Review: Dell Latitude E-Series: Latitude E6320
Allow your thoughts to drift into the world of company laptops, as well as your mind is unlikely to be filled with technicolour potential. With dumpy desktop replacements and dull black portables nearly usually the purchase of the day, business all as well frequently indicates dull. That, nevertheless, is really a cliché some brands seem keen to dispel – none more so than Dell, with its new Latitude assortment.
The major shock is just how much has altered. Although the likes of Lenovo’s ThinkPads have retained their traditional (some may say dated) all-black style, the Latitude has developed.
Set against the boxy, jet-black physique of final year’s range, the new designs mark a sea-change in Dell’s cellular division. Anodised aluminium lids abound, while these stark, polygonal edges have softened into gentle, classy curves. The premium 6-series designs are distinguished from their 5-series counterparts by a delicate orange trim circling the keyboard.
The real standout with the group, however, will be the 13.3in Latitude E6320, an early pre-production sample of which we were provided for this preview. Had been it not for the Latitude logo subtly etched into the keyboard’s silver surround, you’d imagine this may be the initial glimpse of Dell’s new XPS. To get a business laptop computer, it is nonetheless just the right side of striking – the muted palette of grey and silver stops brief of all-out ostentatiousness and retains a severe, workmanlike air.
It’s the transformation in build quality that truly stuns. Previous Latitudes by no means felt insubstantial, however they wilt subsequent towards the new era. Dell’s redesign has observed the new Latitude emerge with a reinforced magnesium alloy chassis, strengthened further by a ring of alloy running across the circumference of every laptop. With spill-proof keyboards and MIL-STD-810G accreditation across the assortment, Dell is taking on not only the ThinkPads, but also Panasonic’s Toughbooks at their very own game.
If the E6320 is anything to go by, the new design feels indestructible. Regardless of weighing in at just one.89kg, the chassis is rock solid and without a hint of flex to be discovered anyplace; the lid and reinforced metal hinges were taut enough to resist our most aggressive twisting motions. Prod viciously against the display’s rear, meanwhile, and there’s no signal of any show-through around the show by itself. It is obvious this laptop will get transatlantic flights and the perils of boisterous baggage-handlers in its stride.
The Latitude’s tough-guy exterior looks and feels each and every inch the luxurious company laptop computer, and ergonomics are no exception. The twin touchpad and trackpoint is really a profitable mixture, and also the backlit keyboard is excellent. The rigid chassis makes for zero flex within the keyboard’s base, although every keystroke finishes with a gentle, padded thunk that feels great beneath the fingers.
With Intel’s Sandy Bridge making its debut across the Latitude assortment, it is secure to say that performance just is not heading to become an issue. Our review unit arrived with the Core i5-2410M processor, 2GB of DDR3 RAM and Intel’s integrated 2000-series HD graphics. Fleet-footed is the right method to describe it; applications bound into existence with minimal delay.
Thanks towards the frugality of Intel’s Sandy Bridge platform, battery existence even on this pre-production model was immensely promising. It is obvious Dell has needed to sacrifice battery capacity to retain the E6320’s figure – the three-cell, two,620mAh battery is hardly capacious – but using the battery lasting 3hr 45mins on the single charge in our light use battery tests, Sandy Bridge’s efficiency isn’t in any doubt. With optional six-cell batteries and clip-on nine-cell battery slices quickly to be obtainable as optional extras, also as a three-cell battery which replaces the optical drive, we wouldn’t be shocked to determine that figure stretch close to the 20-hour mark with a totally kitted out E6320.
Connectivity is the final hurdle. The two USB ports on our sample had been only USB 2 compliant – with 1 doubling as an eSATA port. Given the range of docking choices which are backwards compatible with previous Latitude generations, the provision of just two USB ports isn’t a deal-breaker. DisplayPort is a more notable casualty – Dell claims companies prefer HDMI and D-SUB – but otherwise, the breadth of connectivity is sufficient. ExpressCard/34 and an SD card reader are accompanied by optional extras including standard or contactless SmartCard readers along with a fingerprint reader.
Lastly, Gigabit Ethernet comes as standard, although the single full-size and twin half-length mini-PCI slots are capable of accommodating any combination of dual-band 802.11n, HSDPA/GPS and Bluetooth radios. It’s simple for IT departments to upgrade models in-house too: remove eight screws and also the unit’s underside pops off to provide quick access towards the mini-PCI slots, CMOS battery and RAM. Our model had the WWAN aerials prepared and waiting the addition of a appropriate mini-PCI adapter.
Without any pricing to go on, the greatest appeal of Dell’s Latitude E6320 hangs within the stability. But as a business laptop that manages to blend the indestructible really feel of a rugged Panasonic Toughbook with the sex appeal of Apple’s MacBook, this yr might see the Latitude sequence genuinely come of age.
Dell Latitude E6320 Laptop Specifications
- 13.3 inch anti-glare display with resolution of 1366×768 pixel
- Powered by a 2.3GHz Core i5 2410M processor
- Integrated HD video web camera with Dell Webcam Central software
- Supports WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, & Gigabit Ethernet connectivity options
- Runs on Genuine Windows 7, Genuine Windows Vista or Linux Ubuntu 10.10 OS
- Mobile Intel QM67 Express Chipset
- Up to 4GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Up to 500GB SATA for storage
- 5-in-1 card reader
- A spill resistant keyboard
- Includes 3 / 6 /9 cell Lithium Ion battery
- USB 2.0, VGA, HDMI port, & USB/eSATA combo
- SmartCard Reader, & Fingerprint Reader
- Mobile Broadband with GPS Options
Allow your thoughts to drift into the world of company laptops, as well as your mind is unlikely to be filled with technicolour potential. With dumpy desktop replacements and dull black portables nearly usually the purchase of the day, business all as well frequently indicates dull. That, nevertheless, is really a cliché some brands seem keen to dispel – none more so than Dell, with its new Latitude assortment.
