Dell Precision 5690 review – Is It the Perfect Compact Workstation?
For users who need a capable workstation for serious work, Dell offers the Precision 5690. The manufacturer mentions that the device is “Dell’s smallest footprint 16″ mobile workstation”. It’s not as thin as a premium office machine but this laptop is compact for such a powerhouse. Speaking of which, you can choose from four Meteor Lake CPUs and five NVIDIA RTX Ada Generation GPUs. The maxed-out configurations rely on a 45W Core Ultra 9 185H and a 16GB RTX 5000 Ada Generation at the price of an arm and a leg. The memory is soldered – yep, SODIMMs take more space. Still, the storage upgradability is just fine. Also, the port selection is modern. The high-end devices are treated with a vapor chamber cooling. Our machine has a conventional thermal system.
The base display is a 1200p IPS screen. The laptop that we bought is equipped with the same panel. It’s pretty good in terms of color coverage. If money isn’t a problem, you can get the optional OLED touchscreen with a 3840 x 2400 resolution.
The security features are on point. You get an IR Web camera, dTPM 2.0 chip, fingerprint reader, vPro-enabled CPUs, and goodies such as Tamper Detection. The Smart Card and the NFC are optional. W-Fi 7 is on board for all devices.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/dell-precision-16-5690/
Contents
Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box
- HDD/SSD
- up to 4000GB SSD
- M.2 Slot
- 2x 2280 PCIe NVMe 4.0 x4 See photo
- RAM
- up to 64GB
- OS
- Windows 11 Home, Windows 11 Pro, Windows 10 Pro
- Battery
- 99.5Wh
- Body material
- Aluminum
- Dimensions
- 353.58 x 240.33 x 20.50 - 22.17 mm (13.92" x 9.46" x 0.81")
- Weight
- 2.03 kg (4.5 lbs)
- Ports and connectivity
- 1x USB Type-C
- 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), DisplayPort
- 2x USB Type-C
- Thunderbolt 4, Power Delivery (PD)
- HDMI
- 2.1
- Card reader
- SD (SD, SDHC, SDXC)
- Ethernet LAN
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11be
- Bluetooth
- 5.4
- Audio jack
- 3.5mm Combo Jack
- Features
- Fingerprint reader
- optional
- Web camera
- FHD IR
- Backlit keyboard
- Microphone
- Dual Array Microphones
- Speakers
- 2x 2W Woofers + 2x 2W Tweeters Stereo Speakers
- Optical drive
- Security Lock slot
- Wedge Lock
All Dell Precision 16 5690 configurations
Drivers
All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/precision-16-5690-laptop/drivers
What’s in the box?
Inside the bigger box, you’ll find a smaller one that houses the laptop itself. The machine is definitely well-protected.
We also found a Type-C charger and a USB Type-A adapter. Depending on the CPU and GPU configuration, you get a 100W or 165W charger.
Design and construction
The Precision 5690 looks like a bigger version of the 5490 model. The design is minimalistic and modern. The metal chassis is built like a tank! Both the lid and the base are super solid. This fella is pretty light for a powerful 16-unch workstation with a starting weight of just 2.03 kilos. The profile thickness is also fine given the high-end internals – 20.50 – 22.17 mm.
The lid opens easily with one hand. This is somehow expected given the price class of this device.
The bezels around the color-accurate panel are thin. The top one is home to an HDR 1080p IR Web camera for Windows Hello.
Wait, what, no NumPad? Well, the great backlit keyboard has two sizable speaker grills on its sides which hide the two top-firing tweeters. Back to the keyboard – its key travel and especially the feedback are some of the best we’ve seen in a workstation. Since that’s an up-to-date laptop, there is an MS Copilot hotkey that is positioned next to the Arrows. Sadly, the “Up” and “Down” ones are too small for normal usage. The Power button doubles as a fingerprint reader.
The haptic touchpad is spacious (136 x 85 mm). It’s very smooth and accurate. Thumbs up!
