When I think of the best Dell laptops (and Dell in general), two memories come to mind: the "Dude, you're getting a Dell" commercial from the early 2000s, and my dad's first and only laptop — a 2012 Dell Inspiron.

My nostalgic feelings aside, Dell is a brand that sticks in many people's minds, particularly the iconic XPS series. The company has had a solid reputation since its first laptop was released in 1989, and you'll typically find a Dell among Laptop Mag's lists of best laptops, best budget laptops, best gaming laptops, and laptops with the best battery life. We've reviewed several of Dell's newest releases and expect to review more as 2025 marches on.

An important note: if you're considering buying a new 2025 Dell, I highly recommend reading my handy guide on how to find the right Dell laptop to understand the new product names. Dell laptops now have a naming convention closer to how Apple differentiates its MacBooks (XPS, Inspiron, Precision, and Latitude are no more, unfortunately), but my current recommendations still have those familiar, now-former names. It may also be a good time to find discounts on the old models among the best laptop deals.

Whether you've never owned a Dell or you've used Dell laptops for years and are ready to upgrade, this page is regularly updated with our latest reviews to reflect Laptop Mag’s top picks for 2025.

Update Log

5/30/25: Updated introduction, "recently reviewed," and FAQ sections.

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Best for most people

The Snapdragon-configured Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has many major qualities and features a modern laptop should have: incredible multitasking performance, seemingly endless battery life, a bright display — all packed into a reasonably light and thin chassis. It's a super-likable laptop.

The Inspiron's entry-level Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 processor stands toe to toe (more like shin to knee, really) with higher-end chips from Intel and Apple of its generation. With a Geekbench 6 multicore benchmark score of 13,281, (22% faster than the average premium laptop score of 10,435) it did "well juggling a couple dozen Google Chrome tabs and a handful of YouTube videos," as Rami Tabari, Laptop Mag's editor, said in he review. He also recommends this laptop for remote workers.

It's also 9% faster than the MacBook Air M3 (12,087) and 5% faster than the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (12,729) inside our pick for best budget Dell budget laptop — also an Inspiron 14 Plus!

The SSD is zippy, too. It can transfer a 25GB multimedia file at 1,510 megabytes per second, about 14% faster than the average laptop in its class (1,311 MBps.) It's 11% faster than the Asus Zenbook S14 (1,236 MBps) and 7% faster compared to one of its Snapdragon competitors, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (1,416 MBps).

Battery life and heat management are equally impressive. In our battery rundown test, it lasted a substantial 18 hours and 20 minutes — well beyond the average 13 hours and 23 minutes. I'd be comfortable putting this laptop on my bare skin, too, as it doesn't exceed 88 degrees on the underside.

PlusItsIt's display doesn't produce miracles, though. Covering just 69.1% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, everything on the screen looks drained of color. Some of this laptop's rivals, like the Zenbook 14 and MacBook Air M3, fare much better, 79.8% and 77.8%, respectively — and they're still below the 84.7% average. However, the Inspiron 14 Plus' display can get really bright, up to 470 nits.

See our full Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) review.

Best budget

Even among laptops with Intel's new Lunar Lake chips, its last-gen chips are still nothing to brush off. This Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is a textbook example of why. It has just as much performance (especially for multitasking) and outstanding battery life, but its graphic capabilities are also far more powerful.

It scored 12,729 in the Geekbench 6 multicore benchmark, 9% faster than the average premium laptop (10,435). "The laptop easily kept up with my daily workload and task switching between email, text editing, and Photoshop," Laptop Mag's staff writer, Madeline Ricchiuto, wrote in her review. It's also 6% faster than the MacBook Pro M3 (11,968) and 3% faster than our favorite 2-in-1 laptop, the HP Spectre x360 14 (12,358), with the same chip.

When it comes to its graphics capabilities, this laptop also outshines its rivals, particularly the Snapdragon's Qualcomm Adreno iGPU. On Medium settings at 1080p, its Intel Arc integrated graphics averaged 34 frames per second in the Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm benchmark. Our playability threshold is 30 fps, so it passed that — but the Snapdragon Inspiron 14 Plus mustered only 21 fps.

That difference is starker in 3DMark’s Fire Strike synthetic graphics benchmark: the Intel Inspiron scored 8082, where the Snapdragon Inspiron scored 5965 — a 27% difference.

This laptop doesn't get as much battery life compared to the Snapdragon Inspiron 14 Plus, but it still gets 15 hour and 6 minutes, a couple hours more than the average premium laptop. It does outlast both the Spectre (11:01) and the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (15:52), and sneaks past the 15-inch MacBook Air M3 by 3 minutes, too.

Like the Snapdragon model, this laptop's display is dull, covering only 68.4% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. It doesn't get nearly as bright, either, topping out at 367 nits. However, that's on par or better than some of its other rivals, like the Spectre x360 14 (367 nits) and the Zenbook 14 OLED (339 nits).

The Inspiron 14 Plus' heat management isn't great, either, most likely because Intel mobile processors tend to run the hottest out of any Windows laptop chip — its surface warmed up to 108 degrees, well past our comfort threshold.

See our full Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7440) review.

Best gaming

Budget gaming laptops have been steadily disappearing from the laptop market over the last few years — so when one that packs a ton of performance and costs less than $1,000 falls into our hands, it's a great day at Laptop Mag. Like our editor, Rami Tabari, said in his review: "For its current price of $949, the Dell G16 (7630) is an absolute stunner."

Graphically intensive games like Cyberpunk 2077 achieved 33 frames per second at 1080p on Ultra settings, slightly higher than the Asus TUF Gaming A14 (30 fps) and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (32 fps) with the same RTX 4060 graphics card. In Assassin’s Creed Mirage (Ultra, 1080p), the G16 did exceptionally well (88 fps), and remained on par with the A14 and Neo 16.

One feature that surprised us is the quality of its display. Its 2560 x 1600, 240Hz screen is a common feature in gaming laptops — but not the quality of the IPS panel itself. It covers a massive 114% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, soaring past the average budget gaming laptop (79.1%). Even the TUF Gaming A14 (81%) and Predator Helios Neo 16 (92%) fall far behind it.

Unfortunately, its display doesn't get all that bright. At a max 310 nits, its close to the overall average (317), but is much dimmer than the A14 (411 nits) and Neo 16 (370 nits).

But there is one more thing that the G16 has that its closest rivals don't: a Cherry MX tactile mechanical keyboard. Revered for their longevity, travel distance and actuation point, sound, and feel, these switches are more commonly found in desktop gaming keyboards —and there are gaming laptops twice the price of the G16 that don't have them!

Its battery life is decent, too. At 5 hours and 4 minutes, it outlasts the average budget gaming laptop and the Predator Helios Neo 16 by an hour It's no TUF Gaming A14 (10:04), but that laptop's battery life is an exception to the rule.

In that light, the gripes we have with this laptop seem relatively minor compared to the higher-end features it offers. If you already have a gaming headset you can easily avoid the speakers harsh, hallow sounds. And if you already have a gaming mouse, you'll never need to touch the tiny trackpad.

See our full Dell G16 (7630) review.

Best display

The Dell XPS 13 — a long-time Laptop Mag favorite. We've reviewed many configurations over the years, and each stood out for various reasons. Though I'd describe its new, minimalist design with a "touch bar" and "invisible" trackpad among reviewers as a love/hate relationship, we adore the OLED display on this iteration. There are plenty of other great things about the Dell XPS 13. From "solid performance and respectable integrated graphics to impressive battery life and impactful speakers," our staff writer, Madeline Ricchiuto, talks about this in her review.

We wouldn't recommend it for having the best display if it didn't stun us with a kaleidoscope of colors. The panel covers 144.60% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, way beyond this laptop's base, IPS panel (69.9%). Some of its closest competitors, like the 13-inch MacBook Air M3 (77.8%) and Asus Zenbook S 14 (82.0%), aren't on the same wavelength, either.

Though it was not the dimmest OLED display we've tested, we wish it was a bit brighter; an average peak brightness of 377 nits is enough to cut through most lighting glare, though not all of it. It's still brighter than its IPS counterpart (357 nits) and the Zenbook S 14 (342 nits), but the MacBook Air is the brightest out of all of them (476 nits).

Its chassis is as thin and light as ever, with the OLED model at 0.6 inches thick and weighing the same 2.6 pounds as the non-OLED. It's not as slim as the MacBook Air M3 (0.44 inches) or Asus Zenbook S 14 (0.47 ~ 0.51 inches), but it weighs the same amount.

One major sacrifice that comes with the XPS 13 OLED: its tandem display sucks up a lot of power, leaving the laptop with 8 hours and 40 minutes of battery life. That's 5 hours less than the average premium laptop (13:23), and way, way less than the non-OLED's outstanding 18 hours and 43 minutes.

At least you won't have to worry about this laptop's performance. In the Geekbench 6 single-core benchmark, it held its own (2,772) against the Snapdragon Dell XPS 13 (2,797) and Asus Zenbook S 14 (2,751). Paired with Intel's current-gen Arc integrated graphics, this laptop can function as a decent gaming laptop if you casually play games that don't push the graphics too hard.

In the Sid Mieier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p, Medium) benchmark, it averaged 53 fps — behind what the Asus Zenbook S 16 with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 chip can do (63 fps) but beyond the Snapdragon XPS 13 (22 fps), which didn't meet our minimum 30 fps playability threshold.

See our full Dell XPS 13 OLED (9350) review.

Best battery life

Having endured years of bartering with college classmates and random coffee shop patrons for a seat next to a wall outlet, long battery life is one of my must-have features in a laptop. It could have a horrible display but over 15 hours of battery life, and I'll still look at it like, "Yeah, but that battery life!" That's the Dell XPS 13 (9345) in a nutshell.

It had phenomenal battery life before we updated the BIOS during our testing, increasing it from 19 hours and 1 minute to 20 hours and 51 minutes. That's way beyond the average premium laptop average (13:23) and the MacBook Air M3 (15:13), Asus Zenbook S14 (13:51), and HP Spectre x360 14 (11:01) with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H chip.

That also puts this laptop in the same league as the MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro (20:46) and Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 (21:02) — and none of them are direct competitors!

As a heavy multitasker, performance also matters a lot to me. I need my laptop to handle dozens of open browser tabs while Slack and Discord run in the foreground and Spotify loops through my favorite songs. This laptop's Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 processor has some of the best multicore processing power to handle all that.

In the Geekbench 6 overall performance benchmark it scored 14,635, making it 29% faster than the average premium laptop (10,492). It's also 8% faster than the MacBook Air M3 (12,087), 14% faster than the Zenbook S14 (11,157), and 6% faster than the Spectre x360 14 (12,358).

Remember what I said about a horrible display? This XPS 13s' is a let-down. It covers just 66.9% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which is 20% lower than the average premium laptop (86.8%) — and duller than its MacBook Air M3 (77.8%), Zenbook S14 (82.0%), and Spectre x360 (85.8%) rivals.

When our editor, Rami Tabari, watched the Borderlands trailer during his testing process, he noticed the "entire horizon beyond the crew was washed out due to the terrible contrast" and "deep orange-colored canyons were reduced to a pale yellow devoid of life."

But at least the display is bright! Its max 456 nits comes close to the average premium laptop (467 nits), and it's just a tad dimmer than the MacBook Air M3 (476 nits). It literally outshines both the Zenbook S 14 (342 nits) and Spectre x360 (366 nits), too.

See our full Dell XPS 13 (9345) review.

Benchmark comparisons

Recently reviewed

Not every laptop can make the best Dell laptops page. (We wouldn't be doing you that much good if that were the case!) We review new laptops every week and over 100 laptops yearly, so here's a look at our most recently reviewed laptops that didn't make this page either due to a fault, battery life, performance, price, or something else.

How to find the right Dell laptop

In January of 2025, Dell announced name changes impacting its entire lineup. We've already reviewed several models with the new names (with more to come), so we put together a table to help anyone shopping for a new Dell laptop understand how the old model names translate to the new ones.

It's important to note that while the names are changing, the basic product lines remain the same, and in most cases, the designs are unchanged for 2025.

The most affordable Dell laptops were the Inspiron and Inspiron Plus lines, starting for well under $1,000. In 2025, those will just be known as Dell and Dell Plus. If you are looking for an affordable laptop that can handle basic web browsing, productivity tasks, and entertainment, these laptops are typically a perfect fit.

The premium consumer laptop line was XPS, and it is now Dell Premium. These laptops go head-to-head with the best MacBooks and fall into similar pricing, starting just below $1,000 and ranging above $3,000 for the top configurations. These laptops are for people who want a more premium fit and finish to the laptop or those with more robust needs, whether that's more performance for massive multitasking or tasks like photo editing or video editing.

Those are Dell's consumer laptops. Now, we move into the business and workstation-class laptops, where things get a little more complicated with multiple tiers, but you also can see the benefit of Dell's new naming.

Dell's business laptops were known as Latitude. Starting at just above $500 and ranging up to around $2,500 for the top configurations, these catered to businesses of almost any size. Going forward, these are the Dell Pro models with three tiers: Dell Pro, Dell Pro Plus, and Dell Pro Premium. Performance and quality improve as you move up the line, so finding the best business laptop for you is just a matter of your budget.

Finally, we have the Dell Precision lineup, which are Dell's workstations, now known as Dell Pro Max. Again, there are three tiers to this lineup: Dell Pro Max, Dell Pro Max Plus, and Dell Pro Max Premium. Now, the names start to feel a little long, but it remains very simple to understand. You can spend as little as around $1,300 for the Dell Pro Max, and it scales up to $4,000 for a high-end Dell Pro Max Premium. The best workstations are designed for people with intensive performance needs, such as rendering 3D graphics, simulations, 4K or 8K video, etc.

FAQs

Q: Are Dell laptops good for gaming?

A: While Alienware is the dedicated gaming laptop brand that is a part of Dell, some Dell laptops cater to gamers. The Dell G16 (7630) is one of our selections for the best gaming laptops and the best cheap gaming laptops. If you are wondering if a specific Dell laptop is good for gaming, check out our review. We have a dedicated section on gaming in every review we publish.

Q: Do Dell laptops come with Microsoft Office?

A: No. You may receive a trial of Microsoft Office software through Microsoft 365, but the software is not free with a new Dell laptop.

Q: Are Dell laptops good for students?

A: It depends! Some Dell laptops are certainly candidates to be the best student laptops; it just depends on your course of study and budget. Most bachelor of arts students would likely be happy with an Inspiron or Inspiron Plus (Dell, Dell Plus) laptop. Students with more intensive needs, such as those in engineering, programming, or even film, should consider the XPS (Dell Premium) or even the Precision (Dell Pro Max).

Q: Where are Dell laptops are manufactured?

A: Dell manufactures its laptops in various cities across Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific region. Its US-based facility is located in Austin, Texas, where the company was originally founded in 1984.

Its Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Chengdu (China) and Limerick, Ireland facilities are arguably the company's most important hubs for manufacturing and distributing laptops and other computing devices outside of the United States.

How we test laptops

We put each laptop through extensive benchmark testing — both synthetic and real-world — before they end up in the hands of our reviewers. We evaluate each aspect of the laptop, including its performance, battery life, display, speakers, and heat management.

In our benchmark testing, we use a Klein K10 colorimeter to detect the brightness and DCI-P3 color gamut of the laptop's display. For performance testing, we run the laptop through a gauntlet of benchmarks, including Geekbench 6 and 3DMark professional graphics tests.

To determine real-world performance, we convert a 4K video to 1080p resolution and duplicate a 25GB file. Our real-world graphics test is Cid Meier's Civilization V: Gathering Storm benchmark at 1080p resolution and Medium graphics. We also run heat tests by playing a 15-minute full-screen video and measuring temperatures in different areas of the laptop. For gaming laptops, we test Red Dead Redemption 2, Assassin's Creed Mirage, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Borderlands 3, Far Cry 6, and others.

For our battery test, we continuously web surfing over WiFi at 150 nits of brightness. For Windows 11 laptops, a runtime of over 10 hours is considered a good result, whereas gaming laptops and workstations that can stay powered longer than 5 hours deserve praise.

Following these tests, the laptop is given to our expert reviewers for extensive hands-on testing. Our reviewers will spend days using the laptop as part of their typical workflow to get a sense of the real-world performance and live with the laptop to come away with a thorough understanding of the hardware and software experience. This blended lab testing and hands-on approach allows us to offer you a clear and comprehensive view of every laptop that comes through Laptop Mag.

See this page on How We Test Laptops for more details on our benchmarking procedures.

Why trust Laptop Mag

Laptop Mag reviews over a hundred different laptops every year, from paperweight ultralights to everyday workhorses to lumbering gaming notebooks that scorch the frame rates of even the hottest AAA games. We're not just experts in the laptop field, as we go one step further by meticulously testing smartphones, tablets, headphones, PC accessories, software, and even the latest in gaming.

We are 100% independent and have decades of experience to help you buy with confidence. In fact, Laptop Mag has been testing and reviewing products for three decades, and we continue to deliver trustworthy reviews you can rely on.

Our experienced team of writers and editors scour the available information about the laptop and put it through its paces to determine which is best for you. But before they start, the testing team subjects each system to a rigorous regimen of synthetic and real-world tests to see how a system handles the type of work and games you’re most likely to throw at it.

Our editorial trustworthiness is enforced by one of the world's largest technology publishers, Future Publishing. As a company, we have unrivaled experience across every tech sector — and we're the group's specialist for all things mobile tech.

Dell Latitude Black Friday deals arrive early at Dell this week with savings of up to 64% off this top rated business laptop series. For example, drop the Dell Latitude 7430 2-in-1 for just $699. That's a massive that's $1,058 off its regular price of $1,757. This is the lowest price we've seen for this configuration and on the top early Black Friday Dell deals you can snag now. 

The Dell Latitude 7430 is the laptop you want if power, security and reliability are important to you. This is just one example of Dell's fantastic discounts — see the best 7 deals I recommend below. Shop Dell's entire Black Friday sale at Dell.com.

Dell Latitude Black Friday deals

Dell's sitewide sale currently slashes up to 50% off select business laptops. Now is a great time to save big on pricier configuration Dell Latitude notebooks. 

One standout deal is the Dell Latitude 7430 Intel vPro i7 Laptop for $1,279. Previously priced at $2,553, that's a massive $1,274 in savings. This is the lowest price we've seen for this 2-in-1 business laptop and one of the best Dell deals of the season.

If you're on a smaller budget, consider the Intel i5 Dell Latitude 5430 Intel i5 Laptop for $921 ($910 off). 

Today's best Dell Latitude 7430 deal

Released in 2022, the Latitude 7430 caters to business pros and college students. It does so by perfectly balancing power, security, and reliable performance. The laptop on discount packs a 14-inch (1920 x 1080) 300-nit display, Intel Core i7-1265U vPro Enterprise 10-core CPU, 16GB of RAM, Iris Xe Graphics and 512GB SSD. For Zoom meetings and secure logins, it has a built-in 1080p IR camera with privacy shutter. 

We didn't get to test this exact model, however, its previous-gen sibling, the Dell Latitude 7320 2-in-1 review, earned a 4.5 out of 5-star rating from us. It won us over with its lightweight, sturdy build, colorful display, solid performance and battery life. Latitude 7430 reviews from Dell customers average 4.3 out of 5-stars. The overall consensus among owners it's that it's a fast, competent, lightweight, quality-built laptop with sturdy hinges. Others praise the laptop's travel-friendly size, crisp display, and comfortable keyboard. Overall, it's a solid personal computer for traveling professionals, remote workers, and scholars.

With a weight of 3 pounds and measuring 12.7 x 8.2 x 0.7-inches, the Dell Latitude is fairly portable for a 14-inch laptop. It's lighter than the 2023 Apple MacBook Pro 14 (3.5 pounds, 12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches) and slightly heavier than the Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1 Gen 11 (2.4 pounds, 12.42 x 8.76 x 0.6 inches).

Now 50% off, the Dell Latitude is a no brainer if you're looking for a powerful, rugged and secure Windows 11 Pro laptop.

Dell has announced its latest models of the Latitude series with the 7340, 7440 and 7640. Alongside those, the company also revealed the 7340 Ultralight and 7440 Ultralight, which are simply lighter versions of their standard aluminum counterparts.

These latest skews feature two top-firing and two bottom-firing speakers, a mini-LED backlit keyboard, ExpressSign-In, a 5-megapixel camera, and Intelligent Privacy features. 

These privacy features include SafeID, malicious hardware detection, an enforced BIOS to protect against corruption, early-alerts for potential malware and Onlooker Detection, an alert system that will make it clear when someone is looking at your screen (and dims the brightness when you're looking away).

Dell Latitude 7340, 7440 and 7640: Specs and release date

All three Latitudes, including the Ultralight series, can be built with a 13th-generation Intel Core processor up to the i7 U-series, and up to 2TB of SSD storage and 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM. The 7440 and 7640 also have the option for i7 P-series processors. All of these laptops feature Intel Iris Xe graphics, which is unsurprising as they're not gaming notebooks.

The 7340 is 13.3-inches, the 7440 is 14-inches and the 7640 is 16-inches, and they each feature 16:10 resolutions with FHD+ IPS displays, with additional options for touch-screen, higher nits, and ComfortView plus low blue light. The 7440 even has an option for QHD+.

For the 7340's 2-in-1 model, the only screen option is a 13.3-inch QHD+ 16:10 IPS touch-screen display, while the 7440's 2-in-1 model has a 14-inch FHD+ 16:10 IPS touch-screen display. The 7340 Ultralight model boasts a 13.3-inch FHD+ IPS display, while the 7440 Ultralight has a 14-inch FHD+ or QHD+ 16:10 IPS display.

The port selection includes two Thunderbolt 4.0 ports, a USB 3.2 with Power Share, an HDMI 2.0 port, a wedge shaped lock and an audio jack. The 7440 and 7640 gain an additional USB 3.2, while each can have optional external uSIM card trays, SmartCart Readers, and Touch Fingerprint Reader in Power Button included. This port selection is the same for the Ultralight models, with the 7440 still featuring an additional USB 3.2. However, these cannot come with SmartCard Readers.

The Dell Latitude 7340, 7440, 7640, 7340 Ultralight and 7440 Ultralight launch on March 23. Prices are still to be announced, so stay tuned.

How much lighter is Dell's "Ultralight"

You're probably wondering, how much lighter are the Ultralight's exactly? Well, the 7340 Ultralight's weight starts at 2.17 pounds, while its standard aluminum counterpart begins at 2.55 pounds, and the 2-in-1 version is 2.86 pounds. 

The 7440 Ultralight begins at 2.33 pounds, with the aluminum 7440 starting at 2.93 pounds. The 2-in-1 model starts as high as 3.37 pounds, so if you're in need of lithe laptop, this will appeal to you.

Dell is taking its line of business laptops to new heights with its newly announced Latitude 9330, a 13.3-inch ultra-premium 2-in-1 boasting Intel Evo-designed 12th Gen Intel processors, up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a unique "Collaboration Touchpad" to make the most out of video calls.

The first 13-inch 2-in-1 laptop in the 9000 series, the Latitude 9330 aims to be the go-to device for business users to "confidently work anywhere." Being the thinnest in the Latitude portfolio at 0.32~0.55 inches, along with being equipped with the AI-based Dell Optimizer software to improve overall performance, it may reach its goals. Check out all you need to know below. 