The major shock is just how much has altered. Although the likes of Lenovo’s ThinkPads have retained their traditional (some may say dated) all-black style, the Latitude has developed.
Set against the boxy, jet-black physique of final year’s range, the new designs mark a sea-change in Dell’s cellular division. Anodised aluminium lids abound, while these stark, polygonal edges have softened into gentle, classy curves. The premium 6-series designs are distinguished from their 5-series counterparts by a delicate orange trim circling the keyboard.
The real standout with the group, however, will be the 13.3in Latitude E6320, an early pre-production sample of which we were provided for this preview. Had been it not for the Latitude logo subtly etched into the keyboard’s silver surround, you’d imagine this may be the initial glimpse of Dell’s new XPS. To get a business laptop computer, it is nonetheless just the right side of striking – the muted palette of grey and silver stops brief of all-out ostentatiousness and retains a severe, workmanlike air.
It’s the transformation in build quality that truly stuns. Previous Latitudes by no means felt insubstantial, however they wilt subsequent towards the new era. Dell’s redesign has observed the new Latitude emerge with a reinforced magnesium alloy chassis, strengthened further by a ring of alloy running across the circumference of every laptop. With spill-proof keyboards and MIL-STD-810G accreditation across the assortment, Dell is taking on not only the ThinkPads, but also Panasonic’s Toughbooks at their very own game.
If the E6320 is anything to go by, the new design feels indestructible. Regardless of weighing in at just one.89kg, the chassis is rock solid and without a hint of flex to be discovered anyplace; the lid and reinforced metal hinges were taut enough to resist our most aggressive twisting motions. Prod viciously against the display’s rear, meanwhile, and there’s no signal of any show-through around the show by itself. It is obvious this laptop will get transatlantic flights and the perils of boisterous baggage-handlers in its stride.
The Latitude’s tough-guy exterior looks and feels each and every inch the luxurious company laptop computer, and ergonomics are no exception. The twin touchpad and trackpoint is really a profitable mixture, and also the backlit keyboard is excellent. The rigid chassis makes for zero flex within the keyboard’s base, although every keystroke finishes with a gentle, padded thunk that feels great beneath the fingers.
With Intel’s Sandy Bridge making its debut across the Latitude assortment, it is secure to say that performance just is not heading to become an issue. Our review unit arrived with the Core i5-2410M processor, 2GB of DDR3 RAM and Intel’s integrated 2000-series HD graphics. Fleet-footed is the right method to describe it; applications bound into existence with minimal delay.
Thanks towards the frugality of Intel’s Sandy Bridge platform, battery existence even on this pre-production model was immensely promising. It is obvious Dell has needed to sacrifice battery capacity to retain the E6320’s figure – the three-cell, two,620mAh battery is hardly capacious – but using the battery lasting 3hr 45mins on the single charge in our light use battery tests, Sandy Bridge’s efficiency isn’t in any doubt. With optional six-cell batteries and clip-on nine-cell battery slices quickly to be obtainable as optional extras, also as a three-cell battery which replaces the optical drive, we wouldn’t be shocked to determine that figure stretch close to the 20-hour mark with a totally kitted out E6320.
Connectivity is the final hurdle. The two USB ports on our sample had been only USB 2 compliant – with 1 doubling as an eSATA port. Given the range of docking choices which are backwards compatible with previous Latitude generations, the provision of just two USB ports isn’t a deal-breaker. DisplayPort is a more notable casualty – Dell claims companies prefer HDMI and D-SUB – but otherwise, the breadth of connectivity is sufficient. ExpressCard/34 and an SD card reader are accompanied by optional extras including standard or contactless SmartCard readers along with a fingerprint reader.
Lastly, Gigabit Ethernet comes as standard, although the single full-size and twin half-length mini-PCI slots are capable of accommodating any combination of dual-band 802.11n, HSDPA/GPS and Bluetooth radios. It’s simple for IT departments to upgrade models in-house too: remove eight screws and also the unit’s underside pops off to provide quick access towards the mini-PCI slots, CMOS battery and RAM. Our model had the WWAN aerials prepared and waiting the addition of a appropriate mini-PCI adapter.
Without any pricing to go on, the greatest appeal of Dell’s Latitude E6320 hangs within the stability. But as a business laptop that manages to blend the indestructible really feel of a rugged Panasonic Toughbook with the sex appeal of Apple’s MacBook, this yr might see the Latitude sequence genuinely come of age.
Dell Latitude E6320 Laptop Specifications
- 13.3 inch anti-glare display with resolution of 1366×768 pixel
- Powered by a 2.3GHz Core i5 2410M processor
- Integrated HD video web camera with Dell Webcam Central software
- Supports WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, & Gigabit Ethernet connectivity options
- Runs on Genuine Windows 7, Genuine Windows Vista or Linux Ubuntu 10.10 OS
- Mobile Intel QM67 Express Chipset
- Up to 4GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Up to 500GB SATA for storage
- 5-in-1 card reader
- A spill resistant keyboard
- Includes 3 / 6 /9 cell Lithium Ion battery
- USB 2.0, VGA, HDMI port, & USB/eSATA combo
- SmartCard Reader, & Fingerprint Reader
- Mobile Broadband with GPS Options