The bottom of this machine looks usual for a Dell workstation with its 2-row ventilation grill, the three rubber feet, and two pairs of cutouts for the woofers. The heat is pushed through a vent on the rear. The hinge cover is on top of it so not much hot air reaches the screen during heavy loads.
Ports
On the left, you get an HDMI 2.1, an Audio combo jack, and two 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 ports with PowerDelivery (some devices also have a SmartCard reader slot on this side). The right side is populated by a Lock slot, a 10 Gbps USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 2) port, and an SD card slot. All Type-Cs support DisplayPort 1.4.
Display, Get our Profiles
Dell Precision 5690 | 8G0JV-B160UAN (AUO31A6) |
Diagonal | 16.0 inches (40.6 cm) |
Panel Type | IPS |
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 pixels |
Max Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
Aspect Ratio | 16:10 |
Pixel Density | 141 PPI |
‘Retina’ Distance | Greater than or equal to 61 cm |
Viewing Angles
Viewing angles are good. We take photos from different angles to evaluate the quality.
Also, a video with locked focus and exposure.
Color Coverage
The whole “sail-shaped” map below (Fig. 1) consists of all the colors we can see, while the black crooked line shows all the colors from real-world scenes and nature around us.
Then, we’ve drawn some of the most important and interesting color spaces, compared to the colors the panel of Dell Precision 5690 can show:
Standard/For Web: sRGB – widely used color space for most consumer devices, ideal for Web design and development
For Print: AdobeRGB – used in professional photo editing, graphic design, and print
For Photographers/Video Editors: DCI-P3 – used in high-end film production, post-production, and digital cinema
Premium HDR: Rec.2020 – the widest consumer ITU color standard, covering a massive 75.8% of the visible spectrum, a benchmark for premium HDR content
Dell Precision 5690: the yellow dashed triangle (– – – – – –) represents the range of colors this monitor can display.
In our tests, we calculated the total color coverage of the monitor at 100% of the sRGB color gamut and 98% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
(Fig.1) Dell Precision 5690 covers 98% of the DCI-P3 gamut
The “Dell Premier Color” app emulates sRGB color space.
(Fig.3) sRGB
Brightness and Contrast
The maximum brightness in SDR mode is 506 cd/m² in the center of the screen and 487 cd/m² averaged across the surface with a maximum deviation of 7%.
The Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) on a white screen at maximum brightness is 6140K.
The contrast ratio is 1310:1.
Uniformity: Luminance, Contrast, and Color Deviation
The figure below shows the results from our uniformity test across different sections of the screen. It’s measured at 186 nits (Windows slider = 32%) — a brightness level we consider typical for standard working conditions.
DeltaE values below 4.0 are acceptable for regular users. For those working with colors, screens with DeltaE values no higher than 2.0 are recommended.
Color Accuracy
Let’s check the difference between real colors and those you’ll see on the Dell Precision 5690. We measure that distance in DeltaE – the higher the number, the more different they look.
Values below 4.0 are acceptable for regular users, while values below 2.0 are suitable for color-sensitive work. A value below 1.0 means the difference is indistinguishable to the naked eye.
For the next graph, we’ve selected 24 common colors, including dark/light skin, blue sky, green grass, etc.
Before our calibration of the Dell Precision 5690, the Average color accuracy (Vibrant mode) was 3.1 dE (Fig. 2), and with our Design and Gaming profile, it lowered to 0.8 dE (Fig. 3).
Comparison in the Display P3 color space.
Here’s an illustration of what the Design and Gaming profile aims to deliver:
Left: No Profile | Drag the slider to see the difference | Right: Design & Gaming Profile
Visibility in dark scenes
Have you ever watched a movie with dark scenes where you could barely see anything? This often happens because many display panels struggle to differentiate the darkest nuances, making them appear the same.
The next figure illustrates how well the display reproduces these dark nuances. The left side of the image shows the display with stock settings, and the right side shows it with our Design and Gaming profile activated.
