Dell starts flogging biz laptops with Intel Management Engine disabled

[patrick3027]

Quote

 

Dell has followed in the footsteps of Purism and System76 by offering laptops with Intel's bug-ridden Management Engine disabled.

As first reported by Liliputing, Dell is now selling at least three biz-focused devices - including the Latitude 14 Rugged laptop, Latitude 15 E5570 laptop and Latitude 12 Rugged tablet -  that can be configured with an "Intel vPro™ - ME Inoperable, Custom Order" option.

The option seems to be available only on Dell's US website at present, where punters will have to pay an extra $20 for the privilege.

 

Maybe Intel will start to act on this?

Source: https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/3022363/dell-starts-flogging-biz-laptops-with-intel-management-engine-disabled

 

[Levent]

giving the choice to the customers is not a bad idea, especially for computers designed for business'.

[SpeedDemonAdam88]

Funny they are touting the option on Latitude 15 E5570 laptops as that is being super phased out. Dell won't even sell our company that model anymore forcing us to the Latitude 15 5580 laptop. Either way good on them for starting to recognize the problem with Management Engine

[MoonSpot]

3 hours ago, Levent said:

giving the choice to the customers is not a bad idea, especially for computers designed for business'.

I suspect it's more like they don't want to, or are unable to, patch ME properly and keep patching it as more and more issues come to light.  Prebuild manufacturers don't exactly offer a great deal of support and completely cut products loose after a small count of years.

Intel pushing the ME updates through manufacturers instead of owning up to it sent shivers up my spine for this reason.  We'll see how this plays out in the long run, but I'm not optimistic.

[laminutederire]

13 minutes ago, MoonSpot said:

I suspect it's more like they don't want to, or are unable to, patch ME properly and keep patching it as more and more issues come to light.  Prebuild manufacturers don't exactly offer a great deal of support and completely cut products loose after a small count of years.

Intel pushing the ME updates through manufacturers instead of owning up to it sent shivers up my spine for this reason.  We'll see how this plays out in the long run, but I'm not optimistic.

The only way Intel is going to do something about it would be that they'd be forces to recall all 6th-7th and 8th gen processors to be replaced with 9th one which support the right kind of platform without the security issue. It probably will never happen since you could technically get an update... but considering it's Intel's property, it should be an option. That'd force them to urge OEM or do the work themselves. In the end they screwed it up..

[Matu20]

I always disabled it manually, don't get why it was so needed.