Verdict
The Dell Pro Max 18 Plus is a substantial mobile workstation, providing ample power for professional tasks in development, engineering, project management, and AI architecture. It features excellent ports, remarkable performance, and extensive memory, essentially delivering a desktop-class experience in a portable form factor. While not ideal for constant carrying, it suits users requiring significant power with occasional portability.
Pros
- Positively powerful
- Massive 18-inch display
- Powerful Ports
- Great keyboard
Cons
- Shockingly expensive
- Very heavy
- Display is good, not great
Dell’s long-standing presence in the business professional market makes its newest 18-inch flagship a notable release. While many high-powered laptops are marketed towards video and photo editing, a different kind of power is essential for coders, developers, engineers, QA teams, and hands-on project managers who need to seamlessly transition between various tasks. Not all professionals have the luxury of dedicated machines for every function; some rely on a single device.
Furthermore, some users prefer a single machine that can handle all tasks, allowing access to anything needed with a few keystrokes. This is where mobile workstations like the Dell Pro Max 18 Plus excel. It offers remarkable power, capable of handling diverse workloads anywhere. Clearly designed for business professionals in engineering and development, it can also serve individuals with similar demanding requirements. This laptop is not for everyone, but it perfectly suits those needing desktop-level performance in a portable form factor.
Dell Pro Max 18 Plus: Price and Availability
Pricing for the Dell Pro Max 18 Plus varies significantly based on configuration. The base model starts around $3500, with higher-end versions costing more than triple that. It is available from Dell US and Dell UK.
The reviewed configuration is priced at $9,245, featuring an Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor, 128GB of RAM, an NVIDIA RTX Pro 5000 Blackwell with 24GB, 2TB of Storage, an 18-inch QHD+ 2560×1600 Display, and Wi-Fi 7, all powered by a 96Whr battery. It is a robust machine.
Upgrades are available beyond this configuration, with storage options extending up to 16TB and optional 5G connectivity. This setup includes most other advanced features.
Dell Pro Max 18 Plus: Unboxing and First Impressions
An 18-inch laptop is undeniably a large machine. Compared to typical portable laptops (around 13 inches) and even standard large laptops (16 inches), this device feels massive. Despite its size, the laptop features a comfortable keyboard, a full-size numpad, a fingerprint reader, a comprehensive port selection, and a useful function row. The touchpad is responsive, and the screen offers sufficient sharpness for most professional tasks.
The port layout is well-designed. Thunderbolt 5 ports are located on the left, alongside the RJ45, HDMI, Smart Card, and SD Card slot. On the right, there is a Kensington Lock (understandable given the laptop’s value), both USB-A ports, another Thunderbolt Port, and the Headphone Jack. The port placement is convenient, with no ports on the back of the machine, facilitating easy grab-and-go use.
A physical camera shutter is a welcome addition, often found on the best business laptops. In today’s privacy-conscious environment, a physical shutter provides a reassuring way to block the camera.
Overall, the aesthetic is clean, professional, and business-focused. It is a powerhouse that maintains a discreet appearance, free of RGB lighting, flashy badges, or loud branding. It presents as a sleek machine ready for serious work, suitable for professional environments.
Dell Pro Max 18 Plus: Design & Build Quality
The 18-inch display of the Pro Max 18 Plus is a significant feature, making the device considerably large. Its size means it may not fit in all laptop bags, as most are designed for up to 16-inch devices.
However, this increased screen real estate reduces the need for an external portable monitor, enhancing on-the-go productivity. While a docking station with an external monitor might still be used at a primary workstation, the large built-in screen simplifies mobile work.
Although the display is good, it is not optimized for high-end photo or video editing. This is intentional, as Dell likely allocated resources to enhance the machine’s power, efficiency, and overall performance rather than focusing on a display for tasks it is not primarily intended for.
This design philosophy likely enabled the inclusion of advanced features like two Thunderbolt 5 ports. The display is more than adequate for coding, project management, writing, database management, development, and similar tasks. It excels at multitasking and offers very responsive performance.
Dell Pro Max 18 Plus: In Use
Specs
- CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX Pro 5000 Blackwell w/24GB
- RAM: 128GB
- Display: 18″ QHD+ LCD
- Resolution: 2560×1600
- Brightness: 500 nits
The Dell Pro Max 18 Plus is not a casual laptop. It is not designed to be lightly tossed into a bag or carried effortlessly around a home or office. While portable, it is not ultra-portable or comfortable for all-day carrying. This machine is best suited for being transported to a location and then set up for use.
In practical use, demanding tasks such as running large GitHub repositories, accessing records in DBeaver, managing projects in VS Code, working in Notion, responding to Slack, handling numerous Chrome tabs, project managing in Jira, Asana, Basecamp, and Trello, and conducting virtual meetings sequentially, do not cause the fans to noticeably spin up.
This machine is an absolute powerhouse, offering sufficient performance headroom that users will find no need to wait for applications or projects to load.
For professionals managing multiple high-level tasks simultaneously, such as virtual meetings, data management, communication, and project loading, this machine handles demanding workflows with ease. While it is not ideal for one-handed carrying between in-person meetings, the availability of such powerful performance in a portable machine remains impressive.
Dell Pro Max 18 Plus: Final Verdict
For individuals requiring a semi-portable machine capable of handling any codebase or multiple demanding projects simultaneously, the Dell Pro Max 18 Plus is an excellent choice.
While capable for graphics professionals, video editors, photo editors, or 3D modelers, more specialized options might exist for those specific tasks. For commuters, this machine may not be the most convenient to transport frequently due to its size and weight.
However, for those seeking high-powered, desktop-level performance in a laptop form factor, this device delivers.
For more models, consider exploring the best Dell laptops.