On the horizontal axis are the grayscale levels, and on the vertical axis – the corresponding display brightness.
You can also check how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display and the surrounding light conditions.
Response time (Gaming capabilities)
We test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “black-to-white” and “white-to-black” method from 10% to 90% and vice versa.
We recorded Fall Time + Rise Time = 23 ms. Short pixel response time is a prerequisite for a smooth picture in dynamic scenes.
After that, we test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “Gray-to-Gray” method from 50% White to 80% White and vice versa between 10% and 90% of the amplitude.
Health Impact: PWM (Screen flickering)
Some use PWM to regulate their brightness, which means that instead of reducing the light intensity, they pulse or flicker. Our brain merges the image, so it appears darker, but this strains both it and our vision, especially when the frequency of the pulses is low. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.
In the graph below, you see the intensity of light at different brightness levels—on the vertical axis is the brightness of the emitted light, and on the horizontal axis—time.
The light from the backlight of the Dell Precision 5690 display is not pulse-width modulated, providing visual comfort in the discussed aspect.
Health Impact: Blue light emissions
Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates harmful PWM when the laptop uses it to control brightness but also reduces harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate.
If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.
Health Impact: Screen Reflectance
Glossy-coated displays can cause eye fatigue in high ambient light conditions due to reflections. We measure the level of screen reflection with the display turned off, at a 60° angle.
The reflectance of the Dell Precision 5690’s screen is 50.7 GU.
High Gloss: >70 GU
Medium Gloss: 30 – 70 GU
Low Gloss: <30 GU
Get our profiles
Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for Dell Precision 5690 configurations with 8G0JV-B160UAN (AUO31A6), 1920 x 1200, IPS panel.
*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].
Read more about the profiles HERE.
In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.
Office Work
Office Work should be used mostly by users who spend most of the time looking at pieces of text, tables or just surfing. This profile aims to deliver better distinctness and clarity by keeping a flat gamma curve (2.20), native color temperature and perceptually accurate colors.
Design and Gaming
This profile is aimed at designers who work with colors professionally, and for games and movies as well. Design and Gaming takes display panels to their limits, making them as accurate as possible in the sRGB IEC61966-2-1 standard for Web and HDTV, at white point D65.
Health-Guard
Health-Guard eliminates the harmful Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and reduces the negative Blue Light which affects our eyes and body. Since it’s custom tailored for every panel, it manages to keep the colors perceptually accurate. Health-Guard simulates paper so the pressure on the eyes is greatly reduced.
Get all 3 profiles with 33% discount
Sound
The Dell Precision 5690’s sound is of good quality. The low, mid, and high frequencies are clear.
Performance: CPU, GPU, Storage
All benchmarks and tests were conducted with the “Best performance” preset activated in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu. Also, the “Ultra Performance” mode is enabled in the Dell Optimizer app.
CPU options
This laptop can be found with Intel Core Ultra 5 135H vPro, Core Ultra 7 155H (vPro Essentials), Core Ultra 7 165H vPro, or Core Ultra 9 185H vPro.
Our laptop has a 165H chip.
Here, we evaluate the CPU's performance using a real-world 3D rendering task, assessing its ability to handle complex computations and rendering workloads efficiently.
Results are from the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
Single-core performance ensures smooth operation and responsiveness in operating systems, providing a better user experience.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Single-Core test (higher is better)
Multi-core performance is essential for handling complex and demanding tasks, such as Video editing, CAD, and Scientific simulations.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
GPU options
These are the GPU options – NVIDIA RTX 1000 Ada Generation, RTX 2000 Ada Generation (95W), RTX 3500 Ada Generation, RTX 4000 Ada Generation, and RTX 3000 Ada Generation.
The device that we bought is equipped with the 95W RTX 2000 model.
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
The results are from 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited. Higher is better.
