Dell Latitude E6400 Review

The E6400 features a 14.1 inch TFT panel that offers a WXGA monitor resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels. It boasts of an embedded 0.3 MP internet camera and is loaded with a NVDIA Quadro NVS 160M graphic video vendor. Equipped with a 5-in-1 card reader, it comes with an inbuilt 8x optical DVD writer. Possessing a system memory of 2 GB that can be enlarged up to 8 GB, its hard disk is capable of saving data up to 250 GB. Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 processor with a speed of 1066 MHz, the laptop functions on the Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic operating system.

 

Dell has gone to extraordinary lengths to ruggedise this laptop. Its exclusive Ballistic Armor Protection system is the first line of defence. It utilises a chassis metal called PR-481 which ensures that the laptop can be dropped from a height of three feet, while the screen is open and operating, and it will still continue to work.

 

The laptop also boasts an Ingress Protection rating of 65 - the same as the Getac B300. This gives complete protection against dust and also low pressure jets of water (from all directions), making it suitable for working in both the desert and heavy rain.

 

Think of the Latitude as Dell’s answer to Lenovo’s ThinkPad series. At first glance the Latitude E6400 looks very large, solid and also very boxy. It seems like Dell hewed this out of a solid hunk of plastic and metal. No, the black matt finish is fine with us, but it’s just that the box-like design brings to mind the oft used analogy “built like a tank”.

 

The lid sports a black, brushed aluminum finish that is quite eye catching but in a more laid back sort of manner and you’ll hardly notice yourself giving it another look over.

 

Specifications:

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (2.40GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 3MB cache)
• Screen: 14-inch 1440 x 900 WXGA+ LED Backlit (matte finish)
• Memory: 1GB DDR2-800 PC-6400 RAM (Nanya, 5-6-6-18)
• Storage: 160GB 5400rpm HDD (Samsung HM160HI)
• Optical Drive: 9.5mm thick SATA PLDS (Philips Liteon) 8A2SDVD+/-RW
• Wireless: Intel 5100 802.11a/b/g/n
• Graphics: Intel X4500HD
• UK Backlit keyboard
• ExpressCard slot
• Creative 0.3MP web camera and microphone
• Battery: 56Wh 6-cell
• Standard E series 90W PSU and optional slim 65W Auto/Air/AC adapter
• Dimensions: 335 x 244 x 33mm (including feet about 2mm long) or 13.2" x 9.6" x 1.3"
• Advertised weight: The Quick Reference Guide states "2.15 kg (4.75 lb) with UMA graphics, 6-cell battery, solid-state drive"
• Actual weight: 2.31kg / 5.1 lbs (with UMA graphics, 6-cell battery, HDD)
• Travel weight: 2.87kg / 6.33lbs (with standard 90W PSU); 2.68kg / 5.91lbs (with slim 65W PSU)
• Windows Vista Business with XP Pro downgrade

The system’s perimeter contains numerous ports and outlets for hooking up gear: four USB 2.0, eSATA, VGA, Display Port, RJ-11(optional), RJ-45, 1394, Audio, Power, One Type II PCMCIA or ExpressCard/54, 5-in-1 memory card reader, headphone and microphone jacks.

 

Out of these ports, the uppermost USB port located on the left side of the unit is the most intriguing. Taking a cue from Toshiba’s Sleep and Charge technology, Dell’s USB PowerShare lets users charge their gadgets through this special port (which is designated by a lightning bolt symbol next to the traditional USB symbol), even when the computer is turned off.

 

The keyboard makes for an excellent typing experience; the firm, yet springy keys virtually jumped up to meet our fingers after we pressed them. There's a large and very usable Shift key on the right, below which sits offset cursor keys, while the Insert, Delete, Home, End, Page Up and Page Down keys are all grouped in a grid in the top right.

 

The left side of the laptop has a VGA out port, one usb port and an eSata port for those who want to use a high speed external hard drive. Two more USB ports can be found on the right side of the laptop. The front of this computer houses an SD Card reader and the back has the power jack and a gigabit ethernet port.

 

Without a doubt, the Dell Latitude E6400 battery has not been built for the casual users, those looking for some Instant messaging and Internet browsing at home, accompanied by the occasional games (although we've done that as well during the tests). No, it's been designed from the "toes" up to serve as a high-end work partner for busy businessmen, providing both a very solid and sturdy design, an enhanced level of data security (both software and physical), plus a rather "industrial" and "rugged" look, which, however, won't make too many heads turn (unless you're one true hardcore notebook fan).

 

Besides the features mentioned above, the E6400 also offers a host of interesting connectivity options, a built-in contactless SmartCard reader, WWAN networking, as well as one really special, removable optical unit.

 

The 14.1in screen is kitted out with an LED-backlit 1,440 x 900 panel which, in our eyes, should be the de-facto native resolution for all 14.1in and 15.4in laptops. There's plenty of desktop space to take advantage of, and the supreme brightness and fine image quality is only marred by colour reproduction which errs on the side of dullness.

 

It's a minor complaint, but one that's more than made up for with useful features such as the automatic brightness sensor nestling to the left of the Chrome-effect Dell logo.

 

Under the hood of our Dell Latitude E6400 was a 2.26-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor and 2GB of RAM, which made for a smooth computing experience. The Latitude E6400 notched 3,025 on our PCMark Vantage test (which measures the application performance of PCs running Vista). That’s almost 500 points higher than the thin-and-light average, but about 400 points less than the Lenovo ThinkPad SL400, which has the same processor but discrete Nvidia graphics as opposed to the E6400’s integrated Intel graphics.

 

We were able to work within Google Docs, chat with colleagues in Meebo, listen to MP3s, and run a virus scan without seeing a performance hit. We’ve come to expect slow boot times from Vista-based systems, but the Latitude E6400 battery wasn’t bad: It took 53 seconds to gain control of the OS after hitting the power button. Many other notebooks take a minute or longer.

 

The Dell E6400 offers identical options as in the Precision M2400. Besides 3 USB 2.0 connections, there is a digital display port and an analog monitor port, Firewire and an eSATA port for connecting an external hard disk. The arrangement of the single ports can be described, as in is the Dell E6400, as very user friendly, the single connections being on the side edges in the back area, and therefore hardly impairs the left and right working area beside the notebook even when fully occupied.

 

Also included in the Dell E6400 battery is the built in SmartCard Reader, which replaces the PC Card slot. Accordingly, for various extensions merely the offered ExpressCard shaft is left over, in the E6400.

 

There’s no doubt the E6400 is an unmitigated success. Where 15.4in laptops turn any bag into an albatross hung round the average business worker’s neck, the E6400 strikes a great compromise between weight, ergonomics and durability.

 

The daunting price is bound to take the wind out of the sails of those with smaller budgets, but with a three-year, next business day warranty attached to such a fine product, the price looks more attractive.