When you run around the office projecting your arm flabs in a wave-like motion toward people’s computers, you may believe you are bestowing unknown performance gains upon the PC’s of your coworkers. You are in fact, simply burning calories and injecting a small amount of fear into their workday. When you do return to your desk, you’ll see that Dell has just announced a free software to help optimize Precision workstations specifically for CAD apps, be it mobile or desktop. Perfect timing, as now, you can email the Dell Precision Performance Optimizer (DPPO) to your office mates and put their fears at rest.

DPPO. It has those performance dial thingies.

The Performance Optimizer from Dell is a free software for all users of Dell Precision workstations. It’s developed to be a simple, visual approach to automatically tuning your system so you get the best performance out of your applications. This is how it works. You set up any number of profiles for your software. Through the DPPO interface you can switch them on and off at any given time. Performance is optimized, tracked and further optimized. What’s even better is that it switches between profiles automatically when you switch between the software. So, when using a CPU intensive software, DPPO will optimize for that, then switching to a GPU intensive software, DPPO will adjust for that. Profiles for software like Maya, SolidWorks, PTC Creo and a few Adobe products come pre-installed and there are additional options for System optimization and keeping your hardware up to date. This video explains…

The Precision workstations are fast, capable machines for running the majority of 3D applications, aaaand a little extra power never hurt. If you’re like me though, there isn’t much OEM software (if any) you want installed on your workstation, but this is a handy little tool to gain control over optimization settings that I’d definitely keep. You can expect Dell Precisions to come with DDPO pre-installed. For those running Precision laptops or workstations already, you can download the free software here.

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Press Release / Click to expand

Dell Introduces Industry’s First Automated Workstation Software to Improve Application Performance

  • Dell Precision Performance Optimizer simplifies, automates, and optimizes Dell Precision workstation settings to maximize application performance
  • Software can improve application performance by up to 57 percent¹
  • Application profiles available for Autodesk Maya, PTC Creo and Dassault SolidWorks with Adobe
  • Premiere Pro, After Effects and Photoshop and additional profiles available soon

ROUND ROCK, Texas, April 2, 2013Dell today announced Dell Precision Performance Optimizer (DPPO), the industry’s first software that automatically configures Dell Precision workstation settings to maximize performance of engineering, design and digital content creation applications. DPPO is preloaded with profiles for popular applications such as Autodesk Maya, PTC Creo and Dassault SolidWorks and once activated automatically adjusts system settings to optimize performance. Additional features include proactive system maintenance and tracking and reporting of system utilization – helping Dell Precision customers enhance and speed up their design and render times.

Dell Precision Performance Optimizer is an extension of Dell’s existing workstation tools designed to provide customers maximum performance and dependability so they can remain focused on being creative. For example, as part of the Dell Precision Technology Program, Dell engineers work closely with technology partners to architect, design and test joint solutions providing customers assurance that their hardware is compatible and optimized for their software. Dell also develops and provides recommended configurations for customers’ specific software and workflows through the Dell Precision Workstation Advisor. Dell Precision Performance Optimizer is the next step in Dell serving as the trusted advisor to help customers maximize efficiency and productivity.

Dell Precision Performance Optimizer offers three main features to enable comprehensive yet simplified system optimization and eliminate the guesswork from adjusting system settings:

  • Automatic Performance Optimization – DPPO comes preloaded with predefined performance profiles for popular applications such as Autodesk Maya, PTC Creo and Dassault SolidWorks. Unlike other tools, once activated, the software automatically adjusts system configurations such as CPU, memory, storage, graphics and operating system settings whenever a supported application is launched. This allows workers to quickly improve workstation performance when switching between applications and projects, like moving from rich animation projects to detailed CAD design. Based on Dell testing and benchmarking, users can experience up to 57 percent increase in application performance¹ with DPPO.
  • System Maintenance – IT professionals and users can gain greater control and knowledge of their system through automated or manual updates for new drivers, BIOS, application software, firmware and other vital components. This helps ensure systems are running optimally and increases user productivity.
  • Tracking & Reporting – The application also includes advanced tools to analyze and model system utilization such as how much free memory is available, processor utilization, thermal sensor data, battery state and more. Detailed reports can be scheduled to run and analyze system utilization at any time, even during intensive tasks like compiling code or rendering frames.

Pricing & Availability:
Dell Precision Performance Optimizer is free and is pre-installed on Dell Precision T1650T3600T5600,T7600M4700 and M6700 workstations with Windows 7 (32 & 64 bit) and Windows 8 (64 bit) operating systems and is also available for download here. Application profiles are currently available in English for Autodesk Maya, PTC Creo, Dassault SolidWorks with Adobe® Premiere® Pro,  Adobe After Effects®, Adobe Photoshop®, and Adobe Media Encoder® and other profiles available soon. French and German languages will be available for download in the coming months with other languages available later this year.

Quotes:
“We’re excited to continue introducing innovative new solutions like Dell Precision Performance Optimizer that empower our customers with uncompromising performance, dependability and design,” said Efrain Rovira, executive director of Dell Precision. “From hardware design to software enhancements, we are always looking for new and meaningful ways to make our workstation customers more productive.”

“Broadcast and video pros demand top performance and increased speed to optimally run Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Media Encoder and Photoshop,” said Simon Williams, director of strategic relations at Adobe. “Dell’s announcement today is a big step forward for our users to have improved productivity for faster project completion and enhanced creativity.”

“PTC and Dell have a long history of delivering technology solutions that transform the way our customers create and service products,” said Brian Thompson, Vice President of PTC Creo Product Management at PTC. “We are excited about the potential for Dell Precision Performance Optimizer to deliver additional value for PTC Creo customers using Dell Precision workstations.”

About Dell:
Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.com.

Dell and Dell Precision are trademarks of Dell Inc. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

PTC and Creo are trademarks or registered trademarks of PTC Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and in other countries.

¹ Based on system graphics composite score from testing at Dell labs December 2012 using a Dell Precision M6700 with Nvidia Quadro® K3000M comparing factory-installed default settings against DPPO optimized settings running Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Performance Test. Actual performance will vary based on configuration, usage and manufacturing variability.

Author

Josh is founder and editor at SolidSmack.com, founder at Aimsift Inc., and co-founder of EvD Media. He is involved in engineering, design, visualization, the technology making it happen, and the content developed around it. He is a SolidWorks Certified Professional and excels at falling awkwardly.