Gaming tests
Metro Exodus | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Extreme (Check settings) |
---|---|---|---|
Average FPS | 203 fps | 86 fps | 29 fps |
Borderlands 3 | Full HD, V.Low (Check settings) | Full HD, Medium (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Badass (Check settings) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Average FPS | 171 fps | 140 fps | 102 fps | 81 fps |
Far Cry 6 | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) |
---|---|---|---|
Average FPS | 119 fps | 93 fps | 89 fps |
Gears 5 | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, Medium (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Average FPS | 200 fps | 157 fps | 141 fps | 114 fps |
Thanks to its 45W higher power limit, the 95W RTX 2000 Ada Generation is notably faster in gaming on High and Ultra details compared to the 50W variant inside the smaller 5490 model.
Storage performance
Our machine has a 1TB Samsung PM9F. This NVMe drive is fast and superbly well-cooled since it reaches just 45°C during benchmarking.
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Temperatures and comfort, Battery Life
Max CPU load
In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering.
Average P-core frequency; Average E-core frequency; Average LP E-core frequency; CPU temp.; Package Power
Intel Core Ultra 7 165H (28W Base Power) | 0:02 – 0:10 sec | 0:15 – 0:30 sec | 10:00 – 15:00 min |
---|---|---|---|
Dell Precision 5690 | 3.43 GHz @ 2.30 GHz @ 1.78 GHz @ 79°C @ 98W | 3.69 GHz @ 2.75 GHz @ 2.34 GHz @ 91°C @ 110W | 3.06 GHz @ 2.50 GHz @ 1.70 GHz @ 72°C @ 58W |
Dell Precision 5490 | 3.59 GHz @ 2.73 GHz @ 2.48 GHz @ 92°C @ 106W | 2.84 GHz @ 2.76 GHz @ 2.49 GHz @ 97°C @ 83W | 2.88 GHz @ 2.37 GHz @ 1.62 GHz @ 80°C @ 50W |
No matter the load, the Core Ultra 7 165H can sustain impressively high clocks. Even in longer stress, the P and E cores maintain ~ 3.06 GHz / 2.50 GHz which is great! The 91°C temperature in medium stress is a bit concerning.
Real-life gaming
NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation | GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 2 min) | GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 30 min) |
---|---|---|
Dell Precision 5690 | 2330 MHz @ 76°C @ 88W | 2346 MHz @ 76°C @ 89W |
HP ZBook Power 16 G11 | 1722 MHz @ 61°C @ 50W | 1767 MHz @ 62°C @ 50W |
Dell Precision 5490 | 1386 MHz @ 66°C @ 39W | 1465 MHz @ 66°C @ 42W |
HP ZBook Fury 16 G10 | 1791 MHz @ 65°C @ 65W | 1782 MHz @ 66°C @ 65W |
The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation core boosts to around 2346 MHz in graphics-heavy tasks like gaming. That’s a respectable result.
Comfort during full load
Despite the high CPU and GPU clocks, the pair of fans remains almost quiet during heavy stress in “Ultra Performance” mode.
The hotspot on the keyboard is close to the Space key and reaches 52°C which still doesn’t feel scorching hot to the touch. The zone of the bottom display bezel that is close to the rear exhaust is warmed to 46°C.
In “Optimized” mode, the fans are slightly less audible and the CPU clocks remain high enough for work.
During gaming in “Ultra Performance”, the GPU TGP is around 90W. This value is decreased to just 38W when the “Optimized” preset is applied.
Battery
Now, we conduct the battery tests with the Windows Best Power Efficiency setting turned on, screen brightness adjusted to 180 nits and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. The 99.5Wh battery pack lasts 13 hours of video playback. Оur test was conducted with the “Energy Saver” preset activated in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu and the “Optimized” mode applied in the Dell Optimizer app.
