Across 11 common Dell Management Portal and Microsoft Intune management tasks, AMD processor-based Dell laptops and desktops required the same number of administrative steps and the same hands-on time as their Intel processor-based counterparts, according to our testing.  

Depending on the organization, a decision to add new devices to an existing single-processor-vendor PC fleet can spring from a variety of reasons. Headcount expansion, the promise of performance gains, innovative technologies like on-device AI support, role-specific features, and other variables like cost efficiency or employee morale can all play a role. Regardless of the motivations for the investment, admins may worry that introducing a new processor vendor, such as adding AMD processor-based PCs to Intel processor-based environments, could disrupt established workflows, add complexity, and erode the time savings they’ve gained from centralized management tools. Those concerns can push purchasing decisions toward familiar vendors rather than the hardware that’s best suited for future workflows and performance requirements. 

Dell Management Portal is a cloud-based solution that integrates with Microsoft Intune to help IT teams manage Dell client devices with different processors from a unified interface. The Portal’s management tools cover device inventory, application deployment, BIOS configuration, updates, and Windows 11 readiness. For IT and endpoint managers considering whether to add AMD processor-based Dell PCs to an Intel processor-based environment, it’s important to weigh the potential tradeoffs of a mixed fleet. Does the processor inside change the amount of time and effort it will take to manage the fleet? We went hands-on with managing a set of such devices to find the answer.  

How we tested mixed-fleet management 

To compare management workflows in a mixed-fleet environment, we tested two pairs of Dell endpoints configured identically except for the processor. The laptops were Dell Pro 5 Series 14 systems with AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 435 or Intel Core Ultra 5 332 vPro processors, and the desktops were Dell Pro Micro systems with AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8700GE or Intel Core i5-14500T processors. On each system, we completed 11 tasks across cloud-based management, updates and lifecycle management, and core operations. For each task, we recorded the number of steps and hands-on time it took to complete. 

What the testing found 

  • Cloud-based management tasks, including application deployment and configuring BIOS settings, took identical steps and time on AMD and Intel systems.  
  • Update tasks through the Portal’s Update Module, Windows Update for Business, and Dell Command Update followed the same workflows, step counts, and times on both platforms.  
  • Managing AMD processor-based systems required no additional deployment processes, management infrastructure, or Intune policy workflows.  
  • Core operational tasks, including device discovery, OS provisioning, and security policy enforcement, matched across both processor platforms. 

What this means for IT teams 

In our tests of these 11 tasks, the processor platform made no difference to management time or effort. This means organizations can add AMD processor-based Dell PCs to an existing Intel processor-based fleet without rewriting procedures, adding tools, or taking on extra admin work. That type of flexibility can free buyers to choose new devices based on the right balance of cost, performance, and other technical and operational considerations. 

For more in-depth information about our mixed-fleet management tests, check out the report and infographic below.