• Best business laptops in 2022
• Best 2-in-1 laptops in 2022
• Best laptop deals in 2022

Dell Latitude 9330

The Dell Latitude 9330 will be available around the globe from June 2022, with pricing to be confirmed closer to the shipping date. We're big fans of Dell's latitude lineup, and the new 9330's 13-inch form factor offers Dell XPS 13 vibes. 

Under the hood, expect 12th Gen Intel Core processors up to Core i7 vPro, up to 32GB LPDDR5 RAM, 1TB of M.2 SSD, and integrated Intel Iris X graphics. That's a lot of power, so we're interested to see how the 50Whr polymer battery with ExpressCharge 2.0 handles. Apparently, the laptop will be able to charge up to 80% within 40 minutes.

As for the display, expect a 13.3-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600) WVA touch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It covers 100% of the sRGB gamut, and claims to offer 500 nits of brightness. Plus, its always-on ComfortView Plus reduces blue light. Since it's a 2-in-1, the Latitude 3990 can be used as a tablet or be put into a tent mode for different usability options. While small, the InfinityEdge display has a near 90% screen-to-body ratio, making the most of the screen.

Dell put work calls into focus with the Latitude 9330, offering a world-first collaboration touchpad. The 10-finger glass touchpad allows users to quickly access microphone mute/unmute, video on/off, screen share and chat in Zoom meetings right on the touchpad, meaning users can have multiple screens open without having to interact with the call window itself. Handily, these icons will appear on the touchpad on video calls and will disappear to allow full access to the touchpad again once the meeting ends.

What's more, there's a built-in FHD (1920x1080) webcam with a safety shutter that automatically opens and closes with video calls. That, and the laptop is packed with AI-based noise cancellation tech to eliminate background noise when on calls.

It's all about portability, too. The Latitude 9330 weighs 2.8 pounds with dimensions of 11.6 x 8.2 x 0.32~0.55 inches, and the chassis comes in a stylish black finish. Committing to sustainability, the keyboard is made with a total of 44% recycled materials, and the keycaps alone are made from 75% recycled content. The laptop is also outfitted with bio-based rubber feet (39%), and recycled ocean-bound plastic in the fan housing (28%). Plus, packaging is made from 100% recycled or renewable materials.

The laptop also comes with Wi-Fi 6E and 4G/5G options for the latest connection speeds, along with two Thunderbolt 4 ports with Power Delivery and DisplayPort support, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Users can also opt for an external uSIM card tray and a fingerprint reader on the power button for added security.

We're excited to get our hands on the Dell Latitude 9330, as it's looking to be a contender on our list of best business laptops and best 13-inch laptops. Stay tuned for the review. 

Today's students need a laptop that will do it all: create presentations, play Web videos, and allow for some casual gaming and online research. Dell's Latitude 13 Education series (starting at $539; $769 as tested) looks to offer a comprehensive experience for the K-12 environment by packaging Windows 8.1 Pro into a durable body with an optional touch screen. Packing a big battery that will last the entire day, how good is the Latitude 13 for students?

Design

The Dell Latitude 13 for Education is a beast, but not the sexy kind. Built to withstand drops in busy hallways, the laptop's lid, deck, bezel and underside are covered in a rough, gray plastic that's grip-friendly and smudge-resistant. Its edges consist of black rubber, which helps absorb shocks.

On the lid is a glossy Dell logo with a network status indicator light above it, which adds a nice touch and lets teachers see at a glance if students are working or just surfing the Web. The bottom of the notebook that houses the six-cell lithium ion battery protrudes by about an inch, adding some bulk to the already hefty notebook. The non-touch configurations of the Latitude 13 that carry just the four-cell battery will not have this protrusion, and are also 0.2 pounds lighter.

Click to EnlargeOpen up the Latitude 13 Education, and you'll find a black, island-style keyboard. To the right of the keyboard is a power button and a row of indicator lights along the edge to show power, Wi-Fi and battery status. Centered below the G and H buttons of the keyboard is a trackpad, with two buttons below it.

MORE: Best Windows 8.1 Browser: Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Internet Explorer

You can open the Latitude 13's lid 180 degrees so its screen lies flat, which Dell says will facilitate easy screen sharing for group discussions around a table.

The added protection built into the Latitude makes it bulkier than your typical 13-inch notebook. At 13 x 9.6 x 0.96-1.41 inches and 4.4 pounds, the Latitude 13 is heftier than the Lenovo Yoga 2 13 (13 x 8.71 x 0.68 inches; 3.6 pounds) and wider than the Toshiba Satellite E45t (13.4 x 9.2 x 0.8 inches; 4.4 pounds). It is smaller and lighter than the ASUS VivoBook V451L (13.7 x 9.5 x 1 inches; 4.8 pounds), but the VivoBook and the Satellite both have larger, 14-inch screens.

Durability and Security

While it's not a completely rugged system, the Latitude 13 Education can take more abuse than your typical notebook. Built to meet military standards (MIL-STD 810G) for durability, the Latitude 13 features a rubber trim around its LCD and base, and can survive drops from as high as 30 inches.

You can't dunk it in water, but the notebook's fully sealed keyboard and touchpad prevent spilled liquids from getting into the device's circuitry. A cable lock on the Latitude's side lets students secure their computers to a permanent object to prevent theft.

The Latitude 13 also features TPM for secure credential storage and Dell Data Protection Encryption, which defends your data on external devices and in the cloud. Windows 7 Latitudes can also run Dell's Protected Workspace, which finds and blocks malicious behavior, such as viruses, Trojans and zero-day attacks.

Display

Click to EnlargeWe enjoyed watching a 1080p trailer for "X-Men: Days of Future Past" on the Latitude 13's vibrant and responsive 13.3-inch, 1366 x 768 touch screen. Mystique's scaly blue skin and flaming red hair looked vibrant, while details such as the deep lines on (the older) Professor Xavier's forehead were clear. Some text, such as numbers and letters in the weather and photos, appeared fuzzy, but words on Laptopmag.com and NYTimes.com were crisp.

Unfortunately, viewing angles were narrow, with images washing out when we tilted the screen beyond 45 degrees. When we laid the laptop completely flat on a desk, we had to stand directly above the system to see videos clearly. The glossy Corning Gorilla Glass panel also caused some glare.

On our colorimeter, the Latitude 13 produced 65.9 percent of the sRGB color gamut. That's less than the thin-and-light category average (70 percent) and the Yoga 2 13 (102 percent), but more than the VivoBook (62 percent). The Latitude's Delta-E score of 2.6 indicates it displays colors more accurately than the average thin-and-light laptop (6.56) and the Yoga (6.5), but it's less accurate than the ASUS VivoBook (0.7).

Measuring 171 lux (182 nits) on our light meter, the Latitude 13 is dimmer than the average thin-and-light laptop (237 lux) and the 239-lux Yoga 2 13, but brighter than the VivoBook (148 lux) and the Satellite E45t (149 lux).

Audio

You'll enjoy loud, mostly accurate music through the Latitude 13's bottom speakers. Rihanna's voice in "Right Now" was clear against the synths in the background, and the music easily filled a small meeting room. We did find the drums and bass in "Some Children" by Holy Ghost! somewhat canned, especially when the notebook was placed on our lap.

Notching 88dB on Laptop Mag's audio test, which involves playing a tone and measuring it from 23 inches, the Latitude 13 was louder than the average thin-and-light notebook (83 dB). The Dell also beat the Satellite (73 dB), VivoBook (73 dB) and Yoga (77 dB).

Keyboard and Touchpad

Click to EnlargeWe enjoyed typing on the Latitude 13's comfortably spaced island-style keyboard. The keys offered adequate travel and depth, and are slightly curved for more comfortable finger placement. On the Typing Test HQ evaluation, we notched an average of 84.76 words per minute (98.65 percent accuracy), slightly slower than our desktop average of 95.5 wpm (99.3 percent accuracy).

Click to EnlargeWe wish the functions on the top row of keys were reversed, so we didn't have to press the Fn button to trigger commands such as increase/decrease volume and brightness.

The 3.4 x 2-inch touchpad below the keyboard was responsive, letting us easily launch the Windows 8 Charms menu by swiping in from the trackpad's right edge. Two-finger scrolling and pinch-to-zoom worked well on webpages and pictures, too. We also liked the two physical buttons at the bottom of the pad, which made it easy to trigger left and right clicks.

Heat

You may want to keep the Latitude 13 off your lap. After playing a video on Hulu for 15 minutes at full screen, the laptop's bottom hit a troubling 100 degrees Fahrenheit. That's hotter than our 95-degree comfort threshold. The touchpad registered a cool 83 degrees F while the space between the G and H keys reached 87 degrees F.

Webcam and Ports

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude 13's webcam is adequate for selfies and Skype calls, but just barely. Even in a well-lit environment, we noticed a good deal of visual noise, and images looked washed out. The lime green of our headphones and a box of orange Tic Tacs looked dull and inaccurate. Dell doesn't offer a separate camera app beyond the stock Windows version.

Students will be able to hook the Latitude 13 up to just about anything, thanks to the army of connectivity options. Ports for power, Ethernet, HDMI, miniDisplayPort and USB 3.0 with PowerShare sit on the left edge. On the right side are an SD Card reader, a 3.5mm audio jack, a second USB 3.0 port and a security cable slot.

Performance

Click to EnlargePacking a 1.2-GHz dual-core Intel Core i3-4005U CPU with 4GB of RAM, the Latitude 13 delivered decent day-to-day performance. We smoothly streamed an episode of "Modern Family" on Hulu while apps such as camera and the "League of Legends" game installer were running in the background. Switching between the traditional desktop and the Start screen (Metro UI) took just a second, and the camera quickly snapped successive shots without hiccups. It did take a few seconds to start apps such as Weather or Photos, though.

On synthetic tests, the Latitude's performance wasn't stellar. Its PCMark 7 score of 2,313 is less than the thin-and-light average of 3,897, and trails competitors such as the VivoBook (2,782), Yoga 2 13 (2,939) and Satellite E45t (4,316). However, the latter three systems all have more-powerful 1.6-GHz Intel Core i5-4200U CPUs, with the ASUS and Toshiba carrying 6GB of RAM, while the Lenovo has 4GB.

The Latitude also failed to impress on Geekbench 3, notching 3,480 against the category average (5,756), Satellite (4,962), VivoBook (4,989) and Yoga (5,052).

With a 500GB 5,400 rpm SATA hard drive, the Latitude 13 booted Windows 8.1 Pro in 24 seconds. That's slower than the average thin-and-light laptop (20 seconds), the Satellite E45t (21 seconds) and the Yoga (15 seconds), but faster than the VivoBook (33 seconds).

Copying 4.97GB of mixed media files in 2 minutes and 29 seconds (34 MBps), the Latitude 13 was far slower than the average thin-and-light notebook (93.79 MBps), but faster than the VivoBook (23 MBps), Satelite (28 MBps) and Yoga (30.5 MBps).

The Latitude 13 lagged behind the competition on the OpenOffice Spreadsheet Macro test, pairing 20,000 names and addresses in 8 minutes and 5 seconds. The Satellite (5:20), VivoBook (5:18), Yoga (5:14) and average thin-and-light notebook (6:32) were all faster.

Graphics and Gaming

With an Intel HD 4400 graphics chip, the Latitude 13 offers a solid casual gaming experience for students looking to balance work and play, but it won't handle anything heavy duty.

On 3DMark IceStorm Extreme, the Latitude scored 21,907 against the thin-and-light category average of 30,387. That was also below the Satellite (23,907), Yoga (30,690) and VivoBook (31,215).

Pushing through just 29 frames per second on the "World of Warcraft" benchmark on autodetect at 1366 x 768, the Latitude fell well below the Intel Mobile HD GPU-powered Satellite (36 fps), the Intel HD Graphics 4600-backed Yoga (41 fps) and the Intel HD Graphics 4400 GPU-powered VivoBook (42 fps). We consider 30 fps to be the minimum playable frame rate.

Software and Apps

Click to EnlargeRunning Windows 8.1 Pro, the Latitude 13 for Education offers students a good mix of fun and productivity. You can receive notifications from selected apps, swipe left to turn on the camera (when set) and answer Skype calls from the lock screen.

The new Windows 8.1 boots to desktop by default, letting you use the familiar environment from the get-go. Long-pressing or right-clicking the Start button brings up a list of options such as Programs and Features, Task Manager and Control Panel.

On the Start screen, along with a grid of colorful Live Tiles, a persistent Power button now sits on the top right corner for you to quickly lock or shut down your computer. Swipe in from the right to bring up a Charms menu for quick access to Search, Share, Devices and Settings.

Both desktop and Live apps now have a title bar at the top; these bars sport Minimize and Exit buttons at the top right so you can easily dock or exit the app.

Dell kept the Latitude 13 free of bloatware, bundling just its Backup and Recovery, Power Manager, and Digital Delivery tools with the notebook. You'll get such usual Windows 8 fare as Skype, Bing, Internet Explorer 11, OneDrive and Movie Maker. A trial version of Microsoft Office 2013 is included, as is a 12-month subscription to McAfee Security Center.

Battery Life and Warranty

Click to EnlargeLasting a whopping 13 hours and 10 minutes on Laptop Mag's battery test (Web surfing over Wi-Fi), the Latitude 13's 65 WHr six-cell lithium ion battery outperformed the laptop category average (6:11), VivoBook (6:54), Satellite (8:06) and Yoga (5:13).

It's worth noting that the Latitude 13 was tested at 100 nits, which translates to 52 percent of its full brightness. We tested the VivoBook, Satellite and Yoga at 40 percent of each device's max brightness using our old battery test.

Dell offers a one-year basic hardware warranty with one-year limited on-site help after remote diagnosis.

Price and Configurations

Our unit of the Dell Latitude 13 Education series packs an Intel Core i3 chip with 4GB of RAM and a 500GB SATA hard drive for $769 on Dell.com. It is the only one in its range to offer Windows 8.1 Pro and a touch screen. The Latitude 13 Education also comes with a six-cell battery.

Dell offers three other flavors of the Latitude 13 that carry Windows 7 Pro without a touch screen. This series carries a lighter, four-cell battery. Prices start at $539 for the version with an Intel Celeron chip, $669 for an Intel Core i3 processor and $769 for a Core i5 CPU. These three configs sport the same 500GB SATA hard drive and come with a Windows 8.1 Pro license and media if you wish to upgrade.

While the touch model is available only in black, the non-touch versions are available in black, blue or red.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude 13 Education ($769 as reviewed) is a sturdy laptop that's capable of handling day-to-day functions. Its impressive battery will last you the school day and even through after-school activities. Unfortunately, this notebook's bulk may cause teens some grief, and the performance could be better for the price.

While it lacks the durability and endurance of the Dell, the $679 Toshiba Satellite E45t offers Core i5 speed and better graphics. Overall, though, the Latitude 13's durability and security features make it well suited for the classroom.

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The Dell Latitude E7240 Touch looks to usher in a new era of business notebooks that combine fast performance and strong security with sexy design. Starting at $1,175 ($1,665 as configured), the E724 sports a sleek carbon fiber lid, 12.5-inch full HD touch display and a fourth-generation Intel processor paired with a 128GB SSD. Add it all up and this Latitude has the makings of a stunning powerhouse.

Design

The Dell Latitude E7240 is one of the best-looking business laptops yet. The lid is constructed of an attractive matte-black carbon fiber weave that features an understated cross-hatching pattern and is nicely resistant to fingerprints. A gray, circular Dell logo in the center of the lid provides the sole flourish.

The deck sports a similarly all-black look and soft-touch finish that's comfortable for the wrists. The keyboard rests in a slight depression, and the touchpad is centered beneath the G and H keys. We like that the arrow keys are positioned slightly below the keyboard; we found that this makes it much easier to navigate within a document and reduces the number of errors when typing. We also appreciate that the Latitude boasts discrete buttons for Volume Up, Volume Down and Mute, positioned above the keyboard at the top left corner of the deck.

At 12.2 x 8.3 x 0.79 inches and 2.99 pounds, the Latitude E7240 is slightly more compact than the $1,499 Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (12.35 x 8.62 x 0.71 inches, 3.46 pounds) and the $1,399 Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus (12.6 x 8.8 x 0.54 inches, 3.2 pounds). The $2,219 Sony VAIO Pro 13, on the other hand, is a whisk thinner (0.68 inches thick) and lighter (2.4 pounds). The ThinkPad X240 weighs 3.2 pounds with its standard battery.

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Display

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E7240's touch screen has a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Colors looked exceptionally vibrant, and thanks to its IPS technology, we could stand almost parallel with the display without causing the colors to become inverted.

When we watched a 1080p trailer for "47 Ronin," orange tongues of flame contrasted wonderfully with a samurai warrior's silver armor, and we could easily discern fine details such as individual hairs in Keanu Reeves' beard. Text on sites such as The New York Times appeared similarly crisp. Other notebooks offer resolutions above 1080p, such as the 13-inch MacBook Pro, but overall the E7240 offers great visuals.

The Latitude E7240's screen also proved significantly brighter than the competition. With a brightness of 411 lux, the Latitude E7240 outshone the MacBook Pro (340 lux), Lenovo X240 (325 lux), Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus (251 lux) and Sony VAIO Pro 13 (237 lux).

The notebook's 10-point touch screen responded to our fingers quickly and accurately. We had no trouble performing gestures such as two-finger scrolling and pinch-to-zoom, for example, and icons are large enough that we could navigate in desktop mode painlessly.

Audio

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E7240's bottom-mounted speakers produced fairly loud and rich sound for a laptop this size. Lady Gaga's "Do What U Want" easily filled a medium-size office. Although the notebook ships with Dell Audio software that lets you choose from Music, Video or Voice presets, none of these settings dramatically improved the sound quality.

The Dell reached 89 decibels on our audio test, 5 dB higher than the average, and 9 dB higher than the Lenovo X240.

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Keyboard and Touchpad

Click to EnlargeTyping on the Latitude E7240's backlit traditional keyboard proved a joy. The slightly concave, step-shaped keys mimic the feel of an island-style keyboard, making it easy to differentiate between keys. Moreover, the keys provide just the right amount of travel and resistance to make typing a smooth experience.

Click to EnlargeRather than outfitting the Latitude E7240 with a clickpad, Dell opted for a traditional touchpad with discrete mouse buttons -- a decision we applaud given the often finicky nature of clickpads on Windows notebooks. The 3.1 x 1.8-inch trackpad performed smoothly, allowing us to seamlessly execute gestures such as edge-swiping and two-finger scrolling. The discrete mouse buttons proved equally reliable, and depressed almost inaudibly.

Unlike the larger 14- and 15-inch Latitudes, this 12-inch notebook lacks a pointing stick, which may disappoint some business users.

Heat

Click to EnlargeAfter we streamed a Hulu video on full screen for 15 minutes, the touchpad on the Latitude E7240 measured 76 degrees Fahrenheit, the space between the G and H keys 87 degrees, and the bottom of the notebook a warm 93 degrees. Although none of these temperatures proved uncomfortable (our threshold is 95 degrees), the far right corner of the underside hit 97 degrees.

Webcam

Images and video captured using the Latitude E7240's 720p HD webcam appear grainy but offer true-to-life colors. In a headshot we took in our apartment, our bright red shirt popped, though details such as individual music notes on a painting in the background became lost in a blur. Fortunately, video playback was stutter-free and did not suffer from motion blur.

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Ports

Click to EnlargeDespite its small footprint, the Dell Latitude E7240 features a generous array of ports. A mini DisplayPort, USB 3.0 port, headphone/microphone combo jack and SD Card reader are on the right side of the notebook, while a SmartCard reader is on the left. Two additional USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI-out port, Ethernet port and the power adapter are located on the back. A docking connector on the bottom of the notebook allows you to connect the Latitude E7240 to one of Dell's docking stations.

Durability

The Latitude E7240 Touch can take a fair amount of abuse, thanks to its tri-metal chassis and Gorilla Glass display. According to Dell, the Latitude E7240 Touch has been subjected to MIL-STD 810G testing, which includes exposure to temperatures as high as 140 degrees and as low as minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit while the system is operational, 12 hours of blowing sand and dust, and a four-inch drop onto a 1.675-inch-thick wooden bench.

This business machine is also designed to withstand 2 ounces of water being poured onto three evenly spaced locations on the keyboard, and then drained after three seconds by placing the keyboard on its left side. The test is then performed again using Diet Coke.

Security

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E7240 includes a fairly robust security suite called Dell Data Protection Security Tools, which you can download and install using the pre-installed Dell Digital Delivery software. The Administrator Console lets you create a separate administrator password and create an external backup location. Using the Security Console, you can encrypt your hard drive, enroll multiple credentials, recover access to your locked computer, and backup and restore your program data.

Other security features range from BitLocker management to FIPS 140-2 cryptographic protection on Latitude 7240 configurations that feature the optional Dell Data Protection Hardware Crypto Accelerator. Security-conscious buyers can also equip the notebook with authentication options such as a FIPS 201-certified smart card and fingerprint reader. To improve security, the Latitude E7240 isolates user credentials on a separate chip.

Performance

Click to EnlargePowered by a fourth-generation 1.9-GHz Intel Core i5-4300U processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, the Dell Latitude E7240 delivered above-average performance. The notebook easily handled everyday tasks such as browsing the Web with more than a dozen tabs open while streaming music on Pandora. The system didn't suffer from any stuttering or hang-ups when we simultaneously ran a full system scan using McAfee Internet Security.

On our benchmarks, the Latitude E7240 consistently outpaced the category average. When we ran PCMark 7, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall performance, the Latitude notched a score of 4,720. This beats the average of 3,879 and narrowly surpasses the 4,698 turned in by the Sony VAIO Pro 13 (1.8-GHz Core i7-4500U CPU, 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSD). The E7240 also beats the ThinkPad X240 (1.6-GHz Core i5-5200U CPU, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD), which scored 4,040 with its slower processor. The Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus (1.6-GHz Intel Core i5-4200U CPU, 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD) notched a higher 5,017.

On the CPU-intensive Geekbench, the Latitude's score of 5,006 failed to beat the category average (5,910) but did beat the X240's mark of 3,317. The Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus scored similarly to the Latitude E7240, with 5,077. However, the Dell fell behind the Sony VAIO Pro 13's score of 5,507 and the 8,249 achieved by the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2.4-GHz Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD).

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The Latitude E7240 booted into Windows 8 in 17 seconds, three seconds faster than the average but slower than the Lenovo X240 (13 seconds), Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus (11 seconds) and Sony VAIO Pro 13 (7 seconds).

Nevertheless, the Latitude's 128GB SSD delivered fast transfer speeds, copying 4.97GB of mixed multimedia files in 31 seconds, a rate of 164 MBps. This trounces the 108 MBps average, as well as the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus (127 MBps) and Lenovo X240 (141 MBps). However, both the MacBook Pro and the Sony VAIO Pro 13 delivered mind-bogglingly fast speeds of 299 MBps and 392 MBps, respectively.

On the OpenOffice Spreadsheet Test, the Latitude E7240 took just 4 minutes and 45 seconds to match 20,000 names and addresses. That's more than a minute and a half faster than average (6:23), and slightly quicker than the MacBook Pro (5:02), Sony VAIO Pro 13 (5:10), Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus (5:13) and Lenovo X240 (5:22).

Graphics and Gaming

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E7240's fourth-generation integrated GPU supposedly delivers better graphics performance than previous generations of Intel chips, but don't expect to enjoy the latest games.

On 3DMark 11, the Latitude E7240 scored 770, beating the both the category average (730) and the Sony VAIO Pro 13 (600), but falling behind the Lenovo X240 (812) and Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus (913).

