Move over, SODIMM —

New Dell workstation laptops fit 128GB of DDR5 RAM on a single module

Upcoming Dell Precisions put a thinner spin on DDR5 memory.

Dell's 17-inch Precision 7770.
Enlarge / Dell's 17-inch Precision 7770.
Dell

There's no denying the convenience of a thinner, lighter laptop. But power users requiring workstation-level performance often end up sacrificing portability for power. The Dell Precision 7670 and 7770 mobile workstations announced Tuesday debut new ways to deliver RAM and chassis options to those who want heavy-duty power but not necessarily a heavy-duty machine.

According to Dell, the Precision 7670 and 7770 will be its most powerful laptops upon release, which should be by the end of July. To achieve a 0.98-inch thinness for the 16-inch 7670 and 1.13 inches for the 17-inch 7700, the laptops' DDR5 memory uses a design Dell hasn't shown before, Compression Attached Memory Module (CAMM).

The Precision 7670's screen claims up to 500 nits and 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage.
Enlarge / The Precision 7670's screen claims up to 500 nits and 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage.
Dell

According to a blog post from Dell, the non-error correction code (non-ECC) module that Dell patented allows for "a thinner chassis design without sacrificing performance," since there's only one module, rather than multiple stacked ones. The RAM's memory connector layout also purportedly makes the RAM "more accessible for field repair."

Dell didn't get into any other details about how CAMM differs from SODIMM, which will also be available in the new laptops. The company did, however, promise more technical information on the memory module, as well as an "intent to drive standardization across the industry" in its blog post. Dell also provided the images below to the press, providing a little more clarification.

Dell will offer both laptops with up to 128GB DDR5-3600 in a single CAMM. Speeds can hit 4,800 MHz if you opt for less memory (up to 64GB) via either a single CAMM or single or dual-channel SODIMM. If you opt for SODIMM, which can be either non-ECC or ECC, the memory maxes out at 64GB DDR5-4800 across two channels.

Different chassis options

The Precision 7670 comes in two sizes.
Enlarge / The Precision 7670 comes in two sizes.
Dell

The Precision 7670 announced Tuesday is Dell's first 16-inch mobile workstation. It's 14.02×10.8 inches, and you have two options when it comes to the clamshell's height. The "thin chassis," as Dell is calling it, has a 0.98-inch height spec. The "performance" chassis, meanwhile, is 1.09 inches thick. More specifically, it's 0.99-inches tall toward the front, compared to 0.88 inches for the thin chassis.

Naturally, the thinner version of the Precision 7670 also weighs less than the performance one at 5.75 versus 5.9 lbs.

We're not looking at drastic differences here, but the variety shows Dell is willing to make a product as thin as possible and with more performance.

In the case of the Precision 7670, a thinner chassis means less-impressive graphics card options. You're limited to an RTX A1000 with 4GB of GDDR6 or an RTX A2000 (8GB). The extra 0.11 of thickness allows the heftier Precision 7670 to support an RTX A3000 (12GB), RTX A4500 (16GB), RTX A5500 (16GB), or RTX 3080 Ti (16GB).

As you might have guessed from the minor size discrepancies, the 7670 employs the same thermal techniques regardless of chassis size. That includes user-selectable thermal tables, dual intake venting, and a pair of fans with liquid polymer blades that are supposed to be thicker than rivals and send air in two different directions for more airflow.

Dell didn't specify how CPU options would differ between the two designs. But the Precision 7670 will support up to a 55 W 12th Gen Intel Core i9 CPU with vPro.

The Precision 7770 goes up to a 3840×2160 120 Hz display.
Enlarge / The Precision 7770 goes up to a 3840×2160 120 Hz display.
Dell

Dell makes the decision between the 7670's two chassis sizes a bit easier by offering the same port selection with each. No matter how thick the laptop is, it'll have two Thunderbolt 4 ports, another USB-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2), an HDMI 2.0a port, an RJ-45 port, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The laptop also supports up to 12TB of storage (ships with up to 4TB) across three PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots with RAID 5 support. There's even the option to access the storage without taking apart the chassis by incorporating a flip-open door on the laptop's underside.

Optional storage access.
Enlarge / Optional storage access.
Dell

The 7670 has a 16:10 display with resolution ranging from 1920×1200 to 3840×2400 for the OLED option. And the options continue in terms of the adapter (180 W or 240 W) for the 93 Whr battery.

The Precision 7670 and 7770 also include a bounty of AI features, including ExpressResponse, which analyzes how you use apps to boost performance. Some features are also found in Dell's Latitude business laptops, like connecting to dual networks and automatically dimming the screen when someone's looking over your shoulder.

Dell didn't announce pricing for the Precision 7670 or 7770, but they should come out by the end of July.

Channel Ars Technica