Dell teases with 17-inch quad-core laptop sporting 16GB of memory

This is going to be huge. Unfortunately, we're talking size not marketplace impact when Dell's 17-inch Precision "mobile workstation" rolls out this fall. This portable desktop replacement promises up to 1TB of storage configured in a dual-drive RAID configuration, quad-core processor, and 16GB of graphics memory (1GB for graphics) with enough oomph to power a pair of external 30-inch displays. It also includes a number of unidentified media slots and an integrated jog shuttle controller -- a pretty good hint at the mobile media types this laptop is targeting. Watch it all go down in the video after the break.

Update: Heh, this is the same Dell leaked last month carrying the M6400 moniker.

[Thanks, Gaurav S.]

[ridestp @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:20AM]

16GB of video memory can't be correct...

[itoilet9 @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:23AM]

It isn't. The video says 1GB of VRAM, 16GB of System RAM.

[skylinedropout @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:59AM]

16gb ram, 1gb video ram (quadro fx?)

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:34AM]

Yeaaaah, Ricker... 16GB of graphics memory? We sure about this?

[itoilet9 @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:21AM]

Uh, that's 1GB of graphics memory, 16GB of system memory, if the video is correct.

[Patriks7 @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:24AM]

16 GB of graphics? Is that a typo or was I living under a rock and nVidia or someone released such cards? o_O

[GadgetTamer @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:48AM]

You must have been under a rock. ATI realeased these cards a LONG time ago.

/end sarcasim

[Ignatius @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:25AM]

Jesus. And here I was about to slap 8GB of RAM into my system, thinking that'd be enough, but nooo... Dell's gotta up the bar and throw it to 16GB. My motherboard doesn't even support that much.

[aznofazns @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:32AM]

Right... because you really need more than 4gb, let alone 8 or 16.

[who? @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:39AM]

Ha! I only had 1GB for the longest time. Just upped to 2GB. I'm poor. College sucks. I need a job. Or two. And a cat. That is all.

[Ignatius @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:40AM]

Pagefiling... begone!

[Dizznizzle @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:04AM]

who?: I could use more than 4GB. In 3D-modeling applications, I'll take as much RAM as they'll throw at me - I'm always running out. Apparently there's others like me - or else there wouldn't be enough market for dell to bother.

Anyways, 4GB is so 2003.

[Bill Jobs @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:47PM]

Hehe.....I just got a new dual core computer for $450. 3ghz, 4gb of ram, and 512mb video memory. it rocks!

[who? @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:53PM]

@Dizznizzle

Did I say I couldn't use more? Did I say I had 4GB? Are you sure you were replying to me? Did you even read my post?

No 4x. So go away.

[aeth @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:26AM]

Either way, this still sounds very cool. (16GB system RAM and 1GB VRAM)

[linusk01 @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:27AM]

its nice, prolly expensive, and yeah, i'll keep working on my desktop thankyouverymuch. dell always makes things very huge. not my aesthetic.

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:35AM]

The Latitude X1? The Mini 9? The Studio Hybrid? Even their Inspiron 15 is slim now.

[:) @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:53AM]

The Studio Hybrid is the smallest (with the best guts) desktop that I know of. If I had the money, I would buy one with all the specs maxed out. :)

And...16GB of RAM? Thats insane! Unless you are a graphic designer or are an extreme gamer, you wouldnt need that much. When I get my next computer, it will probably have 4GB....
As for the 1GB of video graphics? I would take that in an instant...just for kicks. :P

[HellAshes @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:28AM]

you mean 16GB of "SHARED" graphics memory =D

[cy21 @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:29AM]

Howly mother of god!!!!!!!!!!! I will work my ass off for this laptop!!!!
THANK YOU DELL!!!!!!1
YOU ARE THE BEST!

[GETYOID @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:07AM]

Its God and not god.

[Bill @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:30AM]

It's not correct. Check out the video, it says 1GB of video, 16GB of RAM. MUCH more believable.