Brightness: 180 nits; Display Mode: SDR
Time to Full Discharge: Higher is Better
Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance
To open this workstation, you have to undo 8 Torx-head screws. There are no gaps between the plate and the base so you have to create some. Place a lever tool in the rear exhaust as close as possible to the top edges. Lift the tool to open a gap in the closest corner and insert a thin plastic tool there.
Place horizontally another tool on the side between the panel and the chassis. You have to push and slide it to release the internal clips which are stiff. When the sides and the front are out of the equation it’s time to pop the back step by step with a lever tool.
Here’s how the bottom plate looks on the inside.
This device is equipped with the optional 99.5Wh battery. The base version is a 66Wh model. The connector is hidden beneath a small plate that is held in place by two small captive screws. After undoing them, you can detach the connector by pulling it upwards while holding the plastic handle on the top.
Then, undo the six Phillips-head screws that hold the battery in place. The capacity is enough for 13 hours of video playback.
The soldered Wi-Fi 7 card is close to the right fan.
The memory is soldered. However, you can order this machine with up to 64GB of LPDDR5x-7467 MHz RAM in dual-channel mode which is plenty. The two M.2 slots for 2230 or 2280 Gen 4 SSDs are covered with metal plates that are fixed to the base with a single screw. Undo it and slide the shield to the left or right, depending on the slot position.
Each cap houses a long cooling pad on the inside. Also, there is a small preapplied thermal pad in front of the slots which is a nice touch.
That’s the SSD of our laptop.
The thermal system seems massive. It has a pair of sizable fans, two long thick heat pipes shared between the CPU and the GPU, two heatsinks, and two metal plates.
Verdict
The Precision 5690 is a true workstation despite its compact dimensions and low weight for a 16-incher. Since such a device is meant for long tasks, the performance here is key. The Core Ultra 7 165H maintains a 3.06 GHz / 2.50 GHz P and E core clocks and the core of the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation GPU sustains a stable ~ 90W TGP. That’s more than enough for adequate performance no matter the load.
The memory may be soldered but you can order this device with up to 64GB of LPDDR5x RAM. Well, if you need more memory you have to take a look for a machine with SODIMMs. On the other hand, you get two M.2 slots and Dell has a preapplied thermals pad on both sides of the SSDs. The port selection is definitely up to date with its three Type-Cs. Still, when the power adapter is plugged in, you lose one of the previous Thunderbolt 4 connectors. There are no Type-A ports and that’s why you’ll find an adapter in the box for better compatibility with different types of peripheral devices.
The 1200p IPS screen (8G0JV-B160UAN (AUO31A6)) is great! The PWM-free unit has 100% sRGB and 98% DCI-P3 coverage alongside very good color accuracy when our “Design and Gaming” profile is applied. That’s a workstation-grade panel that is suitable for content creation.
The Dell Precision 5690 offers great performance for its compact size, long battery life, superb input devices, and incredibly solid build quality.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/dell-precision-16-5690/
Pros
- Compact and light for a 16-inch workstation (2.03 kg / 20.50 – 22.17 mm)
- Built like a tank
- Superb keyboard and touchpad
- PWM-free (AUO31A6)
- 100% sRGB and 98% DCI-P3 coverage + accurate color with our “Design and Gaming” profile (AUO31A6)
- Wide viewing angles and a high max brightness of 506 nits (AUO31A6)
- 3x Type-C ports
- Very long battery life given the powerful hardware (more than 13 hours of videos)
- HDR 1080p IR Web camera
- Fingerprint reader
- NFC, Smart card reader, SD card reader (all are optional)
- The CPU can maintain ~3.06 GHz / 2.50 GHz P and E core clock in long loads
- Fast and well-cooled SSD (Samsung PM9F)
- Up to 64GB of LPDDR5x-7467 MHz RAM in dual-channel mode
- The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation sustains ~ 90W
- 2x M.2 slots
- The fans are almost quiet during heavy loads in “Ultra Performance” mode
- Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4
Cons
- Soldered memory
- High price
- No Type-A ports
- 91°C CPU temperature in medium loads