When we ran the OpenGL portion of Cinebench, the Dell's score of 16 matched the average, the Lenovo X240 and the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus, but was outpaced by the MacBook Pro's score of 21. The Sony VAIO Pro 13's score of 12 proved slower.

Playing "World of Warcraft" with the resolution set to 1280 x 1024 and the graphics on autodetect, the Latitude E7240 averaged an unplayable 28 frames per second. Bumping up the graphics to Ultra caused the frame rate to drop to 15 fps.

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By contrast, the average ultraportable achieved frame rates of 38 and 19 fps with the graphics set to autodetect and Ulta, respectively, while the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus (46/19 fps) and MacBook Pro (52/32 fps) fared better. The Sony VAIO Pro 13 (30/14 fps) and Lenovo X240 (31/17 fps) performed slightly better than the Dell.

"World of Warcraft" became even more of a stutter-fest when we increased the resolution to 1920 x 1080, averaging 20 fps with the graphics on autodetect and 11 fps on Ultra.

Battery Life

On the LAPTOP Battery Test, which involves continuous Web surfing on 40 percent brightness, the Dell Latitude E7240 lasted just 5 hours and 27 minutes. This runtime falls just shy of the ultraportable average (6:18), and pales in comparison with the Sony VAIO Pro 13 (7:20), Lenovo X240 (7:40 with its standard battery), Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus (8:06) and Apple MacBook Pro (9:31). We expect more endurance from an ultraportable. Also, Dell does not currently offer an extended battery option for the E7240.

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Software and Warranty

Click to EnlargeAside from a few of Dell's own applications, the Latitude E7240 ships with almost no pre-installed software. Dell Client System Update allows you to quickly find and install updates for your machine. Dell Power Manager lets you change your battery settings and provides a feature called Advanced Charge that's designed to help prolong the life of your battery over the long term. There's also Dell Digital Delivery, which you can use to download larger software packages from Dell, and Dell Backup and Recovery.

Click to EnlargeThe only third-party software bundled with the Latitude E7240 is a 30-day trial of McAfee Internet Security. The notebook also includes ubiquitous Microsoft-branded apps like Skype, SkyDrive and a trial version of Microsoft Office 2013.

The Dell Latitude E7240 comes with a three-year parts and labor warranty, including three years of NBD onsite service after remote diagnosis. See how Dell fared in our Best & Worst Brands Report and Tech Support Showdown.

Configurations

Our review configuration features a 1.9-GHz Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, along with a full 1920 x 1080 IPS display, which brings its total price to $1,665. The top-end preconfigured model, which costs $1,749, has a 2.1-GHz Intel Core i7-4600U processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.

The starting model, which costs $1,179, has a 1.7-GHz Intel Core i3-4010U processor, 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, a 1366 x 768 non-touch display and Windows 7 Professional.

Dell also offers two options for wireless broadband connectivity: A Dell Wireless DW5570 HSPA+/42Mbps Full Mini Card, or a Gobi 4G LTE Full Mini Card compatible with AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint.

Shoppers looking to save some money also have the option to downgrade the Latitude E7240 to 1GB or 2GB of RAM, a 1366 x 768 display and a smaller 3-cell Lithium Ion battery.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeWith the Latitude E7240 Touch, Dell has really spruced up its line of business notebooks. We love this laptop's sturdy design and attractive carbon fiber lid. We also appreciate the vivid 1920 x 1080 touch display, excellent keyboard and robust security.

Unfortunately, this laptop's 4-cell battery doesn't last nearly as long as competing Ultrabooks -- and there's currently no extended battery option.

Among 12-inch business notebooks, we prefer the Lenovo ThinkPad X240 (about $100 less similarly configured). Although it's not as modern looking and weighs more, the ThinkPad offers much longer battery life. Still, the Latitude E7240 Touch is a powerful and elegant business notebook.

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Dell has announced a new name, and new designs, for its refreshed lineup of Latitude notebooks geared towards mobile business users. The new Latitudes, which borrow elements from Dell's consumer notebooks, will be organized by series: the 7000 Series is the top of the line, the 5000 Series is the mid-range option, and the 3000 Series is the budget line. Within each series will be an assortment of notebooks, and touch screens will be available as options across all series.

The Latitude 7000 Series starts at $1,049. At launch, Dell will offer two models: The 12-inch version, the Latitude 12 7000 Series (E7240), measures 12.2 x 8.3 x 0.79 inches and weighs 2.99 pounds. The Latitude 14 7000 Series (E7440), pictured above, will have a 14-inch screen, measures 13.2 x 9.1 x 0.8 inches, and weighs 3.6 pounds. Customers will have their choice of 1080p or 1366 x 768-pixel displays, 4th Generation Intel Core ultra-low voltage processors, and solid-state drives. 

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The new line of Dell's will feature a tri-metal chassis and a Corning Gorilla Glass NB T display, and is MIL-STD 810G tested for heat and drop tests. The carbon-fiber lids, similar to that on the Dell XPS 12, feels sturdy but comfortable to touch. Security options includes FIPS 140-2 certification for disk encryption, Intel vPro and Identity Protection Technology with NFC, so you can tap an NFC-enabled phone or card on the Latitude to log in or shop online.

We also like that the 7000 Series Latitudes will be both backwards- and forward-looking. A port connector on the bottom will work with existing Latitude docks, and the notebook will also be the first Ultrabook with WiGig wireless docking technology. 

While the 7000 Series is available today, touch-enabled systems will not be available until September 12. 

The Latitude 5000 and 3000 series will be available with 4th Generation Intel Core processors, discrete graphics and SSDs. While not as durable as the 7000 Series, they will come with a Corning Gorilla Glass NBT screen, and have been tested to withstand a bit more abuse than a consumer-level system. 

Dell will offer two models in the 3000 Series range, the 14-inch Latitude 14 3000 (3440) and the 15-inch Latitude 15 3000 (3540). Processors range from an Intel Core i3-4010U to Core i5-4300U, up to 8GB of RAM, and either Intel HD 4400 graphics, or an AMD Radeon HD 8850M GPU. The 14-inch model will be offered with a 1366 x 768 or a 1600 x 900 panel, and the 15-inch can be had with a 1080p display. 

With a 4-cell battery and a non-touch display, the Latitude 15 measures 14.8 x 10.2 x 0.99 inches and weighs 4.8 pounds. Add a 6-cell battery and a touch screen, and the notebook increases to 1.33 inches thick and 5.1 pounds. The Latitude 14 is 13.6 x 9.65 x 0.98 inches and 4.3 pounds with a 4-cell battery and a non-touch display, and 1.3 inches thick and 4.6 pounds with a 6-cell battery and a touch screen. 

The 3000 Series will start at $599 and will be available on September 12. The 5000 Series, whose pricing has yet to be determined, will be available in October. 

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With its heavy-duty metal chassis and long battery life, the Dell Latitude E6540 is built to soldier through the bumps and bruises of a long workday without needing an outlet. This $1,479 15-inch system features a fourth-generation Intel Core i7 processor, AMD discrete graphics and a host of security features to keep your data safe. Read on to find out why the E6540 should make your short list for business notebooks.

Design

The 6.6-pound, 14.9 x 9.86 x 1.3-inch E6540 has quite a bit of bulk on its silvery frame, making the Lenovo ThinkPad T530 (5.4 pounds, 13.5 x 9.1 x 0.8~1.0 inches) look positively svelte. The Dell also eclipses the HP EliteBook Folio 9470m's 3.6-pound 13.3 x 9.1 x 0.75-inch frame. However, it's important to remember the 9470m is a 14-inch Ultrabook.

Once we got past the sheer size of the E6540, we took time to admire the notebook's simple-yet-elegant aesthetics. The silver brushed aluminum lid has a shiny center-set chrome Dell logo, and gray plastic strips along the top offer some visual variety. The 9-cell battery protrudes from the rear of the notebook, making for an easy grip. Before we could access the interior of the notebook, we had to slide a ribbed black clasp that juts out from beneath the lid.

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Fans of soft-touch finish will find plenty to love about the E6540. The top of the keyboard and the palm rest are swathed in a luxurious, soft black finish. Buttons for Mute and Volume are located on the notebook's top-left corner with a trio of status lights and a Power button on the right. A fairly small touchpad sits below the keyboard.

Durability and Security

Click to EnlargeThe E6540's chassis has more to offer than plain old good looks. The notebook is MIL-STD-810G-certified to handle extreme temperatures (minus 40 to 149 degrees Fahrenheit), shock, humidity (5 percent to 95 percent) and extreme altitudes (-50 to 10,000 feet).

The notebook has also been outfitted with a FIPS-certified Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to keep important data secure. Dell ControlVault keeps passwords, biometric templates and security codes isolated from potential malware attacks. Dell's Protected Workspace software places Web browsers, .exe files, PDF readers and Microsoft Office programs in a secure virtual container that guards the system against virus infection.

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Display

Click to EnlargeThe E6540's 15.6-inch, anti-glare, 1920 x 1080 display offers dazzling color and sharp detail. A 1080p image of a pair of parrots we viewed was an explosion of blues, yellows and greens. Details were sharp enough to see individual barbs on the birds' feathers.

The laptop continued to impress while watching the 1080p "Fruitvale Station" trailer. Fireworks illuminated the screen in shades of magenta and emerald. Oscar Grant's girlfriend's ruby red lipstick drew the eye and we could see the individual coils of Grant's daughter's hair.

At 271 lux, the E6540's display is plenty bright, outshining the 212 mainstream notebook category average and both the ThinkPad T530 (166 lux) and the Folio 9470m (165 lux).

Audio

Click to EnlargeA pair of front-mounted speakers on the E6540 will knock you for a loop -- in a good way. We were impressed with the volume and audio quality emitted from the relatively small speakers. As Regina Belle's rendition of "Fly Me To The Moon" began to play, our small test room was blanketed with a silky alto, a rich bass line and the clear chords of a piano. However, treble became harsh and distorted at maximum volume.

The company also includes its Dell Audio software, which offers three settings (Voice, Music and Video). After switching between the presets, we found Music delivered the best audio quality overall for music and dialogue.

Keyboard, Touchpad and Pointing Stick

Click to EnlargeThe E6540's keyboard spans the length of the deck, features a full number pad, and has backlighting bright enough to use comfortably in a dimly lit room. The medium-size black keys provided strong tactile feedback and, combined with the soft-touch palm rest, made for a very comfortable typing experience. We scored 63 words per minute on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, noticeably higher than our usual 55 wpm.

Click to EnlargeThe 3.5 x 1.75-inch touchpad is a little small for our tastes. Gestures such as two-finger rotate and pinch-zoom were somewhat difficult to perform due to the cramped real estate. However, two-finger scroll, three-finger press and flick reacted nimbly to our input. The discrete mouse buttons gave springy feedback and quick reaction times.

For people who want to bypass the tiny touchpad, Dell adds a pointing stick with its own pair of discrete mouse buttons. The buttons offered firm feedback, but our finger kept slipping on the stick, because of its rough texture and low height.

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Heat

The Latitude E6540 stayed pleasantly cool throughout our testing. After running the Laptop Heat Test (15 minutes of streaming a full-screen Hulu video), the E6540's touchpad measured just 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The space between its G and H keys clocked in at 84 degrees while the bottom registered 91 degrees. All are below 95 degrees, which is our comfort threshold.

Webcam

Click to EnlargeUsing Dell's Webcam Central software, the E6540's integrated HD webcam takes photos and videos up to 1280 x 720. The camera does a nice job with colors, capturing our brick red dress and our chocolate skin tone accurately. However, there was a fair amount of visual noise in all of the photos that greatly diminished sharpness in both natural and fluorescent lighting.

Ports

Click to EnlargeSimilar to most business notebooks, the E6540 has ports and slots in just about every nook and cranny. Along the right side of the notebook sit a pair of USB 3.0 ports, a combination headphone/microphone jack, a tray-loading DVD burner and a Wi-Fi switch.

An SD card reader can be found along the right front lip of the laptop. Another USB 3.0 port is located on the left with HDMI, a smart card slot and security lock slot. And if that's not enough, there's yet another USB 3.0 port on the notebook's rear, along with VGA and Ethernet.

A port on the bottom of the notebook allows you to connect the E6540 to one of two E-Port Plus docks ($119-$139), which add additional ports such as dual DVI, USB 3.0, as well as legacy ports such as serial, parallel and PS/2.

Performance

Click to EnlargeThanks to a 2.7-GHz fourth-generation Intel Core i7-4800MQ processor with 8GB of RAM, our configuration of the Dell Latitude E6540 could pump out spreadsheets and slideshow presentations with the best of them. The notebook effortlessly streamed the documentary "Salute" from Netflix while performing a system scan with 10 open tabs in Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

The laptop notched 3,810 on the PCMark 7 benchmark, easily topping the 2,891 mainstream notebook average. It also beat out the Lenovo ThinkPad T530's (2.8-GHz Intel Core i5-3360M CPU) score of 2,849. However, the HP EliteBook Folio 9470M's third-generation 1.8-GHz Intel Core i5-3427U CPU had a stronger showing, posting 4,496.

Click to EnlargeThe E6540's 500GB 5,400-rpm hard drive booted Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) in 32 seconds, matching the T530 (500GB 7,200-rpm hard drive) and beating the 39-second average. Neither were a match for the Folio 9470M's 180GB SSD, which booted Windows 8 in a speedy 21 seconds.

MORE: 5 Ways to Supercharge Your Laptop For Under $100

On the File Transfer Test, the E6540 duplicated 4.97GB of multimedia files in 3 minutes and 30 seconds. That translates to a 24.2MBps transfer rate, falling short of the 43.4MBps average. The T530 delivered 37.4MBps, but the Folio 9470M decimated the competition with 118.4MBps.

When we ran the OpenOffice Spreadsheet Macro Test, the E6540 matched up 20,000 names and addresses in 5 minutes and 52 seconds. It's a few seconds shy of the 5:47 average, but more than enough to leave the Folio 9470M's 8:29 in the dust. The T530 notched a swift 4:11.

Graphics

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude E6540 is outfitted with an AMD Radeon HD 8790M GPU with 2GB of VRAM. That means the notebook can handle some gaming action, albeit on the lower end of the settings spectrum.

On the 3DMark11 benchmark, the E6540 notched 2,433, nearly doubling the 1,231 mainstream average. The Lenovo ThinkPad T530 and the HP EliteBook Folio 9470M and their Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPUs scored 625 and 594 respectively.

During the "World of Warcraft" test, the E6540 delivered 79 fps on Autodetect at 1080p, besting the 72 fps category average. The T530 (1600 x 900) matched our 30 fps playability threshold while the Folio 9470M (1366 x 768) missed the mark at 23 fps.

When we cranked it up to maximum, the E6540 gave us 41 fps, beating the 37 fps average. The Folio 9470M and the T530 were in a dead heat at 13 fps.

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When we ran the "BioShock Infinite" benchmark, the E6540 notched 40 fps on Low at 1920 x 1080. That's below the 54 fps category, but well above our 30 fps playability threshold. After switching to Ultra, the frame rate dropped to a stuttering 16 fps, failing to meet the 21 fps mainstream average.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude E6540's extended 9-cell Lithium-ion battery lasted 7 hours and 30 minutes on the Laptop Battery Test (continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi). That's more than two hours longer than the 5:33 mainstream average. The HP EliteBook Folio 9470M clocked in with 7:04 while the Lenovo ThinkPad T530 lasted 6:39.

MORE: 10 Laptops with the Longest Battery Life

Configurations

Our $1,479 configuration of the Dell Latitude E6450 is currently the only build available. However, Dell plans on release other versions of the notebook at a later date.

Software and Warranty

Click to EnlargeDell didn't add much in the way of software or apps to our Windows 7 configuration, opting for a small suite of Dell-branded utilities. The Backup and Recovery Manager is a gathering of tools to back up and recover important files or system partitions. The Client System Update automatically checks for system updates. Power Manager enables users to control the notebook's power consumption via four profiles (Standard, Express Charge, Adaptive and Primarily AC Use) or create a custom setting.

Third-party software includes Adobe Reader XI, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office.

The Dell Latitude E6540 comes with a limited hardware warranty, standard three-year On Site service after remote diagnosis.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude E6540 is a strong performer -- built for tough environments and long battery life to boot. A comfortable keyboard and a 1080p display help round out the winning formula. However, mobile professionals might want to consider the $1,399 HP EliteBook Folio 9470m, which offers better performance and is $80 cheaper than the $1,479 E6540. Overall, though, the E6430s is a very good choice for those looking for a sturdy business notebook that can handle a long work day.

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• Top 10 Ultrabooks

The average PC laptop sells for just over $500, but for that price, you usually have to settle for a mediocre build quality, weak battery life and a poor typing / navigation experience. Even when you're willing to pay more for your laptop, many of today's high-end notebooks trade ergonomic comfort for good looks with their shallow keyboards and jumpy, buttonless touchpads. A throwback to an earlier era when usability mattered most, the 13-inch Dell Latitude 3330 pairs an accurate touchpad and wide viewing angle screen with one of the best keyboards we've ever tested and the multitasking-friendly Windows 7 operating system. With a price of just $539, $419 to start, both students and professionals will get a lot of productivity from this affordable, lightweight laptop.

Design

Click to EnlargeAt 13 x 9.4 x 0.8 and 4 pounds, the Latitude 3330 fit easily in our bag without weighing us down, even though it isn't quite as light as Ultrabooks like the Inspiron 13z (13.07 x 9.05 x 0.82 inches, 3.2 pounds). The base configuration is 0.5 pounds lighter because of its lower-capacity 4-cell battery, but we wouldn't recommend skimping on battery life to save that amount of weight.

The laptop sports a functional but not unattractive design that we've seen before on other low-cost Dell business laptops, like the Vostro V131. The Latitude 3330's lid doesn't cover the entire top surface of the chassis, leaving a small end section that elegantly hides the hinges. The aluminum matte silver surface on the lid isn't fashion forward, but completely resists fingerprints. The all-black interior and matte silver sides look neat and professional even if they're not particularly exhilarating.

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Display and Audio

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude 3330's 13.3-inch, 1366 x 768 matte display provided accurate colors and wide viewing angles in our tests. When we played a 1080p trailer for "The Avengers," colors like the red in Iron Man's armor and the blue in Captain America's shield stood out. However, dark patches like a night sky or the halo around the Avengers logo had a little visual noise. The 720p trailer for "Skyfall" had no noticeable visual noise and shades like the blue in Daniel Craig's eyes or the red in a British flag looked true to life, if not overly rich.

On both clips most images did not wash out even at 90-degree viewing angles, though extremely dark scenes showed a little inversion at the widest angles. The Latitude 3330's screen measured 213 lux on our light meter, which is about on a par with the 209 lux thin-and-light category average and significantly brighter than the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E430 (176 lux).

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While not rich enough to replace your stereo, the Latitude 3330's front-mounted speakers were loud enough to fill a small room and reasonably accurate. When we played the bass-heavy "Forget Me Nots," the music was pleasant, if not overly textured. However, the hard-rock "Rainbow in the Dark" sounded just a bit distorted. Considering that the 3330 is a budget laptop, we were pleased with its audio output.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude 3330's island-style keyboard is one of the best we've used on any laptop, providing large comfortable keys with plenty of vertical travel and strong tactile feedback. On the Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor test, we managed 86 words per minute with a 2 percent error rate, which is near our average (86 wpm / 1 percent error rate), but typing felt much more pleasant than most laptops we've tested. Unfortunately, there's no backlight option.

It's rare to find a new notebook touchpad that doesn't have its buttons built in. Unfortunately, many of these so-called "clickpads" jerk your mouse pointer around because you're using the same surface for moving and clicking. Sticking with what works, Dell has given the Latitude 3330 a 3 x 1.75 inch touchpad that provides nearly flawless navigation around the desktop and two discrete buttons that offer just the right amount of feedback. Though we had to enable them in Dell's Touchpad software before testing, multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom, rotate, three-finger flick and three-finger press worked every time. The pad does not support four-finger flick.

Heat

The Dell Latitude 3330's keyboard and touchpad stayed cool throughout our testing, registering just 91 and 89 degrees Fahrenheit after streaming a video at full screen for 15 minutes. However, the left palmrest occasionally felt just a bit warm, reaching 94.5 degrees on our thermometer. The bottom topped out at 97 degrees. We consider temperatures above 95 degrees uncomfortable and those under 90 degrees optimal.

MORE: 10 Laptops with the Longest Battery Life

Ports and Webcam

Click to EnlargeDell has packed the notebook with plenty of ports, including a couple that you won't find everywhere else. On its right side, the Latitude 3330 has a single audio jack, two USB 3.0 ports, a VGA out and an Ethernet port for connecting to wireless Internet, something many recent notebooks have jettisoned. The left side houses an HDMI out port, a powered USB 2.0 USB port and an SD card reader.

The Latitude 3330's 720p webcam provided strong low-light performance and even better image quality under better conditions. Under the fluorescent lights of our office, our face was colorful and detailed, though there was just a little noise if we looked at the images up close. The camera even managed to capture a relatively bright image in our dark living room with a light source behind us, conditions under which many webcams completely wash out. Dell's included Webcam Central software makes adjusting settings and capturing video or stills a breeze.

Performance

Click to EnlargeWith its older, second-generation 1.5-GHz Core i3-2375M CPU, 4GB of RAM and a slow-moving 5,400 rpm 320GB hard drive, our configuration of the Dell Latitude 3330 was good enough for basic productivity tasks and HD video playback but lagged behind competitors with better specs. On PCMark 7, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall performance, the Latitude 3330 scored just 1,465, less than half the 3,032 thin-and-light laptop category average and well behind the Core i5-powered Dell Inspiron 13z (2,474) and ThinkPad Edge E430 (2,337).

The Latitude 3330's 5,400 rpm 320GB Samsung Spinpoint hard drive is its biggest weakness, providing significantly weaker load and copy times than we normally see on notebooks with similar drives. The sluggish drive took a full minute to boot the system into Windows 7, 19 seconds more than the thin-and-light category average. Much worse, it took a full 6 minutes and 8 seconds to complete the LAPTOP File transfer test. That's a rate of just 13.8 MBps, less than a third of the 45.4 MBps category average and way behind the ThinkPad Edge E430 with 7,200 rpm hard drive (29.4 MBps) and the Dell Inspiron 13z with 5,400 rpm drive (29.2 MBps).

The older 1.5-GHz Core i3-2375M CPU caused the Dell Latitude 3330 to take 10 minutes and 29 seconds to complete the OpenOffice Spreadsheet test, which matches 20,000 names with their addresses. That time is nearly double the thin-and-light laptop average (5:44) and way slower than the Core i5-powered Dell Inspiron 13z (6:16) and Thinkpad Edge E430 (5:04).

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Though the Latitude 3330 was fast enough to play 1080p videos, its graphics performance left something to be desired. When we opened a 4K clip, the laggy playback was more like a slideshow than a movie. The 3DMark11 benchmark we typically use to measure graphics performance would not run on this system, but we were able to play "World of Warcraft" at a reasonable 44 fps when using its recommended settings. With the special effects turned up, this rate dropped to just 10 fps. These rates are below the 50.6 / 24.6 fps category average.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeWith its 6-cell battery installed, the Dell Latitude 3330 lasted 6 hours and 14 minutes on a charge, which is on a par with the 6-hour and 19-minute thin-and-light notebook category average. However, 14-inch screened competitors like the 4.6 pound Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E430 (6:53) and the 5.4-pound Dell Latitude E6430 with 9-cell battery (10:37) lasted longer on a charge. The 3330 is also available with a smaller, 4-cell battery, which we were unable to test.

