Dell Precision M6400 Covet review
in Laptops
1 of 3 
Verdict
Beautifully built, incredibly fast and stuffed with features; a real thoroughbred among workstation laptops
Review Date: 3 Aug 2009
Reviewed By: Jonathan Bray
Price when reviewed: £4,100 (£4,715 inc VAT)
Overall Rating
Features & Design
Value for Money
Performance
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Part Code | Precision M6400 Covet |
| Review Date | 3 Aug 2009 |
| Price ex VAT | £4,100 |
| Price inc VAT | £4,715 |
| Overall rating |
|
| Features & Design |
|
| Value for Money |
|
| Performance |
|
| Warranty | |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 3yr on-site |
| Physical specifications | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 393 x 287 x 42mm (WDH) |
| Weight | 4.340kg |
| Travelling weight | 5.4kg |
| Processor and memory | |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 |
| RAM capacity | 16.00GB |
| Memory type | DDR3 |
| SODIMM sockets free | 2 |
| SODIMM sockets total | 4 |
| Screen and video | |
|---|---|
| Screen size | 17.0in |
| Resolution screen horizontal | 1,920 |
| Resolution screen vertical | 1,200 |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1200 |
| Graphics chipset | Nvidia Quadro FX 3700M |
| Graphics card RAM | 1.00GB |
| VGA (D-SUB) outputs | 1 |
| HDMI outputs | 0 |
| S-Video outputs | 0 |
| DVI-I outputs | 0 |
| DVI-D outputs | 0 |
| DisplayPort outputs | 1 |
| Drives | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 320GB |
| Hard disk usable capacity | 296GB |
| Spindle speed | 7,200RPM |
| Internal disk interface | SATA/300 |
| Hard disk | Western Digital Scorpio Black |
| Optical disc technology | DVD writer |
| Optical drive | HT-DT-ST GS20N |
| Battery capacity | 7,260mAh |
| Replacement battery price ex VAT | £154 |
| Replacement battery price inc VAT | £177 |
| Networking | |
|---|---|
| Wired adapter speed | 1,000Mbits/sec |
| 802.11a support |
|
| 802.11b support |
|
| 802.11g support |
|
| 802.11 draft-n support |
|
| Integrated 3G adapter |
|
| Other Features | |
|---|---|
| Wireless hardware on/off switch |
|
| Wireless key-combination switch |
|
| Modem |
|
| ExpressCard34 slots | 0 |
| ExpressCard54 slots | 1 |
| PC Card slots | 1 |
| USB ports (downstream) | 4 |
| FireWire ports | 1 |
| eSATA ports | 1 |
| PS/2 mouse port |
|
| 9-pin serial ports | 0 |
| Parallel ports | 0 |
| Optical S/PDIF audio output ports | 0 |
| Electrical S/PDIF audio ports | 0 |
| 3.5mm audio jacks | 2 |
| SD card reader |
|
| Memory Stick reader |
|
| MMC (multimedia card) reader |
|
| Smart Media reader |
|
| Compact Flash reader |
|
| xD-card reader |
|
| Pointing device type | Touchpad, trackpoint |
| Audio chipset | IDT HD Audio |
| Speaker location | Above keyboard, base |
| Hardware volume control? |
|
| Integrated microphone? |
|
| Integrated webcam? |
|
| Camera megapixel rating | 2.0mp |
| TPM |
|
| Fingerprint reader |
|
| Smartcard reader |
|
| Carry case |
|
| Operating system and software | |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows Vista Business 64-bit |
| OS family | Windows Vista |
| Software supplied | none |
| Battery and performance tests | |
|---|---|
| Battery life, light use | 3hr 15min |
| Overall application benchmark score | 1.64 |
| Office application benchmark score | 1.45 |
| 2D graphics application benchmark score | 1.91 |
| Encoding application benchmark score | 1.33 |
| Multitasking application benchmark score | 1.85 |
| 3D performance (crysis) low settings | N/A |
| 3D performance setting | N/A |
From around the web
Nice laptop
Thinking of getting one
By yorkshirelad on 11 Aug 2009 
Strange name
Am I the only person thinking that 'Covert' probably isn't the best moniker for a huge bright orange laptop?
Oh, and what's this 'blood-orange'? Mine seems to be different shades of red. If Dell's is orange I suggest they see a doctor!
By PaulOckenden on 12 Aug 2009
That's because it's called 'Covet' (as in to want) not covert!
By anthona on 12 Aug 2009
I need an eye test
Thanks @anthona - you're right! Amazing how your eyes sometimes see one thing but your brain sees something else!
My point about orange blood still stands though!
By PaulOckenden on 17 Aug 2009
No mention of...
Is there space for a second drive?
How about USB3 support?
By Jaydax on 18 Apr 2010
Awsome...
@Jaydax - I'm not certain about the M6400. I have a much higher spec'd M6500 and it includes 1TB (two 500GB drives) in a RAID 0 array for main storage plus an SSD for the boot drive and yes, it has USB 3. HTH.
By capsaicin on 20 Apr 2010
M6400 2nd HDD : yes
Yes, M6400 has room for a 2nd 2,5" SATA hard drive but you need a specific adapter which is not sold by Dell without HDD. You can even add a 3rd HDD if you change the DVD baie.
No USB3 but fiewire and eSata on mine.
By sebastienu on 15 Jul 2010
It is priced cheap for a reason!
I was very sceptical when I decided to but this machine but the price was motivation enough. After spending a week and half using it I have arrived at the following conclusion:
I was better off with the MAC and was a fool to have though that Dell was ever going to be worth spending money on!
That is my opinion anyway, you may love it.....who knows????
By f_sheikh on 30 Jul 2010
It is priced cheap for a reason!
I was very sceptical when I decided to buy this machine but the price was motivation enough. After spending a week and half using it I have arrived at the following conclusion:
I was better off with the MAC and was a fool to have though that Dell was ever going to be worth spending money on!
That is my opinion anyway, you may love it.....who knows????
By f_sheikh on 30 Jul 2010
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