Dell Precision M6600 review
Dell Precision M6600 — from 2011, 3.42 kg, performance 8.
Technical specifications
| Type | Workstation |
| Release year | 2011 |
| Screen | 17.3" · 1920x1080 |
| Processor | Intel Core i7 2620M |
| Graphics | Quadro 3000M 2GB |
| Max. RAM | 8 GB |
| Weight | 3.42 kg |
Performance scores
Museum floor: the 2011 workstation
The Precision M6600 (2011) is the oldest machine in this catalog corner: a dual-core i7-2620M, a Quadro 3000M with 2GB and 8GB of RAM, listed at $219 — 53% below the workstation-class median. The readings describe an artifact: reliability at 2 versus 43.5 (95% below), graphics at 3.35 versus 42.23, mobility at 4 versus 36. No capability flags survive at all — the measured sheet is empty, which is its own honest verdict.
What $219 actually buys
A tank-grade 17-inch chassis with a quality keyboard, a period-professional build, and a dual-core processor that still runs office fundamentals. The empty capability sheet is the boundary: no game clears any bar, and the Quadro 3000M's professional era closed a decade ago. This machine is bought for remaining runtime and physical presence, not for capability.
The honest framing
Every axis reads at or near the catalog floor because the hardware predates every benchmark this catalog measures against. That is not a defect of the listing — it is the machine's age stated numerically. For a buyer needing a spare desk terminal, a workshop PC or a project chassis, the price is fair; for anything performance-shaped, the neighbors two steps up the shelf answer better.
Price trajectory
From a $2,200 anchor to $219 at a 6.13% annual rate, projecting $193 in two years — an 11.89% drop, the flattest curve on this shelf. Value here is measured in working condition, not model year.
Against its neighbors
Upward, Dell's Precision 3510 at $243 and Precision 7510 at $251 — three-to-five generations newer for $25-30 more, both dramatically stronger. Downward, HP's ZBook 15 at $203 — a slightly newer rival for slightly less. The M6600's argument is condition-per-dollar only.
Bottom line
A budget-priced piece of workstation history whose empty capability sheet is the most honest review it could receive. Buy it as a terminal or a chassis; buy nothing else at this price expecting less.
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⭐ What stands out
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reliability is lower than typical workstation class (+95.4%) (low tier).
budget segment of category -
graphics performance is lower than typical workstation class (+92.1%) (office tier).
budget segment of category -
mobility is lower than typical workstation class (+88.9%) (low tier).
budget segment of category
🔁 Alternatives
Compromise axis: mobility ↔ compute power
⚙️ Configuration analysis
Top configuration is built for office apps, web browsing, and basic daily tasks.
🤔 How to choose
Universal advice for any use case.
- Reliability vs price: reliability (median 43.5) ↔ price (median 471).
- Weight vs CPU: mobility (median 36) ↔ overall performance (median 60.6).
- Upgradeability vs battery: upgradability (median 100) ↔ battery life (median 2.4).
Precision M6600: verdict
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