[Adam Jay @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:32AM]

that music is sooooo 15 years ago

[Wii60 @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:33AM]

Well, I expect this to be reasonable price at the 800-1200 range.
Also, it'll let me sprout wings out my ass and fly away.

[Stndsh0 @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:34AM]

I am no Dell fan but that actually doesn't look that bad.

[gamefreak32 @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:38AM]

It is just a rebrand of the Clevo D901C with the Nvidia Quadro FX3700.

[Edgar N, @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:51AM]

isnt every computer just a rebrand of a previous computer anyways

[Russell @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:29AM]

it is NOT a clevo re-brand, where did you get that idea from anyways?

[Matthew C @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:18PM]

Nope.

For once an uber not-on-the-lap-top thats not a cleveo rebrand. Wow

[Matt E. @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:40AM]

That must be the version for people with short attention spans...

[Dualboot @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:10AM]

Actually, this web page and the movie have been out for over a month. I've been asking my Dell rep what "soon" means, but I have yet to get a response. I think they may have hit a snag because it's getting old...
Maybe they're trying to improve battery time to 10 minutes without having to use an external battery :-)

[Jimbo @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:41AM]

Wow, that thing'd scorch your balls.

[Uchiha Sasuke @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:51AM]

*in Irish accent*

"I heard its about seven foot tall and can shoot fireball out its arse!"

[Reader @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:23AM]

William Wallace was Scottish and so was the guy that said that in the movie.

[Nate @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:44AM]

your wrong, Wallace was Scottish, the dude who said it was Irish, dick

[Reader @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:57AM]

Hmm maybe, two opinions probably outweigh one. Thought it was the dorky-looking highlander but maybe not.

[Team Louish @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:43AM]

Scottish and Irish are the same thing to anyone not living there.

[Empress Penguin @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:19AM]

@ Team Louish: Sure, it's not as though the Scottish or the Irish ever immigrated anywhere else is it?

[Binarystarr @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:38AM]

William Wallace was Scottish and the line in the movie was his. Spoken by an American called Mad Max.

Like Dell, he was also uncompromising. But then the English did murder his secret wife and pillage his land.


I wonder if similar motives were behind this laptop.

[Dizznizzle @ Sep 22nd 2008 5:03AM]

The Actor was Mel Gibson, and I think he's generally considered Australian.

[absinthe party @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:26AM]

And thus concludes this week's episode of "Geography and Cultural Misunderstandings With Engadget and Friends."

[DuperMan @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:54AM]

Silly piece.
It may be the first of its' kind, and marketed well (what with the whole "You Need" bit they've got going), but COME ON!
It's just bragging about the next gen of laptop motherboards.
Oh wait, there's a jog dial for video editing, I'm sold :P

[Joe Anstine @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:15AM]

damn. well done Dell; maybe ill pitch my latitude and move on up

[Reader @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:24AM]

That lappy is beyond beast. I think it could actually say 'yes' to Flashpoint's normal question.

[HyperHacker @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:26AM]

So with those specs we can expect what, 10 minutes of battery life?

[Paulmichael @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:27AM]

Is 1 Gig of video memory really that big of a deal now? My year/year and a half old Alienware mALX has that in the form of 2 PCIX graphics cards in SLI, each with 512 MB. Anyway, Quad-core and 16 GB of RAM is sweet.

[Randomness @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:35AM]

Oh man, 16GB to hibernate? heh, wonder how long that will take ;)

[Rahul @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:59AM]

16 GB of RAM in a laptop? WOW!

and here i thought 2 GB was enough....

[Knives_Out @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:00AM]

it's going to have a pro level graphics card though .. bleh. sux for 3dmax users.

[Steve A. @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:04AM]

I'll be ordering a few of these the second they come on the market, but why is this such big news and deserving of a post?

This video has been on Dell's site since August 12th. You guys even posted more specs and prices about it then too.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/dell-lets-slip-new-sexy-precision-m4400-and-m2400-mobile-workst/