Configurations

Dell claims that the Latitude 3330 will be configurable with processors up to a third-generation Core i5, storage drives that include 7,200 rpm hard drives or SSD options and your choice of Windows 7 or 8. However, as of this writing, the company offers only three configurations. Our $539 review configuration has a second-generation 1.5-GHz Core i3-2375M CPU, 6-cell battery, 4GB of RAM and Windows 7 Professional.

The base $419 configuration has a slower 1.5-GHz Intel Celeron 1007U processor, just 2GB of RAM, a smaller battery and Windows 7 Home Premium. A $449 configuration has the Celeron processor and Windows 7 Home Premium, but includes 4GB of RAM and the same 6-cell battery as our unit. All three configurations have the same, sluggish 5,400 rpm hard drive. We hope that Dell will make faster storage options and better CPUs available on its site soon.

Software and Warranty

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude 3330 comes with a handful of helpful utilities. Dell Data Protection allows you to create a pre-Windows password for added security. Dell Backup and Recovery Manager allows you to back up individual files or the entire system. Dell Webcam central captures photos and videos while adjusting the camera's settings. The system also comes with just one piece of unnecessary crapware, a 30-day trial of McAfee anti-virus.

MORE: How to Make Windows 8 Look and Feel Like Windows 7

Dell backs the Latitude 3330 with a standard one-year warranty on parts and labor. However, as with all Dell laptops, you can purchase extended warranties and accidental damage protection for up to five years.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeThough it's not the fastest budget laptop on the market, the Dell Latitude 3330 offers a compelling user experience for the money because of its light weight, best-in-class keyboard, accurate touchpad and colorful screen. If you want better performance and are willing to carry a larger laptop, consider the 14-inch ThinkPad Edge E431, a slightly updated version of the ThinkPad Edge E430 we tested last year. However, if you want a lightweight, low-cost laptop that's great for basic productivity tasks and just feels really good in your lap, the Latitude 3330 is an excellent choice.

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Who said a corporate notebook has to be boring? The 14-inch Dell Latitude 6430u ($1,278 as configured) is built for the rough-and-tumble business world, thanks to rigorous MIL-Spec testing, but sports a sleek and stylish chassis. An Intel Core i5 processor and a swift 128GB SSD will help you breeze through your to-do list before quitting time, while strong security software will keep your data safe. Read on to find out why the Latitude is a top-tier business machine.

Design

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude 6430u is swathed from head to toe in a black matte soft-touch finish that we can't get enough of. It virtually eliminates fingerprints and makes gripping the notebook a cinch. This surface just feels good; we couldn't keep our hands off the lid, keyboard deck and underside of the laptop.

The medium-size chrome Dell logo and the trio of status lights along the bottom right of the lid are the only embellishments. The black reinforced metal-plated hinges are well-built, refusing to move despite our poking and prodding. The bottom half of the notebook is trimmed in light gray, which offers a nice contrast.

Opening the Latitude 6430u reveals a full-size keyboard in a slightly recessed well. Above the layout sits buttons for Mute, Volume Down, Volume Up and Power with another set of status lights and a pair of speakers. The touchpad and its two buttons are located below the keyboard along with a trio of buttons for the pointing stick.

Measuring 4 pounds, and measuring 13.3 x 9 x 0.82 inches, the Latitude 6430u is heavier and thicker than most Ultrabooks its size. The 13 x 8.9 x 0.74-inch Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon weighs a slight 3.3 pounds. The HP Elitebook Folio 9470m measures 3.6 pounds, and measures 13.9 x 9.1 x 0.75 inches by comparison.

Durability

Click to EnlargeDell added some durability features to make sure this Latitude maintains its good looks in the face of everyday bumps and bruises. The corners of the notebook are wrapped in magnesium alloy to protect against inadvertent drops. The spill-resistant keyboard will protect against any spilled liquids. The notebook has also gone through MIL-STD-810G tests, meaning it's dust and shockproof and can operate in extreme temperatures and altitudes.

But before you go slinging the notebook around like hash, keep in mind that it's not a fully rugged machine. That means that the Latitude 6430u can only withstand a few bumps at best.

Security features

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude 6430u features a number of security measures for business and IT professionals. Intel's vPRO technology grants IT workers remote access to the Ultrabook to monitor battery health, perform system updates or to wipe the hard drive. Important files can be locked away from prying eyes via Dell Data Protection/Encryption. There's also the Trusted Platform Module to create tiers of security authentication to control access to the hard drive.

Users who want another layer of security can add a fingerprint reader for $7.50.

Display

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude 6430u's matte screen does a good job of eliminating distracting reflections and glare, but you lose brightness and vividness. The notebook's 14-inch, 1366 x 768p display gave us sharp text when reading documents and websites such as CNN.com and Polygon. However, the normally molten orange of the Mozilla Firefox download page looked ashen.

Colors were equally muted during the "Great and Powerful Oz" trailer. What was supposed to be a Technicolor wonderland looked cold and uninviting. Mila Kunis' ruby red ensemble appeared faded as did the Emerald City. Colors began to invert past a 45-degree angle and darker scenes were littered with distortion.

The Latitude 6430u's 143 lux display is rather dull compared with the 227 lux ultraportable category average. The HP Folio 9470 was somewhat brighter at 165 lux while the Lenovo X1 Carbon shone with 290 lux.

Dell will offer a higher-resolution 1600 x 900 display, but not one with a touchscreen.

Audio

Click to EnlargeThe small pair of speakers mounted just above the Latitude 6430u's keyboard won't win any awards, but they deliver passable sound. Marsha Ambrosius' "Far Away" filled our test room with soft chords and plaintive vocals. However, we found ourselves constantly switching between the MaxxVoice Pro software's three settings (Voice, Video and Music) trying to find the sweet spot.

The Music setting gave us the loudest result complete with noticeable bass, but the usually sweet vocals sounded harsh. Video sounded clearer, but the volume was greatly diminished. When we switched to voice, the track sounded flat and listless.

Keyboard, touchpad and pointing stick

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude 6430u has a spill-resistant, island-style keyboard with generous spacing and springy feedback. We're also fans of the slight curvature of the keys, which helped our fingers stay in place. The right Alt and Ctrl keys were noticeably undersized, but we appreciated the inclusion of the direction keys. We scored 50 wpm with a 1 percent error rating on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test. That's on a par with our typical 52 wpm/1 percent error rating.

The 3.5 x 1.8-inch touchpad is a little on the small side. We could still perform gestures and navigate documents and Web pages with relative ease. One-finger swiping along the edges of the display summoned the Charms menu and the recent apps bar. Two-finger scrolling and panning was nice and smooth, as was two-finger rotate. Three-finger quick launch and flick were also quick and responsive.

The pair of discrete mouse buttons offered snappy feedback as did the three pointing stick buttons. Which leads us to our only ergonomic point of contention: Despite the small spines in the center, our finger kept slipping of the pointing stick. We wish Dell would take some hints from Lenovo and use a nub that rises above the keys.

Heat

After watching 15 minutes of "Le Chavalier D'Eon," the Latitude 6430u's touchpad measured a cool 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The space between the G and H keys was 93 degrees, but the bottom of the display registered a balmy 97 degrees. We consider anything past 95 degrees above our comfort threshold.

Ports

Click to EnlargeThe right side of the Latitude 6430u houses ports for USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet and a secure lock slot. An SD Card slot rests along the notebook's right lip. Another USB 3.0 port sits on the left of the Latitude 6430u with VGA, a wireless switch and jacks for a headset and power. A USB 3.0/eSATA port and HDMI is tucked away on the rear of the notebook.

It was a good move on Dell's part to include VGA and Ethernet on the Latitude 6430u. Lenovo's X1 Carbon designers ditched the ports in the interest of space. However, business users are finding themselves left out in a lurch when faced with older projectors or an office with spotty Wi-Fi.

Webcam

Click to EnlargeYou won't get a National Geographic-worthy photos, but the Latitude 6430u's 1-megapixel webcam can handle video conferencing tasks. During our test shots, both our skin tone and bright orange shirt were severely washed-out under fluorescent light, which didn't improve much in natural lighting. The image was rife with visual noise in both instances.

Performance

Click to EnlargeWhen it comes to productivity, the Dell Latitude 6430u's 1.8-GHz Intel Core i5-3427U CPU, 8GB of RAM and 128GB SSD can handle pretty much anything. The notebook effortlessly streamed an episode of "Sons of Anarchy" despite having eight open tabs in Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox -- all while running a full system scan.

On the PCMark 7 benchmark, the Latitude 6430u scored 5,065, well above the 3,208 ultraportable average. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon and the HP EliteBook Folio 9470M, which also sport 1.8-GHz Intel Core i5-3427U CPUs, scored 5,297 and 4,496, respectively.

The Latitude 6430u's 128GB SSD booted Windows 8 Professional in a blistering 10 seconds, beating the 33 second average. The X1 Carbon's 128GB SSD loaded in 30 seconds while the Folio 9470M's 180GB SSD took 21 seconds.

The Latitude's SSD continued its winning ways during the File Transfer Test, duplicating 4.97GB of multimedia files in 32 seconds for a transfer rate of 159MBps. That's 80MBps faster than the 79MBps category average. The X1 Carbon clocked in with 84.8 MBps while the Folio scored 118.4 MBps.

During the OpenOffice Spreadsheet Macro test, the Latitude 6430u matched 20,000 names to their corresponding address in 5 minutes and 11 seconds -- 2:01 faster than the 7:11 ultraportable category average. The Folio 9470M finished the task in a sluggish 8:29. The X1 Carbon crossed the finish line in 5:37.

Graphics

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude 6430u and its integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics can handle HD video and even some 3D games.

During the "World of Warcraft" benchmark, the Latitude 6430u delivered an average of 36 fps on Good at 1366 x 768p. That's below the 43 fps average, but better than the X1 Carbon and Folio 9470M, which scored 29 and 23 fps, respectively. When we switched the settings to maximum, the Latitude 6430u scored 19 fps, slightly below the 21 fps average.

The business notebook scored 661 on 3DMark11, which fails to match the 740 ultraportable average. However, that showing was enough to edge out the HP EliteBook Folio 9470M (594) and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (517), which also have Intel HD 4000 graphics.

Battery life

Click to EnlargeDuring the LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi), the Dell Latitude 6430u lasted 7 hours and 7 minutes. That's 1 hour and 5 minutes longer than the 6:12 ultraportable average. The HP EliteBook Folio 9470M finished close at 7:04, but the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon lasted an impressive 7:45. (The X1 Carbon Touch, which runs Windows 8 and has a touch screen, lasted just 5:52).

Software and warranty

Click to EnlargeDell made the wise decision not to weigh the Latitude 6430u down with bloatware. Instead, Dell includes a small collection of helpful utilities. We liked Dell Smart Settings, which adjusted our display according to our environment (Outdoor Mode) or actions (Presentation Mode and Video Mode.) with the flick of a switch. For example, the Video setting disables alarms and power settings for high-quality, uninterrupted video viewing.

Dell Battery Life was also a favorite. The utility consists of four modes (Standard, ExpressCharge, Adaptive and Primary AC Use) that can either charge the battery in about an hour or adjusts battery usage based on previous patterns. There's also Dell Backup and Recovery to create backups of important files in case of a system crash.

The Windows app store also has a rapidly growing catalog of apps for people who want to augment their Windows 8 experience. Dell has a list of 32 recommended apps tucked away in the larger app store.

Dell has outfitted the Latitude 6430u with a three-year hardware service warranty and three years of mail-in service. See how Dell fared in our Tech Support Showdown and Best & Worst Brands Report.

Configurations

Click to EnlargeOur $1,278  review unit comes with an 1.8-GHz Intel Core i5-3427U CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD and Intel HD 4000 graphics. The base enterprise model is priced at $992 and has an 1.8-GHz Intel Core i5-3427U CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD and Intel HD 4000 graphics. The $1,577 model is outfitted with a 2-GHz Intel Core i7-3667U processor with 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and Intel HD 4000 graphics.

Dell also offers a small business line of the Latitude 6430u. The base model starts at $899 and features a 1.8-GHz Intel Core i3-3217U, 4GB of RAM, a 64GB Mobility SSD and Intel HD 4000 graphics.

Note: In order to get the lowest price, we recommend that you go through Dell's Small & Medium Business channel on its site, as opposed to its Small Business & Home Office channel.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeWith its attractive yet durable design, strong performance and solid battery life, the $1,278  Dell Latitude 6430u is a strong choice for mobile professionals. Consumers looking for a lighter business notebook with a better display and pointing stick might want to check out the $1,349 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. However, they'll lose VGA and Ethernet and have to pay slightly more. Overall the Latitude 6430u is well suited for value-minded business users high on mobility, adaptability and power.

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With its heavy-duty metal chassis and long battery life, the Dell Latitude E5530 is built to soldier through physical punishment and long stretches without needing on an outlet. Starting at $499 ($1,178 as tested), this 15-inch system features a Core i5 processor, a full number pad, and a fingerprint reader. In other words, this corporate workhorse is ready for to do your bidding.

Design

The

Click to Enlarge is swathed in industrial gray and black, save for a silver horizontal band that wraps around the system. Draped in a Tri-Metal casing, the Latitude E5530's protective shell consists of a brushed aluminum lid, steel hinges, magnesium alloy internal frames and a zinc alloy latch that reminds us of an old-fashioned metal lunch pail. The keyboard is spill resistant, and when the lid is closed, a protective seal forms a barrier around the LCD panel to prevent liquids from getting to the screen. However, the lid doesn't do a good job of repelling fingerprints.

Click to EnlargeThe top left corner of the deck sports dedicated buttons for volume and mute, and the top right houses the power button. A fingerprint reader, on the bottom right-hand corner of the deck, can be configured through the Dell Data Protection software. The deck itself has a smooth finish.

The Latitude E5530s measures 15.3 x 9.9 x 1.2 - 1.3 inches and weighs 6.4 pounds. That makes it both larger and heavier than the Lenovo ThinkPad T530, which measures 13.5 x 9.05 x 0.8 - 1.0 inches and weighed 5.4 pounds. To be fair, the E5530 sports a 9-cell battery, while the T530 we tested carried a smaller 6-cell battery, the Dell's extra thickness is noticeable.

Display

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E5530's 15.6-inch matte screen has a native resolution of 1366 x 768. This is lower than we'd prefer on such a large display; the T530 we reviewed packs a 1600 x 900 panel. The good news is that you can upgrade to a full HD 1920 x 1080 panel on the E5530 for $99.

When we watched the "Skyfall" trailer in 720p, fine details such as stray strands of hair and pieces of debris were easily visible. Colors such as the orange fire in explosions and the red bars in the British flag were a bit muted, and blacks weren't as deep as we'd like. Watching videos at 45-degree angle or greater resulted in certain darker images (such as the back of someone's head) being washed out.

The E5530's brightness registered 190 lux using light meter, which is 23 lux less than the category average, but higher than the ThinkPad T530 (166 lux).

Audio

The front of the Latitude E5530's lip contains two small speakers; when we placed the unit in our lap, music sounded noticeably muffled. When we listened to "Papa Don't Take No Mess" by James Brown, the saxophone's highs and lows were clearly audible. The same goes for Freddie Mercury's voice when we listened to "Slightly Mad" by Queen. Each note of Brian May's guitar solo in the latter tune sounded crystal clear.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Click to EnlargeOn the E5530, Dell forgoes an island-style keyboard in favor of a more traditional layout. The E5530 has a dedicated keypad, which, many times, results in smaller Tab, Caps Lock and Left Shift keys. Fortunately, Dell makes full use of the deck, so these buttons are plenty large. While a little mushy, the keys offered a good amount of travel and response.

On the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, we averaged 68 words per minute with a 2 percent error rate. Both of those are average marks for us. The keyboard is backlit and has four brightness levels, which you can switch between by holding the "Fn" key and pressing the right arrow button.

Click to EnlargeThe Alps Electric touchpad measures 3.1 x 1.75 inches and was extremely responsive when we executed multitouch gestures. We were able to scroll, rotate and flick very easily. There are two sets of dedicated buttons, one above and one below the touchpad. All of the buttons provided good feedback, though we wish the "click" were more audible.

The Latitude E5530 has a pointing stick between the G and H keys. The stick is sunken, which makes it harder to navigate with than it would be if it sat higher. In general, we prefer the pointing stick on Lenovo's ThinkPads.

Heat

After running a full-screen Hulu clip for 15 minutes, the E5530's touchpad and center underside measured 88 and 87 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The space between the G and H keys was 89 degrees. Anything over 95 degrees is uncomfortable.

Ports

Click to EnlargeAn 8X DVD drive, audio jack, USB 2.0 port and VGA connector line the right side of the Latitude E5530. Around back, you'll find another USB 2.0 port as well as Ethernet and power. The left side houses one HDMI port, two USB 3.0 ports (one of which is an eSATA/USB 3.0 combo) along with SD Card and ExpressCard/54 slots. The latter's plastic tab doubles as an English-to-metric measurement conversion table. The front of the lip has a switch that turns Wi-Fi on and off.

Webcam

Click to EnlargeThe webcam on the E5530 can capture video and snap photos at a top resolution of 1280 x 720. The image quality was somewhat grainy under fluorescent lighting but less so in natural light. Colors like the dark purple seat of an office chair and a collared beige shirt were well represented. Dell's Webcam Central software has limited settings, but does allow you to upload photos and videos to YouTube and Photobucket.

Performance

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E5530 we tested packs a 2.8-GHz Intel Core i5-3360M processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB 7,200 rpm hard drive and an Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU. These components produced a PCMark 7 score of 2,934, just ahead of the ThinkPad T530 (2,849), which has the same processor. Both systems topped the category average by almost 400 (2,568).

It took the E5530 58 seconds to boot Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, six seconds longer than the category average (52 seconds). The ThinkPad T530, which also has a 7,200-rpm drive, loaded the same OS in a zippy 32 seconds. In our File Transfer Test, the Latitude E5530 transferred our 4.97GB test folder (made up of music, photos and videos) in 3 minutes and 6 seconds for a 27.4 MBps transfer rate. That's significantly behind both the 36MBps category average as well as the ThinkPad T530's mark of 37 MBps.

In our OpenOffice Spreadsheet test, in which we match 20,000 names to their corresponding addresses, the Latitude E5530 took 4 minutes and 12 seconds to finish the task, dead even with the T530 (4:11), and nearly two minutes faster than the 5:58 category average.

Graphics

Click to EnlargeIn the 3DMark11 test, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics performance, the Latitude E5530 and its Intel HD 4000 Graphics GPU scored 703, well below the category average of 1,127. The ThinkPad T530, which has the same integrated GPU as the E5530, scored a lower 625.

Still, mainstream games will run reasonably well on the Latitude E5530. "World of Warcraft" clocked in at 60 frames per second on the "Good" setting at 1366 x 768. That's a step above the 52 fps category average and a very solid mark for a system without discrete graphics. With the game set to max, the Latitude E5530 sank to 28 frames per second, which is not quite playable.

By comparison, the ThinkPad T530 averaged 30 frames per second with the game set to Good while running at 1366 x 768, which is underwhelming. Set to max at the same resolution, the T530 cranked out 13 fps.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E5530's 9-cell battery ran for 8 hours and 39 minutes in our LAPTOP Battery Test, which consists of continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi. That's well above both the 5:27 category average and the 6 hours and 39 minutes that the T530's 6-cell battery lasted. (You can swap the T530's 6-cell battery for a 9-cell, a $50 option.)

Security, Software and Warranty

Click to Enlarge

The Latitude E5530 ships with Intel's Active Management Technology, which allows your firm's IT department to perform diagnostic scans remotely. The E5530 also has a free-fall sensor that parks the hard drive in case you drop the machine from a height of five inches or higher.

The third-generation Intel processor that the E5530 shipped with has Intel Anti-Theft Technology. In the event your notebook is stolen, your provider can send a lockdown command to your machine, which prevents others from using it. The service requires you to sign up with a service provider. A one-year subscription with Norton Anti-Theft costs $39.99 and can be used with up to three devices. LoJack subscriptions are available from $39.99 for one year to $109.99 for three years.

The fingerprint reader is easily configured through the Dell Access software. Setting up the reader requires you to create a Windows password. Unlike the T530's reader, the E5530's won't allow you to turn the system on with a single swipe.

A 30-day trial of Trend Micro Client-Server Security is also included for use with as many as three machines.

The E5530's warranty offers three years of basic hardware service supplemented by three years of limited on-site service following a remote diagnosis. See how Dell fared in our Tech Support Showdown and Best & Worst Notebook Brands report

Configurations

Click to EnlargeOur version of the E5530 (2.8-GHz Intel Core i5-3360M processor, 4GB of RAM, 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive and an Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU) cost $1,178, but you can configure it for significantly less. The $499 base model includes Windows 7 Home Premium (32- or 64-bit), a 2.2-GHz Intel Core i3-2328M processor, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive, an 8X DVD drive, Intel HD Graphics 3000 GPU and a 6-cell battery. If you opt for the low-end version, you'll have to sacrifice Intel's vPro tech as well as the webcam.

If you want to future-proof your investment, you can equip the Latitude E5530 with a 2.9-GHz Intel Core i7-3520M processor, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1080p display, an 8X DVD drive, and a 9-cell battery for $1,617.

While you can opt for a 128GB SSD ($130) as well as a 1080p display ($99), you can't configure the E5530 with a discrete GPU, which is an option on the Lenovo T530.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E5530 is a strong choice for those seeking a durable 15-inch notebook without being tethered to an outlet. This business notebook offers plenty of performance and has a long three-year warranty. While the Lenovo T530 lacks a number pad, we give the edge to that system, as it offers a discrete graphics option and better pointing stick. However, the long battery life and sturdy chassis of the E5530 makes it an attractive option.

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The Dell Latitude E6430s is a triple threat for business notebook shoppers. It sports a strong yet compact metal chassis, promises speedy performance (thanks to an SSD) and has a long-lasting battery for traveling professionals. The E6430s also has plenty of features to keep IT managers at ease, including TPM, encryption and plenty of docking options. Starting at $969 ($1,678 as tested), this Latitude seems to have it all for mobile professionals.

Design

The

Click to Enlarge' exterior is a mix of black and gray with a touch of silver, sporting an eye-catching yet professional package that will endear itself to the suit-and-tie crowd. However, the brushed-aluminum lid wasn't great at hiding fingerprints. The keyboard is spill-resistant, and when the lid is closed, a protective seal forms a shield around the LCD panel to keep from liquids from seeping in.

Sporting a Tri-metal chassis--a magnesium alloy frame, reinforced steel hinges and a matte chrome bumper--the Latitude E6430s passes MIL-STD-810G environmental testing. Inside, the keyboard deck of the Latitude E6430s has a nice soft-touch finish, which was comfortable while typing.

The Latitude E6430s measures 13.19 x 8.8 x 1.1 - 1.2 inches and weighs 4.6 pounds. That makes it smaller and lighter than the Latitude E6430 (13.9 x 9.5 x 1.3 inches and 5.4 pounds), which needs a larger chassis to accommodate its 9-cell battery as well as the option to add discrete graphics. However, the E6430s is larger and heavier than the Lenovo ThinkPad T430s (13.5 x 9.1 x 0.83 - 1 inches and 4.4 pounds), even when that system has an optional bay battery inserted.

