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Dell Latitude E6400 Review
The Latitude E6400 is a major transformation, so much so that it bears little resemblance, visual or otherwise, to its predecessors. The brushed-aluminum-style case, a resurfaced interior, brand-new Intel parts, and, yes, a media card reader are just a few of the upgrades Dell has made in its business laptop overhaul.
Dell Latitude E6400 Review
The Dell Latitude D630 has had one of the most successful runs in business laptops, gracing the desks of countless professionals over the past two years. But at this point it's so long in the tooth that it lacks features as simple as a built-in media card reader—something that can be found on most business laptops today. The Latitude E6400 is a major transformation, so much so that it bears little resemblance, visual or otherwise, to its predecessors. The brushed-aluminum-style case, a resurfaced interior, brand-new Intel parts, and, yes, a media card reader are just a few of the upgrades Dell has made in its business laptop overhaul. The D630's matte silver design, once appealing, now looks outdated. The E6400 continues its use of magnesium alloys but gives the case a trendy brushed-aluminum look. The finish is actually a paint job that makes it look like the real thing, except the real thing would have been sturdier. The lid of the HP EliteBook 6930p , for example, is clad in actual ruggedized aluminum, which guards against scratches and nicks that would otherwise spoil the design over time. The E6400 is more scratch resistant, at least more so than the D630. It's definitely trendier than the Lenovo ThinkPad T400 , but whether that's a plus depends on whom you ask. There are red and blue configurations for the E6400, as well, because not every working professional dresses in conservative attire.
The E6400 weighs 5.6 pounds with its 9-cell battery; that makes it heavier than the HP 6930p's 5.3 pounds (4-cell battery) and the Lenovo T400's 5.2 pounds (6-cell), but not by much. Keep in mind, too, that its 9-cell, 85-Wh battery is by far the biggest, which translates to longest-lasting, so it's easier to forgive the extra heft. Another thing about the nine-cell: It protrudes an inch from the back instead of from the front, as with the previous D630. (There are also smaller 4- and 6-cell battery options available.)
The E6400's 14-inch widescreen is as bright as the 14-inch screens on the T400 and the 6930p. And it's matte, too, so you don't get the glare coming from the glossy ones found on consumer laptops. The 1,440-by-900 resolution is the same as you find on the T400 and the 6930p, with an option to go down to 1,280-by-800 for those who want to save $129.
The interior gets a complete makeover as well. The resurfaced keyboard is smoother than the D630's and delivers a superb typing experience, but it's still second best to the T400's. As with the D630, you have dual pointing devices—a touchpad and a pointing stick. Though not as responsive as Lenovo's TrackPoint technology, the pointing stick doesn't feel as stiff as the D630's, or even the 6930p's. The mouse buttons seem bigger and are as silent as the T400's. The palm rests, I would argue, could have used a brushed aluminum treatment similar to that of the frame, but that's an aesthetic preference, not a functional one. The one keyboard feature that the E6400 has over the T400 and the 6930p is an ambient backlit keyboard, which is a terrific addition that is very useful in poorly lit areas like planes, conference rooms, and hotel rooms.
