Dell Precision 5510 Owner's Lounge

really? I didn't (and still don't) see this option. would have if I could have...

OP's question still stands - how to disable this potentially battery-sucking device...

 

Louie is correct, the XPS 15 is apparently available with just the Intel HD Graphics 530 (no discrete graphics)... It is the base $999 USD package. But same as you I couldn't find and XPS 15 configurator at all, just the pre packaged price categories. You would probably need to chat or call them to get a more custom config to your requirements.

 

indeed, there is no such option for the Mobile Precision 5510.

 

The ZBook Studio does offer that Intel only option looks like - with Quad Core i7 and 32GB Memory. Although with that high end config - you'd think someone would want a discrete graphics card

 

Last I checked, With all 4 configurations you can customize to an extent. If you go on Dell's mobile site you won't see the configuration screen.

 

Well in Windows you could simply disable it in Device Manager. I don't work with Linux... but again this kind of defeats the purpose of the Precision line... The 3000 series might be even better solution, and it's not much bigger and a heluva lot cheaper. ..

 

My question was about Precision 5510 specifically, I am aware of the other options. The HP Zbook Studio has a 64 WHr battery only, so battery life will be shorter than the Precision with the big battery. The XPS 15 doesn't support the faster Xeon CPU while the Precision does, not sure if XPS 15 supports 32 GB RAM. Generally the consensus is that precision is more durable. Don't know really if there are other advantages of Precision over XPS. Cost is not an issue, I use my laptop to make my living for several years.

It will be great if one of the (happy?) owners of a new precision could check the BIOS options and let us know if NVidia can be disabled.

 

Yes I realize that. Just mentioning there is really no benefit for your application. First, you won't need either ECC or double precision FP unit. The memory limit is only a limit of your OS, If you have 64Bit should be 2TB. Not sure if BIOS update is needed but don't think so. The XEON is only 100MHz faster, so as far as raw power is basically chasing 3% speed increase for $60 more, and even then you probably won't see that if you're just programming. Second, the turbo frequency of the P530 integrated graphics is 100MHz slower than that of the 530 in the GTX chip. Finally, you're paying for ISV testing and certification, which you won't need with Linux.

OpenGL is platform independent so there should be support built in with Linux.

Otherwise the chassis is exactly the same. You don't even get 3 year on site service free by stepping up to Precision, which leads me to conclude they're just as durable as the XPS... which is good or bad depending on your POV. I'm not stopping you from buying the machine, just noting that there is no benefit from getting the Precision if you do not intend to do graphics intensive work.

 

I checked in the BIOS and could find no option to disable the discrete graphics card.

 

do you have the xeon ?