Display

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E6430s has a 14-inch matte screen with a native resolution of 1366 x 768. When we watched the "Skyfall" trailer in 720p, colors looked dull. For example, the blue glow illuminating Daniel Craig's chest as he stood poolside wasn't as vibrant as we've seen on other systems. Image quality when watching the video at different angles was acceptable. Three people sitting side by side could easily see the display.

We measured the screen's brightness at 165 lux, which puts it 48 lux behind the average as well as the ThinkPad T430s (249 lux), which also has a higher resolution 1600 x 900 panel.

Audio

The Latitude E6430s' speakers, mounted on the front lip, were fairly loud and accurate. We listened to the live version of "Move to the City" by Guns ‘n' Roses and studio recordings of "Dreamer Deceiver" by Judas Priest and "Becoming" by Pantera. Whether it was on our lap or on a desk, all instruments, vocals and crowd noise sounded very clear. While this business machine's pipes won't fill a large room, they were loud enough for a small office.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Click to EnlargeWhile a lot of notebooks--including Lenovo's business systems--now have island-style keyboards, Dell's Latitude line still uses a more traditional layout, where the keys abut one another. No matter; we still found the Latitude E6430s' keys to be plenty large, with solid travel and response. On the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, we scored 68 words per minute with a 2 percent error rate, about average for us. The keyboard backlighting is also fairly bright, and we like that there are four different brightness levels.

Click to EnlargeThe Alps Electric touchpad measures 3.2 x 1.6 inches and was very responsive when executing multitouch gestures. We were able to flick, rotate and scroll easily. There are two sets of dedicated buttons, one above and one below the touchpad, all of which provided the right amount of feedback.

Like its Dell kin, the Latitude E6430s sports a black pointing stick in between the G and H keys. Unlike those on Lenovo ThinkPads, the Latitudes' pointing stick is concave, making it more difficult to navigate the desktop.

Heat

After running a full-screen Hulu video for 15 minutes, the Latitude E6430s' touchpad and center underside were 78 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The space between the G and H keys was 83 degrees. We consider anything higher than 95 degrees to be uncomfortable.

Ports

Click to EnlargeThe right side of the Latitude E6430s houses a USB 3.0 port, USB/eSATA, a removable 8x DVD +/- RW drive as well as a switch that turns Wi-Fi on or off. Also on the right is an ExpressCard/34 slot, whose plastic tab has printed on it English-to-metric conversion tables, as well as a small ruler in inches and millimeters. The left side houses an audio connector, a VGA port and a SmartCard slot. The rear of the system is home to an Ethernet port, a mini-HDMI connector, another USB 3.0 port and power. The front lip houses an SD Card slot.

Webcam

Click to EnlargeThe 1-megapixel webcam on the Latitude E6430s can snap photos and capture video at a maximum resolution of 1280 x 1024. However, even at these settings, colors were dull and images were grainy, even in an office with a fair amount of natural light. Dell's Webcam Central software let us tweak image settings, to minimal effect, but did let us directly upload photos and videos to YouTube and Photobucket.

Performance

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E6430s wields a 2.8-GHz Intel Core i5-3360M processor, 6GB of RAM, a 128GB Samsung SSD and an Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU. It churned out a PCMark 7 score of 4,957, more than double the mark of the ThinkPad T430s, which earned a score of 2,460. To be fair, the T430s we tested had a 2.6-GHz Intel Core i5-3320M processor and a mechanical 500GB hard drive. The category average for this test is 2,675.

The Latitude E6430s took 29 seconds to boot the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Professional, breezing by the 52-second category average. Still, the T430s took just 34 seconds with its traditional hard drive.

In our File Transfer Test, the Latitude E6430s copied our 4.97GB test folder (comprised of photos, music and videos) in 30 seconds for a 169.6 MBps average transfer rate. That crushed the category average of 39 MBps.

During our OpenOffice Spreadsheet test, in which we match 20,000 names to their corresponding addresses, the Latitude E6430s finished in 4 minutes and 19 seconds. The ThinkPad T430s wasn't far behind, crossing the finish line in 4:26. Both bested the category average of 5:57 by a wide margin.

Graphics

In our 3DMark11 test, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics performance, the Latitude E6430s' integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU scored 690, slightly below the category average of 748. The ThinkPad T430s, which has Nvidia NVS 5200M discrete graphics, nearly doubled it, with a score of 1,105.

Still, gaming is possible on the E6430s. In our "World of Warcraft" tests, the notebook ran the game at 64 frames per second on the "Good" setting at a resolution of 1366 x 768. That's a fair amount above the 52 fps category average and very good for a machine without discrete graphics. However, with settings maxed, the frame rate dipped down to 25, which is barely playable. By comparison, the T430s averaged 44 fps on the same settings, and at its native screen resolution of 1600 x 900.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeThe E6430s' 6-cell battery ran for exactly 7 hours on the LAPTOP Battery Test (Web surfing via Wi-Fi). That's better than the 6:38 category average and a significant leap over the ThinkPad T430s' score of 5:09. However, with its bay battery (a $130 option), the T430 lasted 8:45. Dell offers a 3-cell modular battery for $60 more.

Security, Software and Warranty

Click to EnlargeThe E6430s includes several features in an effort to help combat security threats as well as theft. Intel's Active Management Technology software allows you to connect to your company's IT department so they can perform diagnostic scans remotely.

The third-generation Intel processor that our review unit shipped with has Intel Anti-Theft Technology. In the event your notebook is stolen, your provider can send a lockdown command to your machine, which will prevent the thief from using it at all. However, this tech requires you to subscribe with a service provider. A one-year subscription with Norton Anti-Theft will run you $39.99 and can be used with up to three devices. The cheapest LoJack subscription costs $29.99 per year.

For presenters, Intel's Wireless Display tech is also enabled with the E6430s, which lets you stream content from the laptop to a WiDi-enabled TV or device.

We would have liked to see a fingerprint reader, a $29 option, at this price. Doing so also adds a contactless SmartCard reader and Dell ControlVault hardware-based security.

A 30-day trial of Trend Micro Client-Server Security is also included for use with up to three machines.

The E6430s' warranty offers three years of basic hardware service in conjunction with three years of limited onsite service following a remote diagnosis.

Configuration Options

Our review configuration of the E6430s (2.8-GHz Intel Core i5-3360M processor, 6GB of RAM, a 128GB Samsung SSD and an Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU) costs $1,678. The $969 base model packs a second-generation 2.3-GHz Intel Core i3-2350M processor, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB 5,400RPM hard drive, an 8X DVD drive, Intel Graphics 3000 GPU and a 3-cell battery.

You can swap the removable optical drive for an extra 3-cell battery or a 320GB 7,200 rpm hard drive. They cost $60 and $160, respectively. You can also add a 9-cell slice battery, but it's an expensive $249. We wish there was an option for a higher-resolution display.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude E6430s is a strong performer. It's built for tough environments and has strong battery life to boot. While our $1,646 configuration is on the pricey side, having a solid state drive on board makes a big difference in terms of boot time and overall responsiveness. Is this our top 14-inch business notebook? Not quite. A similarly configured Lenovo ThinkPad T430s with a sharper 1600 x 900 display and discrete graphics costs $164 less. Overall, though, the E6430s is a very good choice for those looking for a stylish, sturdy and comfortable business notebook.

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Dell's Latitude line of productivity-oriented laptops have long been popular with the business crowd because they provide a strong combination of performance and endurance with an added dose of style to boot. The 14-inch Dell Latitude E6430 continues this rich tradition by offering strong performance, an attractive, durable metal chassis and more than 10 hours of battery life.

Design and Durability

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude E6430 has the same attractive gunmetal gray aluminum lid, matte chrome body and angular sides as its predecessor, the Dell Latitude E6420. With a snazzy design that reminds us a sci-fi spaceship, the E6430 stands out in the world of staid black-and-gray business notebooks.

Like all the current members of Dell's Latitude E6400 line, the E6430 is built for durability with a "Tri-Metal" chassis that consists of a magnesium alloy frame, reinforced steel hinges, a matte chrome bumper, a protective LCD seal and a spill-resistant keyboard.

Click to EnlargeThe notebook has been MIL-STD 810G tested, which means it should be able to withstand extreme temperatures, dust and vibrations better than most notebooks.

At 5.4 pounds and 13.9 x 9.5 x 1.3 inches, the Dell Latitude E6430 feels bulky for a 14-inch notebook. The ThinkPad T430 is smaller, thinner and lighter at 5.2 pounds and 13.8 x 9.1 x 1.2 inches. The Fujitsu LifeBook U772 (12.9 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches, 3 pounds) is much lighter, but that 14-inch Ultrabook isn't nearly as rugged as this Dell or the T430.

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Keyboard

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude E6430's backlit, spill-resistant keyboard provides a strong level of tactile response. Combine that with an very comfortable soft-touch plastic palm rest and you have one of the best typing experiences on a notebook. We were able to achieve a strong score of 92 words per minute with just a 1 percent error rate on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, well above our 80 word-per-minute average.

By hitting Fn + right arrow, we were able to configure the keyboard's backlighting, choosing between five modes: off, 25 percent, 50 percent, 75 percent and 100 percent brightness. Even at 100 percent, the light was not particularly bright, and it shined up from the crevices between the keys.

Touchpad and Pointing Stick

Click to EnlargeThe 3.2 x 1.75-inch touchpad provided accurate navigation around the desktop, and even provided reliable multitouch gesture support. Pinch-to-zoom, rotate and three-finger flicks all worked smoothly. The two discrete buttons offered just the right amount of feedback.

In addition to its touchpad, the Latitude E6430 includes another navigation option: a pointing stick between its G and H keys. While we're huge fans of the TrackPoint sticks that Lenovo puts on its ThinkPads, Dell's rubber nub sits too low relative to the keys around it, making it uncomfortable to touch. If Dell wants to continue offering pointing sticks on its business notebooks, it needs to revisit this annoying design.

Heat

The Dell Latitude E6430 stayed pleasantly cool throughout our tests. After 15 minutes of streaming a video at full screen, the touchpad measured just 80 degrees, the keyboard was a mere 82 degrees and the bottom clocked in at 87 degrees Fahrenheit. We consider temperatures below 95 degrees comfortable.

Display and Audio

Click to EnlargeThe 1600 x 900 matte 14-inch screen provided bright, sharp images and solid viewing angles, though its colors seemed muted at times. At 237 lux on our light meter, the Latitude E6430's screen is brighter than the 203 lux thin-and-light notebook category average. The configuration of the T430 we reviewed had a 1366 x 768 display, and was rather dim at 147 lux.

When we watched 1080p QuickTime trailers for both "The Avengers" and "The Expendables 2," most images stayed true at greater than 45 degrees, though dark scenes occasionally washed out. Even viewed head-on, colors like the red in Iron Man's armor or the blue in Captain America's suit seemed dull, and blacks in particular seemed washed out and noisy.

The Latitude E6430's dual, front-facing speakers provide accurate audio that's good enough for watching videos and presentations, but not to serve as your stereo. When we played Patrice Rushen's bass-heavy "Forget Me Nots," sound was clear and smooth, but not particularly rich. The Scorpions' heavy metal "No One Like You" did not sound distorted, but it was hollow and monotone with little separation of sound between speakers. In both cases, the maximum volume was barely loud enough to fill a room.

Ports and Webcam

Click to EnlargeDell packs the Latitude E6430 with a solid selection of ports, including some you won't find everywhere else. On the right side sits an ExpressCard/54 slot, a rarity among even business notebooks, a hardware Wi-Fi switch, an optical drive and three USB ports, two of which are USB 3.0 compatible and one of which doubles as an eSATA port.

The back houses an HDMI port, a Kensington lock slot and an Ethernet connector. The left side contains a SmartCard slot, a headphone/mic jack, a VGA port and a USB 2.0 port.

Click to EnlargeThe 1.3-megapixel webcam provided sharp, noise-free images, even in low light. However, colors were bland and our face appeared shadowed, even when we were sitting in a well-lit room.

Performance

With its 2.9-GHz Intel Core i7-3520M CPU, 6GB of RAM and 128GB SSD, the Dell Latitude E6430 offers superior performance that's good enough for nearly any task, from crunching large spreadsheets to transcoding video. On PCMark 07, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall system performance, the E6430 scored an impressive 4,998, nearly double the 2,555 thin-and-light notebook category average.

The Latitude E6430's 128GB SSD booted Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) in a modest 46 seconds, just 6 seconds faster than the category average. However, the drive took just 30 seconds to complete the LAPTOP File Transfer test, which involves copying 4.97GB of mixed media files. That's a rate of 169.6 MBps, five times the category average.

Because of the high-end processor in our review unit, it's no surprise that the Latitude E6430 was able to transcode a 5-minute HD video to iPod Touch format in just 15 seconds, four times faster than the 1-minute category average. The processor also helped the E6430 complete the LAPTOP Spreadsheet Macro Test, which matches 20,000 names with their addresses, in just 4 minutes and 11 seconds. That's about 50 percent faster than the 6:05 category average.

Graphics Performance

Our Latitude E6430 only had Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics, so it's no gaming machine. On 3DMark11, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics prowess, the E6430 scored a solid 717, which is just a little below the 755 category average.

Still, when we played "World of Warcraft" at default settings, the Latitude E6430 provided a good frame rate of 53 fps. Just don't expect to keep things playable with the special effects turned up; the rate dropped to 26 fps.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeWith its optional 9-cell battery installed, the Dell Latitude E6430 lasted a very strong 10 hours and 37 minutes, more than 4 hours longer than the 6 hour and 33 minute thin-and-light notebook category average. However, the Lenovo ThinkPad T430 lasted a whopping 13 hours and 25 minutes with its 9-cell battery attached.

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Configuration Options

Our review unit's configuration sells for $1,704. However, the Latitude E6430 starts at just $749. For that price, you get a slower Intel 2nd Generation Core i3-2350M CPU operating at 2.3 GHz, a 1366 x 768 screen, 2GB of RAM, a nonbacklit keyboard, a 6-cell battery, no webcam and a 320GB 7,200 rpm hard drive.

Fortunately, Dell.com allows you to configure your notebook to order, choosing exactly which components you want. We highly recommend that users pay $79 extra for the 9-cell battery, $79 to upgrade to the 1600 x 900 screen and $85 to move up to 4GB of RAM. If you plan to do any gaming or CAD work, we also advise that you pay an extra $99 for the Nvidia NVS 5200M discrete graphics chip.

Software

Click to EnlargeDell includes its standard set of utilities, including Dell Webcam central for snapping photos and videos with the camera, Dell Touchpad for configuring the pointing devices and Dell Backup and Recovery Manager. The company also includes Intel's Wireless Display software and a trial version of Trend Micro Internet Security.

Dell backs the Latitude E6430 with a three-year warranty on parts and labor, more than you get by default with competitors like Lenovo. You can also add accidental damage protection, on-site service or more years of coverage.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E6430 has a lot going for it: strong performance, extraordinary battery life, a world-class keyboard and an attractive chassis that's designed to take some punishment. Users may want to consider the similarly-priced 14-inch ThinkPad T430, which has an even better keyboard and pointing stick and offers 3 hours of more endurance with its 9-cell battery. However, if you want a great-looking business system that packs plenty of power, the Latitude E6430 is one of your best choices.

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Dell today announced a major refresh of its Latitude line of business-class notebooks including complete redesigns of its E6430s and E6430 ATG laptops. Weighing 3.75-pounds and measuring 13.19 x 8.8 x 1.22 inches, the E6430s offers users a 13-inch display in a 13.3-inch chassis. It comes wrapped in a Tri-Metal casing with an anodized aluminum lid, magnesium alloy covered corners, steel hinges and a powder-coated base that is MIL-STD 810G tested. 

The E6430s is available with a third-generation Intel Ivy Bridge Core-series processor and your choice of 2GB, 4GB or 8GB of RAM. Storage options for the E6430s include a 7,200-rpm, 750GB HDD; 5,400-rpm, 320GB HDD; 500GB SSD or 256GB SSD.

Graphics are limited to Intel's HD graphics chip, while battery options include 3- and 6-cell ExpressCharge varieties. Available operating systems include Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate and Linux Ubuntu 11.10

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Intel's Rapid Start and Smart Connect technology allows users to start the E6430s and quickly connect to the web. Intel's vPro systems management iAMT 8.x provides user with out-of-band management.

Dell has made it easy to notebook's guts thanks to a single access door. For security minded users, the E6430s features Dell's Data Protection software, Trusted Platform Module, hard drive encryption options and contactless smart card and fingerprint readers for log in.

The 14-inch E6430 ATG is the ruggedized version of the E6430s and features an optional handle, as well as the same Tri-Metal casing, anodized aluminum lid, magnesium alloy wrapped corners, steel hinges and powder-coated base. The E6430 ATG also gets port covers.

Like the E6430s, the E6430 ATG is MIL-STD 810G tested, however the E6430 ATG also gets the added benefit of being IPX5 tested to help the system withstand vibrations, dust and high temperatures and altitude. The system's 14-inch display, which can be optioned up to a 14-inch touchscreen display, features impact resistant protective front glass, while a spill-resistant keyboard and seal around the display help keep the laptop safe from spilled liquids and shocks. The StrikeZone shock absorber, Fast Response Free-Fall Sensor and rubber hard drive isolation keep your data safe from falls. 

The E6430 ATG is powered by a third-generation Intel Ivy Bridge Core-series processor and is available with either an Intel or Nvidia discrete graphics chip, as well as 2GB, 4GB or 8GB of RAM. Hard drive options include a 7,200-rpm, 750GB drive; Encrypted (FDE/SED) FIPS Opal 7,200-rpm, 750GB drive; 256GB Mobility SSD or 256GB encrypted SSD. 

Like with the E6430s, the E6430 ATG can be equipped with Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate or Linux Ubuntu 11.10. E6430 ATG users can also choose between a 4- or 6-cell Express Charge battery.

 As with the E6430s, the E6430ATG includes Intel's vPro systems management iAMT 8.x, Dell's Data Protection software, Trusted Platform Module, hard drive encryption options and contactless smart card and fingerprint readers for log in.

In addition to the E6430s and E6430 ATG, the rest of Dell's Latitude line, which now includes the 12.5-inch E6230, 13.3-inch-E6330, 14-inch E6430,and 15.6-inch E6530 have each received slight revisions. Likewise, the E5430 and E5530 have been slightly improved.

Each of the notebooks now a minimum 2GB of RAM and are available with Intel Ivy Bridge processors, optional solid-state drives, integrated or discrete graphics chips and 4G LTE connectivity.

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For many businesses in vertical markets like health care or shipping, a simple iPad or Android tablet just won't do. To run all their custom Windows software on a touch-friendly device, these companies prefer convertibles with screens that swivel 180 degrees and flip over to transform them from laptops that sit on the desk to slates that employees can use while standing. Dell's latest entry to this market is the 13.3-inch Latitude XT3, which adds a dose of durability, solid viewing angles, strong sound and a smattering of style to its pen-friendly swiveling touch screen. But is this versatile convertible really worth more than $3,000?

Design

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude XT3 has the now-familiar Tri-Metal design found on members of Dell's Latitude E Series, including the E6220 and E6420. The system's gunmetal-gray aluminum lid and angular chrome sides make the XT3 look more like a model space cruiser than a staid business notebook.

When you push the lid closed, a sliding latch locks into place. When open, the lid swivels 180 degrees to the left or right and folds over the keyboard and deck to bring the XT3 into slate mode. At that point, the latch locks into place to firmly affix the lid to the deck and keep it from flopping around. However, we found that, in either clamshell or slate mode, the latch required multiple strong pushes to lock into place and it lacked a satisfying "snap" sound that would assure us it was affixed.

Because the Latitude XT3 is designed to work in slate mode, it has a number of physical buttons in its bezel, including those for power, volume, orientation and system settings. The fingerprint reader and status lights also sit below the display.

Wherever we carried the XT3, it felt extremely bulky, both in our bag and in our hands. Dell says the XT3 starts at 4.46 pounds with the default battery, but our review unit and its 9-cell battery weighed in at a zaftig 5.2 pounds, much heftier than the 12.5-inch ThinkPad X220 Tablet, which weighs 3.97 pounds with its 6-cell battery, or the last-generation Dell Latitude XT2 that weighed only 3.8 pounds. Add in an optional battery slice that attaches to the bottom of the chassis and the XT3's weight balloons to an unmanageable 6.6 pounds. At 12.7 x 8.7 x 1.2 inches, the Latitude XT3 is only a little longer than the 12.5-inch ThinkPad X220 Tablet.

Durability

Click to EnlargeLike the members of Dell's Latitude E series, the XT3 is designed to be durable, with four magnesium corners, a strong powder-coated base and a spill-resistant keyboard. Dell says the notebook will withstand "defense-grade" MIL-STD-810G testing, which involves surviving extreme temperatures, shock and dust. However, the company does not cover damage in its standard warranty.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude XT3's traditional backlit keyboard offered sound tactile feedback, good key placement and a pleasant rubberized surface on the concave keys. The soft-touch deck was an extremely comfortable place to rest our wrists. On the 10-thumbs typing test, we scored 84 words per minute with a 1 percent error rate, about 5 percent faster than our 80 word-per-minute average.

The 3.1 x 1.6-inch touchpad provides smooth, accurate navigation around the desktop while its two discrete buttons offer just the right amount of feedback. In our testing multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom and three-finger flick worked smoothly, but the three-finger upward swipe that's designed to minimize all apps was difficult to perform because the pad is so narrow.

For those who prefer an alternative form of navigation, the Latitude XT3 also has a pointing stick located between the G and H keys and buttons for left click, right click and scroll below the spacebar. Though we like pointing sticks in general, we found the XT3's uncomfortable to use because its cap sits too low relative to the keys.

Display and Audio

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude XT3's 13.3-inch, 1366 x 768 touch screen was bright enough to be visible outdoors, measuring 267 lux on our light meter, far better than the 175 lux thin-and-light notebook category average. Dell claims this display is designed for daylight viewing and, when we took the XT outdoors with the brightness turned up all the way, we were able to make out the content on the screen in an area with mild afternoon shadows.

When we watched a streaming 1080p trailer for "The Avengers," colors like Iron Man's red armor appeared muted and images were not as crisp as on the Dell Latitude E6220. Viewing angles were solid up to 45 degrees to the left or right but began to wash out at wider perspectives.

As with other Dell Latitude notebooks, the XT3 provides impressive audio quality. When we tried playing both the bass-laden R&B tune "Forget Me Nots" and the guitar-heavy rock tune "When Doves Cry," the music was not only accurate but rich as we could hear a clear separation of sound between left and right speakers. At maximum volume, the speakers were more than loud enough to fill a room.

Touch and Pen Input

Click to EnlargePowered by N-Trig's DuoSense technology, the Latitude XT3's touch screen supports input from both fingers and the bundled active stylus. Unfortunately, the notebook doesn't come with any touch-friendly applications. Windows 7's interface wasn't designed for touch, either. Businesses hoping to deploy the XT3 will need to bring their own applications.

Using just the default OS, we were able to pinch-to-zoom on Web pages, type on Windows 7's touch keyboard, and navigate the Start Menu. Using the preloaded Windows Paint application, we were able to draw with two fingers at once in opposite directions. However, targeting small items like the close and minimize buttons in the upper right corner of Windows was sometimes a challenge.

