Analyst(s): Olivier Blanchard
Publication Date: May 29, 2025
Dell has launched the Pro Max Plus, the first mobile workstation featuring a discrete enterprise-grade NPU. The device allows enterprises to run large AI models locally, bypassing the cloud for greater control, privacy, and cost-efficiency.
What is Covered in this Article:
- Dell launches Pro Max Plus at Dell Technologies World 2025
- First mobile workstation with a discrete enterprise-grade Qualcomm AI 100 NPU
- Built to support models with up to 109 billion parameters on-device
- Designed for AI developers, engineers, and data scientists handling proprietary data
- Includes support for Dell’s Pro AI Studio ecosystem tools
The News: Dell Technologies has introduced its new Pro Max Plus workstation laptop at Dell Technologies World 2025. Unlike traditional workstations that rely on GPUs, this device is equipped with a discrete neural processing unit (NPU) specifically built for enterprise-grade AI inference.
The Qualcomm AI 100 PC Inference Card at the heart of the system features 32 dedicated AI cores and 64GB of LPDDR4x memory. Dell claims the workstation can run models with up to 109 billion parameters entirely on-device, without accessing the cloud or server infrastructure. While Dell has not yet confirmed pricing, screen size, or launch details, the company has positioned the Pro Max Plus as a portable solution for enterprise AI development. The Pro Max Plus stands out by targeting enterprise developers and data scientists rather than broad commercial users.
Dell’s Pro Max Plus Laptop Broadens Local AI Development Opportunity
Analyst Take: Dell’s introduction of the Pro Max Plus marks a step forward in mobile AI computing for enterprise users. By prioritizing a dedicated NPU over a general-purpose GPU, Dell has engineered this system specifically for on-device AI model execution. The Qualcomm AI 100 PC Inference Card, with 32 AI cores and 64GB of memory, is purpose-built for enterprise inference workloads typically found in data centers. This approach enables use cases like retrieval augmented generation (RAG) model testing, image generation, and secure proprietary data processing, all without needing to connect to external infrastructure. The move reflects a growing demand for secure, high-performance AI environments in portable, flexible form factors that data scientists and field researchers might favor, highly mobile AI engineers, and developers looking for a workstation to travel with them easily.
Shifting AI Workloads Away from the Cloud
The Pro Max Plus addresses increasing enterprise interest in private, offline AI workflows. With the ability to support 109-billion parameter models entirely on-device, Dell eliminates the need for remote compute or cloud services during execution. This benefits users who manage highly sensitive data or require regulatory compliance, especially when prompts and AI outputs are treated as intellectual property. Local execution also helps streamline development cycles by reducing latency and reliance on external systems. This is a privacy- and efficiency-driven solution for enterprises managing AI models at scale.
Enterprise-Grade NPU Hardware in a Mobile Device
Dell’s Pro Max Plus features the Qualcomm AI 100 PC Inference Card, described as the first enterprise-grade discrete NPU in a mobile workstation. The card includes 32 dedicated AI cores and 64GB of LPDDR4x memory, housed in an expansion module similar to a GPU slot. This configuration is normally seen in server racks, but Dell has implemented it in a notebook PC form factor. The NPU is built specifically for AI inferencing tasks, and supports workloads like chatbots, voice processing, image generation, and RAG – all of which are critical to engineers, developers, and data scientists working on advanced AI models.
Dell’s Position in AI-Focused Mobility
Complementing AI desktop boxes (like Dell’s own Pro Max GB10 desktop and Pro Max GB300 deskside high-performance AI PCs), Dell is the first to adapt enterprise-grade AI capabilities into a more mobile form factor. Bundled with Dell’s Pro AI Studio, the workstation is designed not only for model execution but also for managing deployments, APIs, and IT integration. Though specific specs and pricing remain unknown, the emphasis on dedicated AI performance clearly separates it from general-purpose laptops with embedded VPUs.
Driven by the idea that some developers, engineers, and data scientists require a flexible ecosystem of high-performance end-point AI PCs, Dell is setting a precedent by adding a mobile high-performance enterprise AI notebook PC to its product lineup. While I expect desktop and desk-side PCs (like Dell’s Pro Max GB10 and GB300 models) to easily find their way into the enterprise and SME markets, the portability of the Pro Max Plus seems more likely to find its purpose in more niche applications. The portability of the Pro Max Plus is certain to appeal to data scientists in industries like healthcare, defense, pharmaceuticals, logistics, security, retail, finance, aerospace, and research, as well as with specialized IT contractors.
My only complaint with this first iteration of the Dell Pro Max Plus is that the AI100 card is not upgradeable. There are good reasons for this, especially this early in the product’s journey, but given the investment that such a device is likely to represent, the ability to both upgrade its processing capabilities as needed and extend its lifecycle would help scale its adoption by risk-averse IT buyers. Hopefully, Dell will find a way to make future incarnations of this first-gen product a bit more modular and adaptable, but for now, it does solve a very specific problem for AI engineers, data scientists, and developers who need reliable portability in a high-performance AI PC.
Strategic Implications for Enterprise Adoption
Dell CEO Michael Dell’s keynote linked AI PC innovation to the upcoming Windows 10 end-of-life, predicting a generational hardware refresh. Dell projects the Pro Max Plus could eventually support up to 20 petaflops of compute and 800GB of memory, bringing trillion-parameter model capabilities to future mobile systems. For enterprises, this represents a transition from centralized to distributed AI infrastructure, where powerful workloads can run from anywhere. As regulatory and IP concerns grow, the appeal of local execution will expand, especially in industries like healthcare, finance, and defense.
Beyond the obvious security advantages of being able to run heavy AI workloads locally on a portable device, and the operational efficiency advantages that come from being able to do so regardless of bandwidth limitations or reliable connectivity, the potential cost savings of running workloads locally instead of in the Cloud also make these endpoint AI solutions attractive to IT departments looking to take cost out of their AI workload model. Dell’s early investment in this area gives it a head start in what could potentially become a high-growth segment of the expanding enterprise PC market.
What to Watch:
- Dell has not confirmed pricing, CPU, GPU configuration, or final screen size, which could impact enterprise planning and procurement cycles.
- The 150W power draw of the NPU raises thermal and battery management challenges that must be addressed for consistent mobile performance.
- The absence of a launch timeline may delay adoption despite early interest from AI-focused enterprise users.
- Differentiation across future Pro Max Plus models may create confusion if AI capabilities vary widely within the lineup.
- Competitor announcements at events like Computex may quickly erode Dell’s first-mover advantage in mobile AI workstations.
Read the complete press release on the Dell Technologies website.
Disclosure: Futurum is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of Futurum as a whole.
Other insights from Futurum:
Inventing the Future: A Conversation With Michael Dell – Six Five On The Road
Dell Q4 FY 2025 Earnings Show Strong AI Momentum, ISG Revenue Up 22% YoY
What You Missed at Dell Technologies World 2025 – And Why It Matters – Six Five On The Road
Image Credit: Dell Technologies
Author Information
Research Director Olivier Blanchard covers edge semiconductors and intelligent AI-capable devices for Futurum. In addition to having co-authored several books about digital transformation and AI with Futurum Group CEO Daniel Newman, Blanchard brings considerable experience demystifying new and emerging technologies, advising clients on how best to future-proof their organizations, and helping maximize the positive impacts of technology disruption while mitigating their potentially negative effects. Follow his extended analysis on X and LinkedIn.
