Dell Precision 3260 Compact Review

Dell Precision 3260 Compact Performance

In terms of performance, we had the Intel Core i5-12500 a 65W TDP CPU. Most of the Project TinyMiniMicro PCs we have reviewed have 35W TDP parts so the extra TDP headroom allows for extra performance.

Of course, since this was not a Core i5-12600 or above, we did not get Intel vPro.

Python Linux 4.4.2 Kernel Compile Benchmark

This is one of the most requested benchmarks for STH over the past few years. The task was simple: we had a standard configuration file, the Linux 4.4.2 kernel from kernel.org, and made the standard auto-generated configuration utilizing every thread in the system. We are expressing results in terms of compiles per hour to make the results easier to read:

Performance here was about what we might expect from an Alder Lake processor.

7-zip Compression Performance

7-zip is a widely used compression/ decompression program that works cross-platform. We started using the program during our early days with Windows testing. It is now part of Linux-Bench.

Here we can see a nice bump over the Intel Core i5-12500T 35W TDP part found in many of the 1L PC options.

OpenSSL Performance

OpenSSL is widely used to secure communications between servers. This is an important protocol in many server stacks. We first look at our sign tests:

Here are the verify results:

Still, many of Intel’s processors in the Core i7 lines and in the 13th Gen added many more cores with the addition of E-cores, and this Core i5 simply was left out of the escalation in core counts.

Geekbench 5 and 6 Results

Just so you can easily compare this to your own system, we have two key of Geekbench 5 and 6 results. We are usign the HP Elite Mini 800 G9 with its Core i5-12500T. The T is the 35W TDP part, so we expect that it is slower. At the same time, having the larger chassis lets us cool the 65W part in the Dell without having to worry as much about loud fans in a very small chassis. Here are the Geekbench 5 results:

Here are the Geekbench 6 results:

Getting another 30% performance while trading a bit of space and adding power consumption might be something to consider.

Next, let us get to the power consumption and noise.