The active stylus provides a more accurate touch experience than fingers. Using the pen made tapping small icons and buttons on the desktop a breeze. Even better, the pen provided an accurate reproduction of our handwriting, though Windows 7's handwriting interpreter had trouble translating our scribbles into text. For example, when we wrote the word "Avram," Windows 7 interpreted it as "scream."

Heat

Most of the touch points on the Dell Latitude XT3 stayed cool throughout our testing. The keyboard, touchpad and middle bottom registered at 75, 82 and 85 degrees after 15 minutes of playing video at full screen. However, we noticed that, after only a couple of minutes of Web surfing, the left vent belched out air that registered 114 degrees Fahrenheit. With the notebook on our lap, we could really feel the heat on the underside of that vent.

Ports

Click to EnlargeAs an enterprise-friendly business system, the Latitude XT3 has more connectivity options than the average laptop. On the right side sit two USB ports (one of which doubles as an eSATA connection) and a SmartCard reader. The back houses an HDMI port, VGA and Ethernet connections, while the left side contains a third USB port, a 3.5mm audio jack, an SD card reader, a FireWire port and an ExpressCard 34 slot, the latter two of which are rare these days.

Webcam

The 720p webcam provided images that were sharp, but not particularly colorful. When we shot a still under the fluorescent lights of our office, fine details of our face such as wrinkles in our skin were visible, but colors were washed out. When we took a photo in a sunny room, our face was covered in shadow. The camera shot smooth video at 1280 x 720, but under office lights colors were washed out and we noticed a lot of visual noise.

Performance

With its 2.5-GHz Core i5-2520M CPU, 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD, the Dell Latitude XT3 has enough speed to handle high-definition media consumption and a wealth of demanding productivity tasks. On PCMark 07, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall performance, the Latitude XT3 scored a strong 3,949, nearly double the 2,141 thin-and-light notebook category average.

The 128GB SSD booted Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) in just 34 seconds, nearly half the category average of 61 seconds and just behind the 31 seconds offered by the Dell Latitude E6220. It took the Folio 13 26 seconds to start.

Because of its speedy SSD, the Dell Latitude XT3 took just 1 minute and 1 second to complete the LAPTOP File Transfer test, which involves copying 4.97GB of mixed media files. That's a rate of 83.4 MBps, more than triple the 27.5 MBps category average and significantly faster than the HP Folio's 64.4 MBps speed.

The XT3's 2.5-GHz Core i5 processor allowed it to complete our spreadsheet test, in which we match 20,000 names with their addresses, in just 5 minutes and 17 seconds, significantly faster than the 6:05 category average. The Latitude XT3 was also able to transcode a 5-minute HD video to iPod Touch format in a mere 26 seconds using Cyberlink Media Espresso, more than twice as fast as the 1:28 category average.

Graphics

The Latitude XT3's integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 chip is good enough for office tasks, but forget about serious gaming. On 3DMark06, a synthetic test that measures overall graphics prowess, the XT3 scored a reasonable 5,282, comfortably above the 4,917 category average.

When we fired up "World of Warcraft," the XT3 provided a reasonable 39 frames per second at the game's default settings. However, when we turned the settings up to maximum, that number dropped to an unplayable 17 fps.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeWith its extended 9-cell battery, the Dell XT3 lasted 6 hours and 47 minutes on the LAPTOP Battery Test, which involves continuous surfing over Wi-Fi at 40 percent brightness, a bit longer than the 6-hour and 10-minute thin-and-light category average. An optional 9-cell battery slice attaches to the docking station on the bottom and promises significantly longer battery life, though it costs $249 and adds 1.4 pounds of weight and significant bulk to the system.

Software and Warranty

Click to EnlargeDell keeps the software preload on the XT3 very light, including just a few basic utilities such as Dell Webcam Central for shooting photos and video with the camera, Dell System and Devices Manager for controlling the keyboard backlight and display, Dell Access for configuring the fingerprint reader and Dell Backup and Recovery Manager. CyberLink PowerDVD 9.5 and Roxio Creator Starter allow you to burn DVDs and CDs using the external optical drive.

The Latitude XT3 comes with a standard three-year warranty on parts and labor, three times as long as the standard one-year warranty that Lenovo and HP provide with their convertible notebooks. Customers can buy higher levels of support and extend that warranty to four or five years at additional cost. The standard warranty does not cover the kind of accidental damage that might occur if the durable XT3 did not survive a fall, spill or other mishap.

See how Dell performed in our Tech Support Showdown and Best & Worst Notebook brands report.

Configurations

Our review unit of the Dell XT3 carries a lofty $3,003 MSRP. For that price, you get the "daylight-viewing" display, a 2.5-GHz Core i5 CPU, a 128GB SSD, 4GB of RAM, a 9-cell battery, a 9-cell battery slice, an external DVD drive, a backlit keyboard, Bluetooth and a fingerprint reader.

The base configuration starts at $2,108 and comes with the same Core i5 CPU, external optical drive and 4GB of RAM, but only a single 6-cell battery, a 250GB 5,400 rpm hard drive, no keyboard backlight and a dimmer screen. Users can configure the system with different CPU, RAM, battery, Wi-Fi and keyboard (backlit or not) options. We highly recommend the 9-cell battery ($79) over the 6-cell default.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeWith a responsive touch screen, an accurate pen, a comfortable keyboard and an attractive design, the Dell Latitude XT3 provides a strong option for those users who require a convertible Windows 7 notebook. However, with a starting price of more than $2,100 ($3,003 as configured) and a bulky chassis, the XT3 is both more expensive and heavier than 12-inch competitors like the HP EliteBook 2760p ($1,039 starting price, 3.97-pound weight) and the Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Tablet ($798, 3.6-pounds with 9-cell battery). For that additional money, the XT3 provides an added dose of durability and a larger screen, but at a price that would allow you to buy two convertible notebooks from another vendor or 3 iPads and a Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook.

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Designed to withstand more abuse than the typical business notebook, the 12.5-inch Dell Latitude E6220 packs plenty of performance into a durable and light 3.6-pound design. With its amazingly tactile keyboard, blistering SSD, and striking tri-metal design, this notebook has a lot to offer business users on the go. But do the added resilience and premium components justify this laptop's whopping $2,447 price tag?

Design

Click to EnlargeMore attractive than most business notebooks this size, the Latitude E6220 has the same "space age" aesthetic as the larger Latitude E6420. The machine's gunmetal gray aluminum lid, matte chrome sides, and angular sides reminded us more of a space cruiser than a business tool.

At 3.6 pounds and 12.2 x 8.9 x 0.1 inches thick, the Dell Latitude E6220 falls squarely into the ultraportable notebook category. The notebook is thinner but weighs the same as the Lenovo Thinkpad X220 with 9-cell battery (12 x 8.1 x 1.25 inches). The HP Elitebook 2560p (4.4 pounds, 12.0 x 8.2 x 1.1 inches) weighs considerably more.

Durability

Click to Enlarge

The E6220's Tri-Metal chassis is designed for durability with its highly-anodized lid and magnesium wrapped corners to protect it from bumps. A spill-resistant keyboard and LCD protective seal round out this business-rugged, MIL-STD 810G spec-tested offering. Dell claims this Latitude can survive 30-inch drops, extreme temperatures, vibrations, dust and high altitudes.

However, the 6-cell battery, which sticks out of the back, felt rather loose. Dell did not provide any specific claims about how what the notebook can withstand, including which of the many MIL-STD 810G tests the E6220 has undergone and whether it passed them. The standard 3-year warranty does not cover the laptop should it fail to survive any form of accidental damage.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Click to Enlarge

The Latitude E6220's backlit, spill-resistant keyboard provides one of the best typing experiences we've had on a notebook. The traditional-style keys have a comfortable rubberized surface that's slightly concave, making it easy to feel the boundaries between keys and stay anchored to the home row.

Better still, the keys offer a high level of tactile feedback that reminded us of the industry-leading keyboard on the ThinkPad X1. Though we wish it were deep enough to support our full wrists, the soft-touch palmrest was very comfortable. We were able to achieve a strong score of 92 words per minute with a zero percent error rate on the Ten Thumbs Typing tutor test, far better than our typical 80 wpm and 1 percent score.

The 3.1 x 1.6-inch touchpad is a little on the small side, but its smooth matte surface provides just the right amount of friction and its two discrete, rubberized buttons provide an optimal amount of feedback. Navigating around the desktop was a breeze as the pointer moved at just the right pace and never jumped or got stuck.

Multitouch gestures were smooth, too, including pinch-to-zoom, rotation, three finger flicking through photos and pushing three fingers up to minimize windows or launch a program. The Dell Touchpad software provides an attractive interface for configuring touchpad sensitivity and turning specific gestures on and off.

Display and Audio

Click to Enlarge

The 1366 x 768, 12.5-inch matte display provided sharp and colorful images. When we watched a 1080p YouTube trailer for "The Avengers", colors such as the Black Widow's red hair and Captain America's blue costume appeared vibrant and the edges of objects seemed particularly crisp. Colors stayed true at up to 45 degrees to the left or right, but became a little washed out at 90 degrees. Measuring a moderate 159 lux on our light meter, the screen was noticeably brigher than the HP Folio 13's 139 lux.

In an ultraportable notebook market filled with tinny speakers, the Dell Latitude E6220 stands out by offering sound that's loud and rich enough to compete with an inexpensive bookshelf stereo. When we tried playing both the bass-heavy R&B song "Forget Me Nots" and the funk classic "Summer Madness," we could hear a clear, warm separation of sound between different instruments. Better still, the max volume was loud enough to not only fill our living room but could be heard clearly in an adjacent bedroom.

However, when we tried playing guitar-heavy rock tunes such as Dio's "Rainbow in the Dark" or Judas Priest's "Breaking the Law," drums sounded a bit harsh and tinny until we either lowered the volume to about 80 percent or lifted the notebook off our desk. Dell does not include any special audio control software like it does with Wavemaxx on the Dell XPS line.

Heat

The Dell Latitude E6220 stayed pleasantly cool throughout our tests. After streaming video for 15 minutes, we measured the touchpad at a cool 87 degrees, the keyboard at a comfy 89 degrees and the bottom at a mere 90 degrees Fahrenheit. We consider temperatures below 95 degrees acceptable and those below 90 degrees barely perceptible.

Ports and Webcam

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude E6220 has most of the ports you'd want from a business ultraportable, with the notable exception of USB 3.0. On the right side sits an ExpressCard/34 slot, a Wi-Fi on/off switch, two USB 2.0 ports, and HDMI out. The back side plays host to an Ethernet port while the right houses a VGA out, headset jack, eSATA / USB port, and an SD card reader. Considering the system's price, we'd expect a USB 3.0 port, but at least you can purchase a third-party USB 3.0 adapter to connect to the ExpressCard slot.

Click to EnlargeThe 720p webcam captures sharp images and smooth video, though low-light performance was a mixed bag in our tests. When we shot a photo of our face under the flourescent lights of our office and at mid-afternoon in our living room with only sunlight from the window, our features appeared a bit shadowy. However, when we shot a photo in a darker sitting, with a light source several feet behind us, our face appeared much brighter and more colorful.

A video call on Skype was extremely smooth though our skin tone appeared a bit too red. Dell's webcam central control software offers a face-tracking feature that did not work properly; it zoomed in on a photograph on the wall behind us rather than our face.

Performance

Click to EnlargeWith its 2.6-GHz Core i5-2540M processor, 4GB of RAM and 256GB Samsung SSD, the Dell Latitude E6220 can handle most demanding tasks with ease. Whether we were playing a 1080p movie trailer, executing a massive spreadsheet formula or transcoding video files, the system proved speedy.

On PCMark 07, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall performance, the Latitude E6220 scored a strong 4,138. That showing is nearly double the 2,249 ultraportable notebook category average and the 2,400 offered by the Core i5-powered HP EliteBook 2560p.

The 256GB Samsung SSD booted Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) in just 31 seconds, significantly faster than the 53-second category average, the ThinkPad X220's 47 seconds and the HP EliteBook 2560p's 56 seconds. However, both the ThinkPad and EliteBook we tested had mechanical hard drives.

The SSD also showed its superiority by completing the LAPTOP File Transfer test, in which we copy 4.97GB of files, in just 52 seconds. That's a rate of 97.9 MBps, which is more than double the 41 MBps category average, the ThinkPad X220's 32.2 MBps, and the HP EliteBook 2560p's 28.9 MBps.

The Latitude E6220 can transcode video with the best notebooks around. It took just 25 seconds to convert a 5-minute HD video to iPod Touch format in Cyberlink Mediashow Espresso, much faster than the 2-minute and 58-second category average and the 37 seconds provided by the ThinkPad X220.

The Latitude also took a mere 5 minutes and 20 seconds to complete the OpenOffice Spreadsheet test, which uses a macro to match 10,000 names with their addresses. That's less than half the 10:56 category average.

Graphics

Click to Enlarge

The Dell Latitude E6220's integrated Intel HD graphics chip is good enough for business tasks and playing videos, but forget about serious gaming. On 3DMark06, a benchmark which measures overall graphics prowess, the E6220 scored a strong 5,255. This score is well above the 3,203 category average, the ThinkPad X220's 3,494 and the HP EliteBook 2560p's 4,792.

However, when we played World of Warcraft with the settings turned down, the E6220 managed a playable but unimpressive 36 frames per second, less than the 38 fps category average. With the settings pumped up to max, the E6220 managed only 17 fps, which is unplayable but on a par with the 16 fps category average.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeWith its 6-cell battery, the Dell Latitude E6220 lasts a respectable 6 hours and 55 minutes, better than the 6-hour and 39-minute ultraporatable category average, but noticeably shorter than the 7:51 that the ThinkPad X220 got with its 6-cell battery. Though Dell does not offer a 9-cell option for this notebook, both the ThinkPad X220 and HP EliteBook excel with their 9-cell packs, lasting for 12:39 and 11:34 hours respectively. Dell does offer a $250 battery slice that attaches to the bottom of the E6220.

Configuration Options

Though our review configuration carries an MSRP of $2,447, the Dell Latitude E6220 has a current starting price of $1,329. For that cost, you get a 2.5-GHz Core i5-2520M CPU, Windows 7 Home Premium, 4GB of RAM, a 3-cell battery, no webcam and a 250GB 5,400 rpm hard drive.

Dell's website lets you custom configure the Latitude E6220 with a choice of Core i5 or Core i7 CPUs, 4 to 8GB of RAM, 3 or 6-cell batteries, and a very limited choice of storage drives that includes either a 250GB hard drive, a 128GB SSD for $230, or a 256GB SSD for a whopping $560. We wish Dell offered high-resolution screen and discrete graphics options as it does for the 14-inch Latitude E6420. Whatever configuration you choose, we highly recommend that you spring for the 6-cell battery ($19).

Software and Warranty

Dell keeps the software preload on the Latitude E6220 fairly light. Dell Backup and Recovery Manager backs up your data. Dell Access allows you to set your password and configure any additional security features you might have like a SmartCard reader. Webcam Central shoots photos and videos with the included HD webcam. Dell System Manager and Power Manager allow you to tweak settings such as the power profile and the brightness of the keyboard backlight. We wish Dell had a more robust suite of data security tools like the Protect Tools software that HP includes on most of its business notebooks, but those who want features like a file shredder can always find third-party programs.

The Latitude E6220 comes with a standard three-year limited warranty on parts and labor, which compares favorably to the one year standard warranties offered by Lenovo and HP on their ThinkPad and Elitebook lines. At additional cost, you can extend the warranty to four or five years, get on-site service, or purchase accidental damage protection.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeWith its strong performance, world-class keyboard and crystal-clear audio, the Dell Latitude E6220 has a lot to like. Yet, for the somewhat-vague promise of added ruggedness, the notebook costs a lot more than competitors with longer battery life. Those looking for a better value should consider the Lenovo ThinkPad X220 which starts at $899, costs just $1,399 when configured similarly to our $2,447 Latitude, and lasts more than 12 hours on a charge with its 9-cell battery. However, if you're looking for a business ultraportable with fantastic ergonomics and an added dose of durability, the Latitude E6220 is a strong choice.

To say the 14-inch Dell Latitude E6420 XFR could take a licking would be an understatement. The fully rugged MIL-STD tested notebook can withstand anything from 6-foot drops to wind-blown rain, making it ideal for those working in hazardous locations. Equipped with a Core i7 processor, a bright display, and a long-lasting battery, the E6420 XFR can handle heavy-duty tasks without breaking a sweat. But is this rough and tumble notebook worth its $5,612 price tag?

Design

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude E6420 XFR looks more like a small tank than a notebook. The entire gray chassis is made from PR-72 ultra-polymer and a magnesium alloy that can absorb a lot of abuse. XFR logos inscribed on either side of the lid gives the notebook a tough, chiseled look. The center of the lid has a gunmetal plate with a simple crosshatch design and a raised Dell insignia. Each corner of the notebook has a black rubber bumper, providing additional protection against the inevitable drop. A sturdy black metal latch is located on the front of the system to secure the lid.

On the E6420 XFR, ports that are normally exposed and vulnerable on traditional laptops are protected by covers secured by black sliding latches.

The notebook's interior is done in the same gray ultra-polymer magnesium alloy as the lid. Exposed screws on the keyboard deck and bezel reinforce the extremely rugged aesthetic (see pictures below in Keyboard and Touchpad). Small volume and mute buttons sit on the right, adjacent to the full-size keyboard.

The 6.6-pound, 14 x 11.7 x 2.2-inch E6420 XFR is lighter than its predecessor, the 8.5-pound, 13.9 x 11.5 x 2.2 E6400 XFR. Still, it's heavy for a notebook. Fortunately, a large black rubber handle on the front of the E6420 makes the machine relatively easy to carry.

Durability

The E6420 XFR not only looks like a tank, it also has tank-like durability. The high-strength PR-72 ultra-polymer in the chassis improves upon the E6400 XFR's PR481 chassis material, increasing the notebook's drop spec from 4 to 6 feet. The rubber bumpers have also been redesigned for better protection against bumps and drops.

Click to EnlargeSimilar to the E6400 XFR's design, all ports and slots on the E6420 XFR are protected by doors using PrimoSeal technology, which has an industry rating of IP-65. When closed, the port doors seal completely thanks to compression gasketing designed to keep water and dust from the notebook's interior.

The E6420 is able to operate in extreme temperatures thanks to its QuadCool thermal technology. Dell says the E6420 XFR can stay cool under pressure without the use of external vents, thanks to a combination of conductive cooling, thermal pipes, and a sealed fan chamber.

These components combine to create what Dell calls its Ballistic Armor, which enables the notebook to withstand rigorous MIL-STD-810G and MIL-STD-461F testing. The E6420 XFR can withstand drops from 6 feet while closed and off. When it's open and turned on, the machine can survive a fall from 3 feet. The notebook can also endure 5.8 inches of rain and 70-mph winds while open and operating, as well as temperatures ranging from -20 degrees Fahrenheit to 145 degrees. And if that wasn't enough, the E6420 XFR can operate in an explosive environment--for example, a room saturated with gasoline fumes--without igniting the air around it.

With the notebook turned off and closed, we dropped it twice from a height of 6 feet. While some of the port covers popped open, the notebook didn't suffer any damage, and started up normally. Then, with the notebook turned on and open, we dropped it twice from a height of three feet. This time, the port covers remained closed, and the E6420 continued running normally.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Click to EnlargeThe black matte full-size backlit keyboard on the E6420 XFR provided a very comfortable typing experience. The flat, medium-sized keys are smudge- and fingerprint-prone, but they provided firm feedback with little flex. We also liked the backlighting on the keyboard, which is adjustable in 25-percent increments.

We appreciated the slightly gritty, frictionless surface of the 3.1 x 1.7-inch touchpad, and were able to navigate the desktop with great accuracy. However, multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom, three-finger press and flick, and two-finger scroll and rotation were very difficult to execute, and the touchpad often misinterpreted our movements. While they're rubber-coated--which usually means mushy--the soft-touch mouse buttons felt velvety and provided springy feedback.

Heat

Despite its QuadCool thermal technology, the E6420 XFR runs hot under the collar. After streaming a video on Hulu for 15 minutes, the notebook's touchpad measured a balmy 93 degrees Fahrenheit, while the space between the G and H keys measured 92 degrees. The underside vent blew an uncomfortable 100 degrees, while the bottom middle vent measured 104 degrees. We consider temperatures above 95 degrees uncomfortable.

Display and Touchscreen

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E6420 XFR's 14-inch matte HD 1366 x 768 Direct Vue display is super bright with rich, vivid colors. We were impressed with how well the 654-lux display--well above most notebooks, which average about 200 lux--maintained its brightness and color integrity in direct sunlight. We were taken with the deep golden hues and milky jades when watching a DVD of Aeon Flux. However, we did notice some graininess, which detracted somewhat from the viewing experience.

For an additional $500, the display can come equipped with a resistive touch screen. Unlike with capacitive touch screens, you're limited to one- and two-finger input, and then only for activities such as selecting text. Still, this also means that you can use this Dell in the field while wearing gloves. Using the small attached stylus, we were able to highlight text in documents and websites. It wasn't as accurate as we would have liked, as the stylus would also highlight either the line above or below our intended line. However, we were able to recalibrate the display using the eGalaxTouch utility.

Audio

The E6420 XFR's speakers are located on the bottom front lip of the system. We were forced to crank the volume to maximum just to be able to hear the dialogue in Aeon Flux. However, music playback was better. The notebook delivered clear, rich audio on Rihanna's "Talk That Talk," including crisp snares and claps during a synthesized instrumental. Rihanna's unique vocals were clear and lilting, as were Jay-Z's braggadocious rhymes.

The notebook also has a Stealth mode, which shuts off audio and the keyboard backlight while dimming the screen--perfect for maintaining cover in a potentially hostile situation.

Ports and Webcam

Click to EnlargeAs mentioned above, all the ports on the E6240 are protected by gasket-sealed metal doors that keep moisture and dust from entering. On the right, one large door covers two USB 2.0 ports, an ExpressCard/54 slot, a Wi-Fi radio switch, and the tray-loading DVD burner. A smaller door next to it protects an HDMI and a USB/eSATA port. On the left, one door covers a VGA and Serial port, while another shields the hard drive.

Click to EnlargeOne large door on the rear of the E6420 opens to expose the battery; two small doors on either side cover the power and Ethernet ports. On the front edge, a sliding door, just underneath the handle, protects the SD card slot. Below that is a slot for the small metal stylus. The bottom of the notebook has a connector dock, which is also covered by a sliding latch.

Swappable media bay modules allow users to switch out or remove components, such as the DVD burner, while the notebook is up and running.

Click to EnlargeUsing Dell Webcam Central, the 2-megapixel captures stills and video in 1920 x 1080. When we shot photos of our face under fluorescent lighting, images looked clear with sharp detail. We did notice that colors, especially red, appeared a little washed out. During our Skype session, our caller reported a slightly grainy image, but with in-sync audio that was plenty loud.

Performance

It's not just the exterior of the Dell Latitude E6420 XFR that impresses. The E6420 XFR packs a 2.7-GHz Intel Core i7-2620M CPU with 6GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and an Intel HD Graphics 3000 GPU. This notebook has more than enough power to handle any heavy-duty productivity tasks.

On PCMark07, a synthetic test that measures overall performance, the E6420 XFR scored 4,147, nearly double the 2,238 mainstream laptop category average. During the OpenOffice benchmark, the notebook matched 20,000 names to their corresponding addresses in 4 minutes and 43 seconds, much faster than the 6:56 mainstream average.

