Historically, when people have been looking for a high-end PC, they look to gaming PCs to find the raw power. However, the problem with using gaming PCs that way is that they are more mission-critical-reliable than you may need them to be. For most scenarios in which you would be in the market for a computer of this caliber, you need it to be reliable.
Dell's newest release in their Precision Desktop lineup is just that. It's a remarkably powerful, reliable, professional business desktop that users can trust with their essential tasks, and it might just be one of the best workstations available.
Unboxing and First Impressions
Right off the bat, this desktop is massive. Much like a Mac Pro, this PC takes up some serious space and is quite heavy. Anytime a computer has integrated carrying handles, you know it's pretty large. Beyond the impressive size, this computer screams workstation-class performance. It has locking drives in the front, a locking panel that can open up the entire left side of the computer, and five expandable slots in the back to add even more to this beast.
Design and Build Quality
*as tested
Processor: AMD Threadripper Pro 5995WX
Memory: 64GB
Storage: 2x 1TB Raid 0
Graphics: NVIDIA RTX A6000
Network: 1x 1GB Ethernet, 1x 10GB Ethernet
OS: Windows 11 Pro
Ports: 5x USB-C 3.2, 5x USB-A 3.2, 1x 1GB RJ45 Ethernet, 1x 10GB RJ45 Ethernet, Headphone, audio out
Dimensions: 16.3 x 6.8 x 16.9in
Dell has designed this beast for use in the enterprise world. There are no flashy colors, RGB lighting, or translucent areas to show off components. This is essentially a black box, safely tucking away all components in a secure shell. Further proving that this is a secure enterprise build, the accessible drives on the front top of the workstation are lockable to avoid unwanted access, and the left access panel is also lockable. In addition to rack mounting and vertical orientation, Dell has included rubber feet on the right side of the tower, making it easy to lay this down on its side to use if desired.
Moving on, Dell wanted to ensure that professionals could use this machine in all enterprise scenarios. Knowing that some involve rack-mounting a machine, Dell made this one a bit of a transformer so that, if needed, you can remove the top panel to reveal hardware to rack mount. Upon removing panels, including the main side access panel, Dell has also included easy-to-follow service diagrams, which is incredibly helpful for those making quick upgrades or minor repairs.
The cables in this workstation are well-organized, and everything has been assembled seamlessly, resulting in an exceptional quality build, precisely what is needed when relying on a computer such as this one for vital tasks at an enterprise level.
In Use
The computer barely yawned at everything I threw at this workstation for testing purposes. Data transfer was quick, even noticeably faster than transfer from an M1 Mac. This computer will easily handle tasks like emailing, document editing, working with spreadsheets, and creating presentations without any difficulty.
This machine shines in when using 3D modeling software, video editing software, and other demanding programs for creatives, designers, architects, system admins, and engineers. The Dell Precision 7865 Workstation Tower isn't the computer you'd buy an office admin or journalist. But instead, this computer is meant for those who need the highest-powered computers in the business world.
While using this computer, the front ports were quite helpful. I could plug in several USB drives to transfer data, and I could even plug in some USB-C devices to transfer data or plug-in accessories. For content creators, the SD card slot on the front will be a welcomed offering, and so will the audio port to plug in a set of headphones quickly without needing to dig around the back of the machine. While I have not needed to use an optical drive in years, Dell has an optional optical drive slot in case you still need access to one.
Lastly, I sadly did not get a chance to test this, but Dell tells me that the Precision 7865 is also VR and AI Ready, meaning Dell has their eye on this and is future-proofing their high-end devices to ensure they can handle what is to come.
Final Verdict
This machine is impressive. Every area I tested surpassed my expectations except for no Thunderbolt ports. However, I can look past that thanks to the 10Gb transfer speeds from the USB-C and the 10GB Ethernet ports.
This machine is not cheap, and it is not small. But if you are looking for what may be the best beast of an enterprise tower, you should be looking into the Dell Precision 7865 Tower Workstation.
