PT finds AMD and Intel Dell PCs take the same time to manage

Principled Technologies says hands-on testing found no IT-management penalty for adding AMD processor-based Dell PCs to fleets already built around Intel systems. The report says Dell Management Portal and Microsoft Intune handled both platforms with identical steps and times across common admin tasks.

Why it matters: - Principled Technologies’ testing suggests IT teams can add AMD processor-based Dell PCs to Intel-based fleets without changing workflows or adding administrative overhead. - That matters for organizations deciding between refresh options, because management effort may no longer be a differentiator.

What happened: - Principled Technologies tested Dell PCs through the cloud-based Dell Management Portal, which integrates with Microsoft Intune. - The tests compared two Dell Pro Micro desktops and two Dell Pro 5 Series 14 laptops that were identical except for processor choice. - The desktop pair used an AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8700GE processor and an Intel Core i5 14500T processor. - The laptop pair used an AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 435 processor and an Intel Core Ultra 5 332 vPro processor. - Testers completed 11 common IT tasks on each system and recorded the steps and hands-on time required.

The details: - Accessing device information, BIOS credentials, and BitLocker recovery keys took two steps and eight seconds on both processor platforms. - Deploying applications through Dell Management Portal and Intune took four steps and 43 seconds on both platforms. - Configuring BIOS settings took six steps and 35 seconds on both platforms. - Deploying updates through the Dell Management Portal Update Module took five steps and 20 seconds on both platforms. - Deploying updates through Windows Update for Business took seven steps and 53 seconds on both platforms. - Deploying updates through Dell Command Update took seven steps and 40 seconds on both platforms. - Device discovery and inventory took nine steps and 1:22 on both platforms. - OS patching and provisioning took seven steps and 1:40 on both platforms. - Patching and firmware updates took seven steps and 1:26 on both platforms. - Security policy enforcement took 10 steps and 1:12 on both platforms. - Planning a Windows 11 refresh strategy from Dell Management Portal took three steps and 40 seconds on both platforms. - In an earlier study, PT found no additional remote-troubleshooting procedures for AMD processor-based Dell systems alongside Intel processor-based devices. - The report said centralized management tools should simplify administrators’ day-to-day work, and that adding new devices should not disrupt that process. - PT concluded that IT teams can manage both platforms together with no additional complexity. - PT said Dell Management Portal and Microsoft Intune abstract hardware differences from day-to-day administrative work.

Between the lines: - The report frames processor choice as a hardware decision, not an IT-management decision, when Dell and Microsoft tools are already in place. - That shifts more weight toward cost, features and performance when buyers compare AMD and Intel Dell PCs. - The consistency across tasks also supports the idea that mixed fleets may be simpler to standardize than many IT teams expect.

What's next: - Organizations planning a client refresh can use the report’s findings to compare AMD and Intel Dell PCs on operational fit, performance and pricing. - The report is titled “When AMD joins the fleet, IT stays on course.” - Principled Technologies is based in Durham, North Carolina. More information is available at Principled Technologies.

The bottom line: - PT’s testing found no management-time penalty for AMD processor-based Dell PCs in a mixed fleet with Intel systems.