A lot of the E6420 XFR's speed comes from its 128GB solid state drive, which loaded the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Professional in a smoking 35 seconds. That's 26 seconds faster than the 0:61 category average. On our File Transfer Test, the E6420 XFR duplicated 4.97GB of mixed-media files in 59 seconds, a transfer rate of 86.2 MBps. That's more than double the 30.1 MBps category average and the V100's 56.5 MBps.

Graphics Performance

With its Intel HD Graphics 3000 GPU, the Latitude E6420 XFR can handle HD movies and play mainstream games at a reasonable clip. On 3DMark06, a benchmark that measures overall graphics performance, the E6420 XFR scored 5,926, well above the 4,748 mainstream category average.

In our World of Warcraft test, this Dell Latitude notched a playable 40 fps frame rate. However, the category average is 63 fps. When we switched to 1366 x 768 resolution and maximum settings, the E6420 XFR notched 31 fps, slightly above the 28 fps category average.

Battery Life

During the LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi), the E6420 XFR clocked in at exactly 8 hours, nearly twice as long as the 4:37 mainstream category average. Since this laptop is designed for field use, its extra-long endurance is critical to the target audience.

Software and Warranty

Click to EnlargeThe Latitude E6420 XFR's comes with a few helpful bundled utilities, such as Dell Backup and Recovery and Dell System and Devices Manager, which let us set hotkeys and adjust screen and keyboard brightness. There's also Dell Access, which lets users set up a pre-Windows login and a Windows login (pictured).

Third-party software includes Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office Starter, Windows Live, and a 30-day free
trial of Trend Micro 3.5.

The Dell Latitude E6420 XFR has a three-year Basic Hardware Service with three-year NBD Limited On-site Service after Remote Diagnosis warrant. See how Dell stacked up in this year's Tech Support Showdown and Best & Worst Brands report.

Configurations

Our $5,612 review unit came equipped with a 2.7-GHz Intel Core i7-2620M CPU, 6GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and Intel HD Graphics 3000. Our unit also featured a touchscreen display (a $500 option), backlit rubber keyboard ($199), and fingerprint reader ($29). The $4,532 base model features a 2.5-GHz Intel Core i5-2520M with 3GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and Intel HD 3000 GPU. The $4,577 and $4,832 versions of the E6420 have 4GB and 6GB of RAM, respectively.

Adding Nvidia NVS4200M discrete graphics costs $40, while upgrading to a 256GB SSD will run $700. Those who need extra connectivity options can opt for a built-in GPS module ($449), as well as integrated mobile broadband. AT&T HSPA and EVDO cards cost $125, while built-in 4G LTE goes for $249.

Video Review

Verdict

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Latitude E6420 XFR combines extreme durability with strong overall performance and long battery life, exactly what demanding rugged notebook shoppers are looking for. The only thing that keeps this tank of a laptop from earning our Editors' Choice award is its above-average running temperature. Some may prefer the Panasonic Toughbook 31, which offers a sealed all-weather design that can also handle 6-foot drops. However, the Toughbook doesn't have a Core i7 option like the Dell and it weighs over a pound more despite featuring a smaller 13-inch screen. While the $5,612 price is steep, the E6420 XFR is an excellent choice for the military, those who work on oil rigs, or anyone looking for a highly durable, high-performance notebook for field use.

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If the Dell Latitude E6420 ATG seems familiar, it should. It's the semi-rugged version of the business-centric Latitude E6420, which has a stylish, durable design and a great keyboard. Dell has built on those strengths by beefing up the system's durability and ruggedness, and adding a solid state drive for even greater performance. Our configuration even includes a touchscreen, which field workers might appreciate. But do those improvements warrant the $3,012 price tag?

Design

Like the E6420, the E6420 ATG's MIL-STD810G tested, Tri-Metal chassis is designed to withstand almost anything business users can throw at it, including drops, extreme heat and cold, and dust. Its lid is covered in sharp gray, anodized brushed aluminum that is bordered by a black, textured scratch-resistant hard plastic, which helps make the lid feel exceedingly sturdy. The lid also has two conveniently placed status lights in the upper right-hand corner that turn on when the system is in use and running low on battery power. The underside of the unit is protected by the same black, powder-coated magnesium base found on the E6420. Other features carried over from the E6420 are the system's metal hinges and sturdy closing latch, but on the ATG, the ports are protected by rubber covers.

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Open the E6420 ATG's lid and what you'll find is essentially a carbon copy of the E6420. It features the same comfortable, spill-resistant keyboard, complete with adjustable touch-activated backlight and pointing stick. A bright orange pinstripe surrounds the keyboard and adds some personality to the Latitude's design.

The E6420 ATG's matte-black deck offers a comfortable palm rest and includes a set of volume buttons on its right-hand side. On the deck's upper left-hand corner are three indicator lights that give the status of the system's battery, hard drive, and wireless signal. To help protect the E6420 ATG's display, Dell has reinforced the screen's frame and equipped it with a spill-resistant seal.

The price you pay for all of the E6420 ATG's protective features is its sheer size. Measuring 4 x 9.7 x 1.5 inches (with its port covers) and weighing in at 6.6 pounds with its nine-cell battery, the 14-inch E6420 ATG is larger and weighs 0.4 pounds more than the E6420 (which includes the same battery back) and 2 pounds heavier than Toshiba's Tecra R840 (S8430).

Ruggedness

In terms of durability, the ATG sits between the business-rugged E6420 and the fully rugged E6420 XTR. While the standard E6420 can withstand some dings, the ATG is meant to take the type of damage that a business traveler would likely throw at it, such as additional bumps, knocks, and spills. The XFR, however, is meant for police work and the military, and can withstand intense rain, extreme temperature changes, and drops of up to 6 feet.

Dell claims the E6420 ATG passed 16 MIL-STD810G durability tests and the IP5X dust test. According to Dell, the laptop can survive 26 drops from a height of 30 inches onto a 2-inch piece of plywood with the system powered down and its lid closed. Dell also claims the system can withstand a 1-inch diameter ball bearing dropped onto the screen from a height of 30 inches 20 times, and up to 6 ounces of water spilled on the keyboard.

With the E6420 ATG closed and turned off, we dropped it once off of one of our desks onto a carpeted concrete floor, a distance of 30 inches. The laptop didn't sustain any cracks, and the notebook booted up right away.

We then poured approximately two ounces of water on three evenly spaced locations on the keyboard. After tilting it on its side and letting it drain for two minutes, we turned the system back on and it functioned normally. However, roughly an hour later, the E6420 ATG's keyboard stopped working. No other functions were affected.

We tried traditional troubleshooting methods (restarting the system, turning it off and removing the battery), but nothing seemed to work. As a last resort, we turned the unit off, propped it up on its side, and left it overnight. In the morning the keyboard was fully functional, but that's a long time to be unproductive.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The concave keys on the E6420 ATG's keyboard were sturdy, offering little give and providing excellent feedback. Using the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, we scored an average of 63 words per minute with an error rate of two percent; that's the same rate and error percentage we scored on our office desktop. Depressing the keys also activated the keyboard's adjustable backlight.

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We found the laptops's recessed pointing stick to be somewhat difficult to control. However, the stick's three programmable buttons (above the touchpad) proved quite useful. The E6420 ATG's nicely proportioned, matte-black 3.1 x 1.7-inch touchpad and two rubberized buttons were smooth and accurate, offering excellent feedback. Multitouch gestures such as two-finger pinch-to-zoom, rotate, and three-finger quick launch features worked similarly well, although each needed to be activated upon initial startup under Dell's touchpad settings menu.

Ports and Webcam

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On the right side of the Latitude E6420 ATG are an ExpressCard/54 slot, DVD drive, two USB 2.0 ports, and one USB 2.0/ eSATA combination port. The left side of the system offers an additional USB 2.0 port, VGA, a combination microphone/ headphone port, and a smart card reader slot. On the back of the unit are HDMI and Ethernet ports and a Kensington lock slot. An SD card reader is located on the front of the system. All of the ports are protected by rubber covers. The underside of the E6420 ATG includes two covered slots from which users can connect a carrying handle. Conspicuously absent from the unit is a USB 3.0 port, which we expect on a system this price.

The 2-megapixel HD webcam on this notebook functioned very well, providing crisp images in both light and dim environments. When we used the webcam in a cubicle, image quality was excellent. The Dell Webcam Central software lets users upload and share their photos and videos with the software's integrated e-mail, YouTube, and Photobucket support, and a custom avatar creator helps users make and share their own avatars for video chats.

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Performance

The Latitude E6420 ATG's 2.7-GHz Intel Core i7-2620M, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB solid state drive helped the notebook turn in impressive performance numbers. In PCMark Vantage, the E6420 ATG scored 11,271, well above the mainstream category average of 5,551 and the 8,242 score the non-ruggedized E6420 turned in (which didn't have an SSD). The last business notebook that scored this high was the Lenovo ThinkPad T410s, whose 2.66-GHz Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB SSD combined for a score of 11,264.

The E6420 ATG's 128 GB SSD helped the machine boot Windows Professional 7 in a staggering 35 seconds, 30 seconds faster than the category average (65.7 seconds). The drive also duplicated 4.97GB of multimedia files in 59 seconds for a rate of 86.2 MBps. That blows away the category average of 26.8 MBps.

The E6420 ATG also proved to be a champ in the Oxelon Media Encoder test. It converted a 114MB MP4 file to AVI format in 27 seconds, worlds faster than the category average of 1 minute and 10 seconds.

Graphics

The E6420 ATG's Nvidia NVS 4200M graphics chip and its 512MB of discrete memory helped trounce the competition on our graphics tests. Its 5,926 in the 3DMark06 benchmark test is well above the category average of 3,95. Only the non-ruggedized E6420 came close with a score of 5,060.

When it came to real-world testing, however, the E6420 ATG was more of a mixed bag. With the graphics settings on autodetect, the E6420 ATG only managed to play World of Warcraft at 40 frames per second at a resolution of 1366 x 768. That's lower than the category average of 68 fps and the E6420 (41 fps). When the graphics settings were dialed up, the E6420 ATG mustered a playable 31 fps. The category average is 26 fps.

While playing the much more graphically demanding Far Cry 2 with the graphics set on autodetect, the E6420 ATG came in at 33 fps. That's lower than the category average of 38 fps, but higher than the E6420 (23 fps).

Battery Life and Wireless

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Equipped with a hefty nine-cell battery, the E6420 ATG lasted exactly 8 hours in our LAPTOP Battery Test, which involves continuous web surfing via Wi-Fi. That's nearly double the 4:29 category average. Despite the E6420 ATG's great showing in this test, it's still fell behind the E6420's time of 8:59 with a similar nine-cell battery pack.

For all of its processing and graphical power, the E6420 ATG underperformed in our Wi-Fi testing. Its Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 AGN 802.11a/b/g/nwireless card averaged a transfer rate of 28.4 Mbps at a distance of 15 feet, better than the E6420 (26.9 Mbps), but well below the category average (36.7 Mbps). At a distance of 50 feet, the E6420 ATG again fell below the category average, with a transfer rate of 18.7 Mbps versus 21.8 Mbps.

Configurations

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While the E6420 ATG starts at $1,949, our configuration cost $3,012. This is what you get for three grand: a 2.7-GHz Core i7, 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, Nvidia NVS 4200M graphics chip, resistive touchscreen, a nine-cell battery, and Windows 7 Professional 64-bit edition. For the aforementioned $1,949, you get a 2.5-GHz Intel Core i5-2520M processor, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB, 5,400-rpm hard drive, a six-cell battery, an integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 chip, no touchscreen, and Windows 7 Professional 32-bit edition.

Users can also configure the E6420 ATG with a quad-core Intel Core i7-2720QM processor and up to 8GB of RAM. Storage options range up to a 256GB SSD drive. And for users seeking an extra bit of protection, a fingerprint reader and contactless smart card reader are available as $29 options.

If you don't need the durability the ATG offers, a Latitude E6420 equipped with the same Core i7 processor, touchscreen, 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD drive, and Nvidia graphics chip as our review unit is available for $1,725.

Software

The Latitude E6420 ATG comes with an array of software, including Dell's Webcam Central; Dell Data Protection | Access, which allows users to encrypt data on their hard drive or removable media (USB drive, media card, etc.); and Dell's Backup and Recovery Manager. The E6420 ATG also includes Intel's vPro technology, which can provide IT departments remote access to the system. Intel's Anti-Theft Technology software can also completely disable the OS if a theft situation is detected. Reinstalling the operating system won't bypass this feature.

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Dell also bundles Microsoft's Office Starter, which includes reduced-functionality versions of Word and Excel, as well as a 30-day trial of Trend Micro's Worry-Free Business Security Services software.

Warranty

Dell offers three years of its ProSupport service with 3 years of next business day limited on-site service. That can be upgraded to four years for an additional $140 or five years for $270. A basic service plan gives users five years of basic hardware service with five years of next business day limited on-site service after remote diagnosis for $120. See how Dell fared on our Tech Support Showdown and Best & Worst Brands roundup.

Verdict

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The Dell Latitude E6420 ATG is a semi-rugged laptop that offers exceptional power and battery life and a more durable design than your typical business machine. However, at $3,012, this notebook is quite expensive. In fact, for the price delta between the ATG model and the regular Latitude E6420, you could get a whole other non-ruggedized E6420, so you have to really need the extra protection this laptop offers. We also wish the E6420 ATG did a better job of shrugging off our water spill test. Overall, though, the E6420 ATG is a viable option for workers who are hard on their machines.

Combining style, power, and durability, the Dell Latitude E6320 is a 13-inch business notebook designed to impress. A solid metal chassis, Intel Core i7 processor, excellent keyboard, and six hours of battery life mean you'll make it through the longest of PowerPoint presentations, too. The E6320 starts at $929, but our high-powered configuration will cost you a cool $1,529. How much bang do you get for your buck?

Design

The Dell Latitude E6320 is both stylish and rugged, thanks to its Tri-Metal frame. The lid is comprised of a durable slate gray brushed anodized aluminum surrounded by a gray magnesium alloy, and steel hinges connect it to the base. Unlike the rest of the chassis, the base is made of plastic, but is powder-coated to better protect against nicks and scratches.

Inside, the E6320 exudes understated style with a black matte soft-touch rubberized material. The black matte keyboard deck is surrounded by the same slate-gray aluminum as the lid. An orange border encasing the keyboard deck adds a nice pop of color. The bezel takes design cues from the keyboard with a black matte finish.

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Measuring 13.2 x 8.8 x 1.0-1.2 inches and weighing 4.2 pounds, the E6320 fit easily into our shoulder bag, and we were able to carry it for long periods of time without any discomfort. The 13-inch HP ProBook 5330m weighs 4 pounds, and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 is a lighter 3.8 pounds, but both of those machines lack DVD drives.

Like the HP Elitebook 8460p and the Lenovo Thinkpad X1, the Dell Latitude E6320 is MIL-STD-810G tested, meaning it can withstand vibration, extreme temperatures, dust, and high altitudes. Additionally, the E6320 has a spill-resistant keyboard, a protective rubber seal around the display, and a bumper that protects the screen from sudden jolts.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Large responsive concave keys combined with a soft-touch palm rest made typing on the E6320 a pleasurable experience. We were able to type effortlessly with few errors. Our configuration of the Latitude E6320 didn't include a backlit keyboard, but you can get it as a $49 option.

The E6320's 3.1 x 1.6-inch touchpad was smooth and friction-free. Multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom and two-finger scrolling were responsive and fast. Our favorite multitouch gesture, Quick Launch, allowed us to map a specific command (minimize all, blank screen, and lock computer) to a three-finger gesture. However, Dell has multitouch gestures turned off by default.

In addition to a touchpad, the Latitude E6320 features a pointing stick between the G and H keys. While it was accurate, we always felt like our finger would slip from the concave, slippery nub. The slipping sensation caused us to press harder than necessary for a pointing stick. The textured, raised nubs on ThinkPads continue to be the gold standard in pointing sticks.

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Heat

Throughout our testing, the Latitude E6320 remained reasonably cool. After 15 minutes of streaming video from Hulu at full screen, the touchpad measured 87 degrees Fahrenheit, the keyboard measured 90 degrees, and the bottom center area measured 92 degrees. However the bottom left side of the notebook registered at a hot 104 degrees. We deem temperatures higher than 95 degrees as uncomfortable for long-term use.

Display and Audio

Click to enlargeThe Latitude E6320 features a 13.3-inch matte, antiglare, LED-backlit display with a 1366 x 768-pixel native resolution. While its brightness of 200 nits is less than the ThinkPad X1 (350 nits), images were sharp with vivid colors. Cameron Diaz's blue eyes and bright red lipstick popped during our viewing of the Bad Teacher trailer in 1080p. When we watched the Super 8 trailer, fire had bright hues of red and orange, especially during explosions. However, we did notice some slight pixelation during night scenes. Viewing angles were somewhat limited, with colors beginning to wash out past 45 degrees horizontally.

At maximum volume, the E6320 could fill a small room, albeit with tinny audio. When we listened to Kanye West's "All of the Lights," we could clearly hear the piano and violin during the intro, but the bass line sounded slightly muted. We also noticed that sound became muffled when we placed the E6320 in our lap due to the speakers' placement on the front lip of the laptop.

Webcam and Ports

The right side of the Latitude E6320 houses a USB 2.0/eSATA combo port, a Wi-Fi on/off switch, an ExpressCard/34 reader, and a DVD burner. The front of the laptop has an SD card reader while the rear has HDMI, a power jack, and an Ethernet jack. A SmartCard reader, VGA port, and headphone/microphone jack are on the left side.

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Unlike the E6420, which has a 2-megapixel webcam, the E6320 comes with a 1-MP webcam. During a Skype call in an office with fluorescent lighting, we saw fuzzy images with little detail, and our caller said images had a yellow cast, despite our efforts to adjust the settings in the Webcam Central software. However, we did like that we could upload photos and images directly to PhotoBucket, YouTube, and our e-mail directly from the software. Thanks to dual mics on either side of the webcam with noise cancellation, our caller reported clear audio with little background noise.

Performance

With its second-generation 2.7-GHz Intel Core i7-2620M CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 320GB 7,200-rpm hard drive, the E6320 can handle any task. On PCMark Vantage, the E6320 scored an impressive 8,195, besting the 5,438 category average, as well as the HP EliteBook 8460p (6,449) and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 (7,535), both of which have a 2.5-GHz Core i5-2520M processor. We put the E6320 through its paces, watching a YouTube video at 1080p with 13 tabs open in Google Chrome and eight tabs in Internet Explorer, all while running a virus scan. Our video streamed unabated, despite all the background activity.

The 320GB 7,200-rpm hard drive inside the Latitude E6320 took a quick 51 seconds to boot up the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Professional. During the LAPTOP File transfer test, where we duplicate 4.97GB of mixed media files, the E6320 took just 2 minutes and 47 seconds for a transfer rate of 30.5 MBps--much faster that the thin-and-light average of 25.2 MBps. However, the ThinkPad X1 posted a slightly better transfer rate of 31.6Mbps.

The E6320 maintained its strong numbers during our video transcoding test. It only took 39 seconds to convert a 114MB file to AVI format using Oxelon Media Encoder, 20 seconds faster than the category average.

Graphics

The Latitude E6320's integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 chip made for smooth video playback. Its 3DMark06 score of 5,229 blew past the thin-and-light average of 3,622. The ThinkPad X1, which also has an Intel HD Graphics card, only posted 3,763. The Latitude E6320 also bested the Elitebook 8460p's AMD Radeon HD 6470M score of 5,032.

While playing World of Warcraft, the E6320 notched a solid frame rate of 43 fps at 1366 x 768 resolution on the Good setting. While well below the thin-and-light average of 92 fps and somewhat less than the EliteBook 8460p (52 fps), it was much higher than the ThinkPad X1 (30 fps). At the maximum settings, the E6320's frame rate dropped to an unplayable 21 fps.

Battery Life and Wi-Fi

Click to enlargeThe six-cell battery inside the Latitude E6320 provides strong endurance. During the LAPTOP Battery Test, where we continuously surf the web over Wi-Fi, the Latitude lasted 6 hours and 2 minutes--just over an hour longer than the category average, on a par with the EliteBook 8460p (6:01), and 20 minutes less than the Toshiba Portege R835 (6:22). The ThinkPad X1 was able to last for 8 hours, but that was with its slice battery, which costs $150 and adds 0.8 pounds to its weight.

The E6320's Intel Centrino Ultimate N-6300 Wi-Fi radio delivered decent performance. We saw transfer rates of 30 and 17.6 Mbps at 15 and 50 feet away from our router, respectively. Both numbers were below the category average of 35.6 and 22 Mbps.

Configurations

Our $1,529 review unit of the Latitude E6320 is the top-end model, but Dell offers six preconfigured versions. The $959 base model comes with a 2.1-GHz Intel Core i3-2310M processor, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB 7,200-rpm hard drive, an integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics card, and Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit).

For $249, consumers can extend the E6320's battery life with a nine-cell battery slice. A fingerprint reader and contactless smart card reader can be purchased for $29, while a backlit keyboard will cost $49. For connectivity on the go, consumers can choose between the Dell Wireless DW5550 mobile broadband card for AT&T (HSPA) with GPS, and the Dell Wireless DW5630 Multi-mode HSPA-EVDO Mini Card (Gobi 3000), both of which are $125 options.

Software and Warranty

Dell keeps the software load light on the E6320. Dell utilities include Backup and Recovery Manager to create backups. Dell Access gives users the ability to set up a number of security measures including fingerprint recognition (if the optional fingerprint scanner is included) and passwords. Power Manager has several presets to extend battery life (Balanced, Dell, High Performance, Power Saver, and Quiet). Lastly, the Dell Device Manager let us configure hot keys, as well as check our storage status and display settings such as brightness and notifications.

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Third-party applications include CyberLink DVD, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Roxio Creator Starter, a 30-day trial of Trend Micro, Windows Live, and Windows Office Starter.

The Latitude E6320 comes with a three-year basic hardware warranty with three-year Limited Onsite Service after remote diagnosis. See how Dell fared in our latest Tech Support Showdown and our annual Best & Worst Brands report.

Verdict

Click to enlargeThe Dell Latitude E6320 has stylish looks, strong performance, and a great keyboard. While its $1,529 price is steep, it's in line with competing systems when similarly configured. For example, a 12.5-inch HP EliteBook 2560p ($1,499) gets you an Intel Core i5-2520M processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB 7200-rpm hard drive, and the E6320 beats the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 ($1,489 with slice) on everything but endurance and portability. Those looking to save on price and weight should consider the Toshiba Portege R835, which can be configured with the same specs as the E6320 for $1,389. But if you're looking for Core i7 power in a durable design that's also easy on the eyes, the Dell Latitude E6320 is a great choice.

With few exceptions, the way that laptop makers name their products can be highly confusing. What do all those letters and numbers mean? Look no further.

Dell has recently reorganized its classification system to make it easier for consumers to know at a glance what a particular notebook has to offer. As such, Dell’s consumer offerings are pretty easy to decipher, though you can’t deduce, say, the processor type just by looking at the name. Typically, it’s the model name, followed by the screen size number (5 = 15-inch, 4 = 14-inch, etc).

Here's a quick breakdown of Dell's sub-brands and a few tips that will help take the guesswork out of the shopping experience.

