Dell Precision 3680 Tower Workstation review
The Dell Precision 3680 Tower Workstation is a solid investment for professionals. Like so many of the best workstations and best business computers we've reviewed, it offers strong performance, versatility, and thoughtful design, making it capable of efficiently handling various tasks. This makes it a valuable asset in any work environment. Dell desktops are still preferred for their power, storage, permanence, "always on" features, and other purposes, making them prominent in business. Dell is known for being highly versatile, reliable, trusted, powerful, and sleek, making the Precision 3680 Tower Workstation one of the best options for a customizable desktop solution.
Dell Precision 3680: Unboxing & first impressions
The Dell Precision 3680 Tower Workstation comes securely packaged, with packing material holding everything in place so the computer will arrive pristine. The box contains the tower, the power cable, and essential documentation. My unit also had an external Intel AX211 + Bluetooth wireless card to add Wi-Fi 6E capabilities. At first glance, this tower is compact but mighty. The initial setup is simple, with the system booting up quickly and ready for customization and installation of additional software. Wonderfully enough, I got up and running in no time.
Dell Precision 3680: Design & build quality
as tested
Processor: Intel® Core™ i9 14th Gen 14900K (36 MB cache, 24 cores, 32 threads, 3.2 GHz to 6.0 GHz, 125W)
Memory: 64GB of DDR5 ECC Memory (2 x 32GB (Non-ECC), but ECC memory is available to order)
Graphics: NVIDIA RTX A6000 with 48GB GDDR6 memory
Storage: RAID 0 with 2 X 1GB M.2 2280 Class 40 HDD
Wireless: Intel AX211 + Bluetooth wireless card
This tower workstation features a compact and robust chassis designed for durability and ease of access. The front panel is home to all the ports that I would want quick and easy access to, while the back ports are great for things that will stay plugged in for the most part. This Tower Workstation flaunts a sleek and professional design, while the compact and sturdy build hints at its suitability for various office environments. This machine is an excellent design for home office use or in the office. Either way, the Precision 3680 will fit right in.
Dell Precision 3680: In use
The Dell Precision 3680 Tower Workstation has been primarily at one desk in my suite of desks and computers. So far, it had quickly handled multitasking and demanding applications, making it suitable for professionals in fields like CAD, running the best 3D modeling software or the best video editing software when spec'd out. However, if you use this machine for more business and administrative tasks, a machine with less spec'd will do just fine. Despite its powerful hardware, the Dell Precision 3680 operates quietly, ensuring a distraction-free work environment for your co-workers, cat, or spouse.
While using this desktop tower, my team and I discovered that the Precision 3680 is energy-efficient and quiet. This machine was nearly silent even when churning through benchmarks or rendering video.
One thing that I love about having a mighty tower is that I do not need a docking station. While there is a time and a place for the best laptop docking stations, knowing that all I will most likely ever need is built into the chassis of this powerhouse is fantastic. I can access multiple USB Ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, an SD Card reader, Ethernet, and even a disk reader. I could utilize all the monitors currently at my disposal and connect four monitors to this computer without any issues. I plugged them all in via DisplayPort to the graphics card, and I could appropriately choose which monitor went where and what resolution I wanted to run all of the displays at.
For the last few months, this computer has been the powerhouse I know to be consistent. In my day-to-day, I am testing gear and swapping to different laptops, monitors, chairs, desks, etc. Having the forced consistency of having this desktop set up at a desk with a monitor and peripherals honestly gives a great breath of fresh air. I know I can sit down, and regardless of what else is happening around me, this computer will be on, ready to run, and I don't have to mess with a dock. There are no issues with what mic I need to select, what camera, or what speakers, no issues connecting to the proper Wi-Fi, and no problems connecting to the display, mouse, or keyboard. That's the beauty of a desktop workstation and the power behind a beast like this. If you're looking for a powerful workstation and need something that can be an always-on device and crush anything you send it, check out the spec-out Dell Precision 3680 Tower Workstation.
Dell Precision 3680: Final verdict
The Dell Precision 3680 excels with its processing power and ability to quickly handle multitasking and demanding applications. The base model’s 8GB RAM is sufficient for general tasks, but upgrading the memory like we did is recommended for more intensive workloads. While good for essential use, the integrated graphics may also require an upgrade for graphic-intensive applications. When choosing features while building your Precision 3680, Dell proves its versatility with many build points and components. If you want a new desktop powerhouse or a simple desktop tower to complete some admin tasks, check out the Dell Precision 3680.
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