger pro laptops. Our test machine’s FHD+ (1,920 x 1,200) display resolution is well matched to a machine of this size, adding a few more pixels to the standard FHD (1,920 x 1,080). For higher pixel density, there’s a QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) touchscreen option, though this will increase load on the GPU, probably reducing frame rates a little in graphics-hungry viz applications. The lnfinityEdge bezel contributes to the compact 311mm x 210mm footprint. Weight starts at 1.48kg, plus 0.47kg for the 130W AC adapter including UK plug.

The laptop is slim, maxing out at 18.95mm, which means it’s USB-C only (two Thunderbolt 4 ports left, two right). There’s no HDMi, DisplayPort, or Ethernet, but Dell includes a USB-C to HDMi / USB-A adapter in the box. Of course, to increase the connectivity options, there’s an optional Dell Thunderbolt 4 Dock. Superfast wireless is standard, courtesy of the Intel AX211 Wi-

There’s much to like about this highly portable 14-inch mobile workstation. Historically, machines of this size have been limited in what they can be used for, mostly because their GPUs have struggled with anything more demanding than small to medium sized 3D CAD models. However, the Dell Precision 5470’s Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU expands the possibilities considerably, making it a viable option for entry-level visualisation.

This impressive balance of performance and portability doesn’t come cheap, however. Our test machine comes in at £3,119 (Ex VAT). Still, considering the flexibility a lightweight laptop like this can give you, some will certainly find it a price worth paying.