Dell Consumer Notebooks:

Inspiron: Dell’s budget computing line provides mainstream performance and specs at a low price. You can usually tell the screen size by the model number. For example, the Inspiron 15R has a 15.6-inch display. The exception is the Inspiron M101z, which has an 11.6-inch display.

XPS: Dell’s premium line offers snazzier designs and better multimedia capabilities. Like the Inspiron line, the model name indicates the screen size. The 15.6-inch Dell XPS 15, for example, has some the best speakers we've heard.

Alienware: Dell’s gaming sub-brand, which features wicked-cool design and high-performance parts. As with the others, the name indicates the screen size. The 11.6-inch Alienware M11x offers the best combination of gaming performance and portability, while the 17-inch Alienware M17x is the fastest laptop we’ve ever tested.

Dell Business Notebooks:

Vostro: Dell’s small business line offers more resources for companies that don’t have an IT staff.  In this line, the first number refers to the series generation, the second number refers to the display size, and the third number indicates the processor generation. So, a 13-inch Vostro with a Sandy Bridge processor is the 3350. The lone exception is the V130, which has a 13-inch display.

Latitude: Dell’s corporate business line. “E” stands for the Latitude family; the second number refers to the series. The third number indicates the screen size (5 for 15-inch, etc.), and the last two numbers denote the generation of the family. For example, the powerful Latitude E6420 is a 14-inch notebook with an Intel 2nd generation Core series CPU.

Precision: Dell’s workstation notebooks. The letter M indicates it’s a mobile workstation, and the first number indicates the screen size. Unlike all the other laptops here, a 4 means 15 inches and 6 means 17 inches.

Extra Credit: Among Dell’s “specialty” laptops, ATG means semi-rugged, XFR means fully rugged, and XT indicates a convertible tablet.

Dell's Latitude line has long been a favorite of businesses large and small because of its strong performance, good pricing, and long battery life. With the new 14-inch Latitude E6420, Dell has added a strong dose of style and durability to this tried and true formula, using a new Tri-Metal design with a durable magnesium frame that's built to stand up to abuse. Inside, the E6420 packs a punch, thanks to a second-generation Core i5 processor. Still, the $1,361 price tag for our configuration is a bit steep--even when you factor in the touchscreen. Is this Latitude worth it?

Design

The Dell Latitude E6420's aesthetic screams "space age" while still looking right at home in the most conservative corporate boardroom. The gunmetal-gray brushed metal aluminum lid, matte chrome sides, and angular shape combine to make the notebook look like some kind of executive space cruiser. Meanwhile, the soft-touch, rubberized deck is as comfy as the inside of a corporate limousine. Add in a matte chrome accent on the bezel, matte chrome hinges, a zinc latch, and a bold orange stripe around the keyboard, and you have a truly unique design.

But the E6420's Tri-Metal chassis is more than just eye candy. A magnesium alloy internal frame and reinforced steel hinges combine with the matte chrome bumper and protective LCD seal to provide a business-rugged system that's MIL-STD 810G-tested and designed to protect against extreme temperatures, dust, and vibrations. A spill-resistant keyboard guards against your clumsiness (or someone else's).

The trade-off for all this durability is added heft. At 13.9 x 10.3 x 1.3 inches and 6.2 pounds with the nine-cell battery, the Dell Latitude E6420 is quite a bit heavier and larger than other 14-inch business notebooks. For example, the Lenovo ThinkPad T410 measures 13.1 x 9.4 x 1.3 inches and weighs 5.6 pounds with its nine-cell battery.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Dell Latitude E6420's spill-resistant keyboard offers an excellent typing experience by combining strong tactile feedback with concave keys that grip your fingers and a comfy soft-touch palm rest that's easy on your wrists. We were able to achieve a rate of 86 words per minute with a 1-percent error rate on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, higher than our typical 80 wpm score. The keyboard even has an adjustable backlight to help you see it in the dark.

For navigation, the Latitude E6420 has both a touchpad and a pointing stick. We're big fans of pointing sticks in general, because they're usually more precise than touchpads. Unfortunately, Dell's pointing stick, while accurate, has a concave cap that felt slippery under our index finger and left us longing for the grippable, textured nubs on Lenovo's ThinkPad line.

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The generous 3.1 x 1.8-inch touchpad on the Latitude E6420 has a pleasant matte surface that made it easy for us to navigate around the desktop with great accuracy. After enabling gestures in Dell's easy-to-configure touchpad control panel, we were able to pinch-to-zoom with ease and conduct three-finger gestures such as Flick, which lets you hit the back button in your web browser. The two discrete mouse buttons offered solid feedback.

Heat

The Dell Latitude E6420 stayed pleasantly cool throughout our testing. After we streamed a video for 15 minutes, the keyboard measured 87 degrees Fahrenheit, the touchpad 85 degrees, and the bottom center a reasonable 95 degrees. We consider temperatures 95 degrees and lower acceptable and those below 90 degrees quite comfortable.

Display and Audio

The Latitude E6420's 14-inch, 1366 x 768 glossy touchscreen provided images that were sharp and bright, though not overly rich in color. When we played both a 1080p QuickTime Trailer of Cowboys & Aliens and a 720p streaming Flash episode of Fringe, images were crisp and free from visual noise. However, colors washed out significantly at even 45 degrees to the left or right.

The optional touchscreen digitizer on our unit ($100) allowed us to tap even small widgets and icons on the screen with great accuracy. It also supports two-finger gestures, so we were able to pinch-to-zoom on web pages or draw in two different directions at once in Windows Paint. However, considering that the Dell's screen does not rotate into tablet mode or support pen input, we don't think many businesses would choose the touchscreen over the standard one. Dell doesn't even include any touch-friendly software.

The Latitude E6420's speakers are adequate for listening to music or video in a small room. When we played both the bass heavy "Forget Me Nots" and the percussion-centric hip-hop song "Like a G6," we heard accurate, loud audio that wasn't tinny but wasn't particularly impressive.

Ports and Webcam

Because the Latitude E6420 is marketed to enterprise customers, it has a couple of ports which a lot of small businesses and consumers don't necessarily need. On the right side sits a Wi-Fi on/off switch, three USB ports (one of which has eSATA support), and an ExpressCard /54 slot, which is mainly useful for large businesses with specialized or legacy peripherals that use that connection. On the back are an HDMI port, Kensington lock slot, and Ethernet. On the left side are one more USB port (for a total of 4), VGA out, and a Smart Card reader, which is a port mostly used by large businesses for security purposes. An SD card reader sits on the front of the notebook.

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The 2-megapixel webcam on the Latitude E6420 was able to provide sharp but slightly washed out images even in our dimly lit living room. However, whether we were shooting photos locally with the Dell Webcam central software or conducting a call on Skype, we noticed a fair amount of visual noise in these low-light images. Still, were impressed with the cam's ability to capture clear images in an environment where most cams show our head as nothing more than shadow.

Performance and Graphics

Click to enlargeWith its second-generation 2.6-GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 320GB 7,200-rpm hard drive, the Dell Latitude E6420 offers strong performance that's good enough for any business task you throw at it. On PCMark Vantage, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall performance, the E6420 scored a whopping 8,242. That showing is well above the mainstream notebook category average of 5,177 and much higher than the 2.6-GHz Core i5-powered ASUS B43J (7065)) and the Lenovo ThinkPad T410 (6,937). However, the Core i5-powered Lenovo ThinkPad T410s with SSD and discrete graphics managed an even more impressive 11,264.

The 320GB 7,200-rpm hard drive on the E6420 booted Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) in a reasonable 66 seconds, exactly on a par with the category average. The drive took just 2 minutes and 27 seconds to complete the LAPTOP File Transfer test, which involves copying 4.97GB of mixed media files. That's a rate of 34.6 MBps, much faster than the 26 MBps category average and the 28.3 MBps offered by the ASUS B43J, though Lenovo's ThinkPad T410s with SSD got an amazing 71.7 MBps on the same test.

The Latitude E6420 can also transcode video with great skill, as it successfully converted a 114MB MP4 file to AVI format using Oxelon Media Encoder in just 40 seconds, much faster than the 1:15 category average. It took just 26 seconds to transcode an HD video with Cyberlink Media Espresso, light years ahead of the 3:13 second category average.

Graphics Performance

When it comes to graphics, the integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 chip allowed the Latitude E6420 to play 1080p video smoothly and to achieve a score of 5,060 on 3DMark06, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics prowess. That's well above the 3,583 category average and faster even than the AMD Radeon 5470-powered ASUS B43J's score of 4,414.

In World of Warcraft, the Latitude E6420 got a playable 41 frames per second at native resolution. But we turned up the special effects, that number dropped to an unplayable 20 fps. On the more demanding Far Cry 2, the Latitude got just 23 fps at 1024 x 768 res, so you'll want to stick to less demanding titles between meetings.

Battery Life and Wi-Fi

With its nine-cell battery, the Dell Latitude E6420 lasted an epic 8 hours and 59 minutes on the LAPTOP Battery Test, which involves continuous surfing over Wi-Fi. That's more than double the category average of 4:14 minutes and about 3 hours longer than the ThinkPad T410 with a nine-cell battery (6:02 ).

The Latitude E6420's Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 Wi-Fi radio managed modest transfer rates of 26.9 and 15.4 Mbps at distances of 15 and 50 feet from our router, respectively. Those numbers are a little weaker than the 35.5/21.9 Mbps category averages.

Configurations

Click to enlargeThough our review unit had an MSRP of $1361, the Dell Latitude E6420 starts at just $699. For that price, you get a 2.1-GHz Core i3 CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB 5,400-rpm hard drive, a six-cell battery, no touchscreen, no webcam, and no keyboard backlight.

However, you can configure the system with a choice of Core i3, i5, or i7 CPUs. You can also get anywhere from 2 to 8GB of RAM. Storage options include 5,400- and 7,200-rpm drives of various sizes, as well as SSDs. You can also choose between the standard 1366 x 768 screen, a 1600 x 900 version ($79), and a touchscreen 1366 x 768 display ($99).

Here's what we'd get: You can easily order the E6420 with a second-gen Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, and a sharper 1600 x 900 display (without touch) for a manageable $1,137. You'd just have to give up some clock speed versus our configuration, as well as features such as vPro and a Smart Card Reader.

Software

Dell keeps the software pre-load on the Latitude E6420 extremely light. Dell Data Protection | Access allows you to configure the smart card reader, windows login, and the optional fingerprint reader. Dell Backup and Recovery manager allows you to preserve and restore your system in case of emergency. System and Devices manager lets you control the keyboard backlight and hotkeys. Dell Webcam central enables users to take photos or videos with the webcam. And Cyberlink PowerDVD lets you burn discs on the optical drive.

If you configure the Dell Latitude E6420 with Intel vPro technology, you also get Intel Management and Security. This software allows your IT department to get secure remote access to the system through Intel's Active Management Technology. They can also configure Intel Anti-Theft to disable the laptop remotely if it is stolen. We were surprised to find that Dell didn't include an encryption or secure erase tool like HP offers with its ProtectTools.

Dell backs the Latitude E6420 with a three-year warranty on parts and labor, which is a lot longer than the standard warranties we've seen from many competitors such as Lenovo. See how Dell fared in our latest Tech Support Showdown and our annual Best & Worst Brands report.

Verdict

The Dell Latitude E6420 has a lot going for it: stylish looks, a great keyboard, epic battery life, and solid performance. Our $1,361 review configuration is a bit expensive for what it offers. Nevertheless, this notebook is a really strong choice that should be considered along with lighter options like the ThinkPad T410 and T410s.

In addition to unveiling a 10-inch Windows 7 tablet yesterday, Dell announced a slew of refreshes for the Latitude E family of tablets.

The Dell Latitude E5420 and E5520 (pictured) laptops are geared toward mobile professionals, while the E6220, E6320, E6420, E6520, and E6420 ATG are designed to withstand more rugged conditions and will feature Tri-Metal casing. All of the Latitude laptops will pack second-generation Intel Core processors and offer security with Dell Data Protection and Remote Data Delete. The E5000 series will start at $859.

Expect the new E5 and E6 notebooks to debut in spring.

Software, Security, and Warranty

Click to enlargeThe Latitude E6510 comes with a small number of Dell utilities, including Dell Webcam Central for shooting pictures and video with the cam and Dell Control Point, which allows you to control the power settings and turn on or off the ambient light sensor and keyboard backlighting.

Because the E6510 is made for the enterprise, it has some optional security and manageability features, such as a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), Intel vPro, a Smart Card Reader, and a fingerprint reader, the last of which we didn't have on our review unit. Dell Embassy security allows you to control the notebook's login system, including the TPM security module and to configure the fingerprint reader. Still, the suite of Dell tools pales in comparison to those offered by HP whose Protect Tools feature file shredding and encryption apps.

Unlike other notebooks that come standard with a one year warranty that you can upgrade at purchase time, all configurations of the Dell Latitude E6510 have a base 3-year warranty that you can upgrade with up to two additional years (for a total of 5) or on-site service.

Verdict

The Latitude E6510 offers a lot of performance in an attractive business-friendly package, with a gorgeous bright screen and amazing low-light webcam. However, the $1854 configuration we reviewed is not a particularly good value, particularly when compared to the Toshiba Tecra A11. That notebook has the same CPU and only a slightly-slower graphics card, and costs over $600 less. For nearly $2000, you should expect a high-end workstation with a quad core CPU, USB 3.0 ports, and dual hard drives or at least an SSD. However, in one of its lower-priced configurations, the Latitude E6510 can be configured to provide a lot more bang for your buck.

Battery Life and Wi-Fi

Click to enlargeDue to the massive 9-cell battery on our review unit, the Dell Latitude E6510 lasted 5 hours and 41 minutes on the LAPTOP Battery Test, which involves continuous surfing over Wi-Fi. That time is way longer than the the 3 hour and 48-minute category average and the 2 hours and 6 minutes turned in by theToshiba Tecra A11. However, as we mentioned above, the 9-cell battery adds nearly a pound of weight over its 6-cell counterpart.

The notebook's Intel Centrino 6200 802.11n radio produced strong transfer rates of 39.9 and 21.1 Mbps at distances of 15 and 50 feet from the router respectively. The 15-foot score was much better than theHP EliteBook 8440p(31.9 / 24.6 Mbps).

Green Testing

When charging, the Latitude E6510 took 1 hour and 23 minutes to reach 80-percent of capacity and a full 2 hours and 6 minutes to reach full charge. Both times were much much quicker than the category averages of 1:34 and 2:23. During that charging period, the notebook used an average of 49.8 watts. That gives the E6510 a LAPTOP Green Efficiency rating of 24.4, much better than the category average of 33.1 (lower is better).

Configuration Options

Click to enlargeThough our review unit cost a whopping $1,854, base configurations of the Dell Latitude E6510 start at just $729. When configuring your E6510, you can choose between 6 different Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 CPUs. You can also decide between a 1366 x 768, 1600 x 900, or 1920 x 1080 resolution screen. Both discrete Nvidia NVS 3100M graphics and integrated Intel graphics are available. Storage drive options range from a 160GB 5,400 rpm unit on the low end to a 256GB SSD on the high end, with lots of 7,200 rpm and encrypted drive options in between. The base config starts with 1GB RAM, but can be specked up to 8GB. Though the default battery is a 6-cell unit, a 9-cell option is available as well.

Unless you need workstation-level performance, we recommend you save money by choosing a Core i5 or Core i3 CPU, but that you splurge to get the full 1920 x 1080 resolution panel (a $129 option). If you get the full HD panel, a Core i3 CPU, 250GB hard drive, 3GB of RAM, integrated graphics, a 6-cell battery, and a webcam, the notebook will only cost you $1068, $30 less if you get it in Silver rather than Blue.

Dell Latitude On

Click to enlargeIf you just can't wait 61 seconds for Windows 7 to boot, you can the button to the left of the power button, which triggers Dell Latitude On, an "instant on" OS based on Device VM's popular Splashtop operating system. After about 18 seconds, you'll be hit with a login prompt and then asked which of five applications you wish to launch first: e-mail, web browser, chat (aka instant messaging), VoIP (aka Skype), or Remote Desktop. When you click one of these you'll wait another 10 to 15 seconds for the app and the Latitude On OS to launch.

In Latitude ON, you have a taskbar that lets you easily switch between the five initial launch programs and adds a few others including Citrix Receiver and VMWare view for running virtualized apps, a music client for playing tunes, and a photo viewer. While the different Latitude On applications we tried ran smoothly and the Latitude On environment had an attractive user interface, we were left wondering how many users would want to use this scaled down operating system just to save 30 seconds or less of start up time.

Editor's Note: If you're looking for a Dell business laptop, check out our roundup of the best Latitude and Precision laptops. 

Durability, security, and performance. That's what any business notebook shopper is looking for in a good workhorse. And the 15.6-inch Latitude E6510 delivers all of the above, starting with a sturdy yet attractive Tri-Metal case. You also get a Core i7 processor and discrete Nvidia graphics for serious power, plus a high-resolution (1600 x 900) display. Add in a host of data protection features and you have a pretty solid package. But is this notebook worth nearly $2,000?

Design

At 14.7 x 10 x 1.3 inches and 6.6 pounds (with 9-cell battery), the E6510 sits right on the borderline between a bulky notebook you can tolerate carrying and a weighty workstation you just have to leave on the desk. If you're willing to lose a few hours of battery life, you can opt for the less-powerful 6-cell battery, which brings the weight down to a much more reasonable 5.5 pounds.

The subtle, yet attractive design ID of the entire Latitude E Series hasn't changed much, but why mess with a good thing? The smooth, aluminum lid comes in three colors: Slate Silver, Regal Red, and Regatta Blue. Our review unit came with the Regatta Blue lid, which looked stunning, particularly when paired with the silver battery. When you open up the lid, you'll notice a completely matte black bezel, keyboard, and deck, accented with attractive light blue status lights that match the lid. The push-button latch adds another touch of class.

Keyboard, Touchpad, Pointing Stick

The E6510's keyboard uses a traditional layout with full-size keys. When taking the Ten Thumbs Typing test, we managed to get our average 80 words per minute, but with a higher-than-usual 2-percent error rate. The key feel was comfortable overall, though a bit on the mushy side. For those who like typing in the dark, the keyboard has a backlight which can be set to stay on all the time or turn on only when the notebook's light sensor detects it is in a dark room.

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Like Lenovo ThinkPads and HP EliteBooks, the Dell Latitude E6510 has both a touchpad and a pointing stick. Though which method one prefers is largely a matter of personal preference, we like pointing sticks, because they're more accurate than touchpads and touch typists can use them without removing their fingers from the home row. However, while the pointing stick on the E6510 provides these benefits, it has a much lower profile than ThinkPad's that makes you bend your finger more to use it. Worse, the cursor was quite jumpy when we used the stick, even after decreasing the pointing speed.

The 3.3 x 1.8-inch touchpad helped us navigate around the desktop quickly and easily, but when performing multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom, it wasn't as responsive. For example, the pad sometimes mistook a pinch gesture for rotate when using two fingers on one hand. We had better results when we used one finger from each hand.

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Heat

The Latitude E6510 stayed pleasantly cool throughout our testing. After playing a video at full screen for 15 minutes, we measured the touchpad at a chilly 88 degrees Fahrenheit and the keyboard at a reasonable 92 degrees. We consider temperatures below 95 degrees to be comfortable. The bottom measured at 102 degrees, but most notebook bottoms reach 100 and, unless you're built like Shaq, you won't be putting this notebook on your lap.

Performance

Equipped with a 2.66-GHz Core i7-610M CPU, an Nvidia NVS 3100M graphics card,4GB of RAM, and a 7,200 rpm hard drive, the Dell Latitude E6510 provided some of the highest performance numbers we've seen on a business notebook this size. On PCMarkVantage, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall performance, the E6510 scored a whopping 7,796, around 90-percent above the mainstream notebook category average, about 40-percent faster than theHP EliteBook 8440p, and roughly 10-percent faster than theToshiba Tecra A11,which has the same processor.

The Latitude E6510's 250GB 7,200 rpm hard drive booted Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) in 61 seconds, about 2 seconds faster than the category average and 17 seconds quicker than the Tecra A11 (78 seconds). However, the HP EliteBook 8440p was much faster at 44 seconds. It took just two minutes and 33 seconds to complete the LAPTOP Transfer test, which consists of copying 4.97GB of mixed media files. That's a rate of 32.3 MBps, nearly 50-perecent better than the 22.9 MBps category average and comfortably ahead of the Tecra A11 (27.8 Mbps) and HP ElteBook 8440p (29.6 MBps).

When it came to transcoding video, the E6510 also excelled, as it took only 46 seconds to convert a 114MB MP4 to AVI using Oxelon Media Encoder. That's 17 seconds better than the category average of 63.5 seconds, but only a little bit faster than the Toshiba Tecra A11 (48 seconds) and HP EliteBook 8440p (53 seconds).

Graphics

By pairing Nvidia NVS 3100M discrete graphics with its 2.66-GHz Core i7-620M CPU, the Latitude E6510 provides strong enough graphics performance for any business application and many games as well. On 3DMark06, which measures overall graphics prowess, the notebook scored 3687, which is just above the category aerage of 3,426. The Toshiba Tecra A11, which sports a slower Nvidia NVS 2100M CPU, got a slightly lower score of 3406 and the integrated graphics-powered HP EliteBook 8440p managed only 1766.

The E6510 got a whopping frame rate of 144 frames per second when playing World of Warcraft at 1024 x 768, though that rate dropped to a much-more-modest 28 fps at the native 1600 x 900 resolution with special effects turned up. Though those numbers were far above the 71.4 and 23.5 category averages, the Toshiba Tecra All turned in similar scores of 129 and 26 fps.

On the very-demanding game Far Cry 2, the Latitude E6510 got a reasonable 46 frames per second, though that numbered dropped to an unplayable 12 fps at 1600 x 900. The lower-res number is way ahead of the category average of 31 fps, while the high res number is just slightly slower than the category average of 15 fps. Either way, the Dell is good enough to do some light gaming when you're not crunching numbers.

Display and Sound

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The 15.6-inch 1600 x 900 matte display provided plenty of screen real estate for our documents and Web pages while outputting sharp, colorful images at fantastic viewing angles. Whether we were watching a 1080p WMV file we downloaded from Microsoft HD Showcase, a DVD of Dark City, or a 720p episode of Fringe, video was smooth and free from visual noise.

When we listened to both a rock tune, The Heavy's "Sixteen," and a jazz song, "Morning Dance" by Spyro Gyra, the E6510's stereo speakers provided sound that was accurate, if not overly rich. At maximum volume, the E6510 was loud enough to fill a large living room, though music became a little bit tinny.

Ports and Webcam

Because it's a large and expensive business system, you'd expect a lot of ports from the E6510 and, for the most part, it delivers. On the right side are an ExpressCard 54 slot, Smartcard reader, FireWire 400 port, audio in/out jacks, and two USB ports. Mounted on the back are an Ethernet port and VGA-out. On the left side are an ExpressCard/34 slot, a 6-in-1 card reader, HDMI-out, and two more USB ports for a total of four. Noticeably absent are an eSATA and USB 3.0 ports. Though USB 3.0 is still rare, competitors like the ThinkPad W510 offer them.

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The high definition webcam is able to shoot stills and videos at a whopping 2048 x 1536 resolution or 3.1-megapixels. Better still, the lens handles low-light situations with aplomb. Even when we sat in a dark livingroom, our image was sharp and colorful. On Skype our image was smooth and relatively noise-free, considering the poor lighting conditions. This is definitely one of the best webcams we've tested.

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