Dell Pro Max Plus 18 Plus 2000, Core Ultra 7 265HX, 32GB, 512GB SSD, RTX PRO 2000, Magnetite

The Dell Pro Max Plus 18 Plus packs a 93rd percentile CPU and the best port selection we've seen into a 3.25kg desktop replacement. The 18-inch 500-nit display is excellent, and 32GB of fast DDR5 is a standout. But the 512GB SSD is underwhelming for the price, and the compact score is dead last.

The Core Ultra 7 265HX is a 20-core monster that lands in the 93rd percentile for CPUs in our database. That's one of the best mobile processors you can buy right now, and it shows in everything from compile times to 4K exports. Paired with 32GB of 6400 MHz DDR5, which sits at the 90th percentile, multitasking is a non-issue. You can run a VM, a browser with 40 tabs, and a render without hearing the fans beg for mercy.

The RTX PRO 2000 with 8GB of GDDR7 is a workstation GPU, not a gaming card, and it lands at the 89th percentile. It's built for CUDA workloads, CAD, and AI inference rather than frame rates. For creators, that's a strong pick. For gamers, the 73.2 gaming score tells the story: it'll play things, but that's not why you buy this. The 512GB NVMe SSD is the weak link, sitting at just the 52nd percentile. At least there's a second M.2 2280 slot, so you can fix that yourself.

Against the Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max, the Dell wins on port selection and raw CPU core count, but loses badly on compactness and likely battery life. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is a fraction of the weight and a better gaming machine, but it can't touch the Dell's port selection or 18-inch screen. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 is a closer fight: similar CPU class, but the Dell's RTX PRO 2000 is aimed at work, not play. The HP OMEN Transcend 14 and MSI Prestige are both far more portable, but they give up the big display and the sheer number of ports. If you need a desktop replacement that stays put, the Dell makes sense. If you need to carry it anywhere, look elsewhere.

Pricing is murky here. US listings range from $3,800 to $3,999, and there's a Canadian listing at CAD 5,513. That's a lot of money for a machine with a 512GB SSD and a reliability score in the 33rd percentile. The CPU, RAM, and port selection justify a premium, but the storage feels like a cost-cutting move on a flagship. If you're buying this for creator work, the 77.7 creator score suggests it earns its keep. Just budget for a second SSD.

The Dell Pro Max Plus 18 Plus is a workstation that doesn't pretend to be anything else. It's a 3.25kg slab with a 20-core Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX, 32GB of DDR5, and an RTX PRO 2000 with 8GB of GDDR7. The port selection is the best we've seen in this category, landing in the 99th percentile, and the CPU sits at 93rd. But the storage story is a head-scratcher: 512GB in a machine this expensive feels like showing up to a marathon in dress shoes.

The 18-inch 2560x1600 display is a genuine highlight. 500 nits, 120Hz with VRR, and full DCI-P3 coverage put it in the 88th percentile for screens. It's bright enough for a sunny office and smooth enough that scrolling through code or timelines doesn't feel like wading through mud. The compact score, though, is 1st percentile. This thing is not leaving your desk without a fight.

If you need to carry your laptop anywhere, skip this. The 3.25kg weight and 1st percentile compact score make it one of the least portable machines we've tracked. The 512GB SSD is also a dealbreaker for anyone working with large video files or datasets out of the box. And if reliability is a top concern, the 33rd percentile score should give you pause. Gamers should also look elsewhere: the 73.2 gaming score means the RTX PRO 2000 is built for work, not play.

The Dell Pro Max Plus 18 Plus is a powerhouse with a glaring storage compromise. The 20-core CPU, 32GB of fast RAM, and best-in-class port selection make it a serious workstation. The 18-inch display is gorgeous and bright. But the 512GB SSD at this price point is hard to swallow, and the reliability score gives us pause. If you're a creator or developer who needs raw CPU power and every port imaginable, and you don't mind adding your own storage, this is a strong pick. If you need portability or out-of-the-box storage, keep scrolling.