Dell Latitude 10 review

As you might expect from a business device, it’s the very model of practicality. The right-hand edge sports a USB 2 socket and a mini-HDMI output, and there’s a full-size SD slot on the top edge, a Kensington lock slot on the left, and a micro-USB socket for charging the tablet next to a proprietary docking port connector on the bottom.

Inside, there’s dual-band 802.11n wireless and Bluetooth 4, and the Standard-edition Latitude can also be specified with an integrated 3G adapter for an additional £96 exc VAT. You can get 3G for less by opting for the “NetReady” model, which costs only £63 exc VAT more, but this locks the device to O2, with internet access delivered on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The one big negative is that application performance isn’t great. Its Intel 1.8GHz Atom Z2760 CPU scored only 0.22 in our Real World Benchmarks; although this is enough for smooth Start screen and Internet Explorer 10 scrolling and panning, it can’t run intensive applications so well. Even some simple tasks seemed to tax the Latitude 10: it took a long time to switch between categories in the Search menu, and Explorer windows were slow to open in desktop mode.

Neither were we impressed by the Dell’s pair of cameras. The front-facing 2-megapixel camera is average, with images dogged by noise and graininess, but it’s fine for videoconferencing and Skype. The rear-facing 8-megapixel camera could be much better, though. Its colours were oversaturated, detail was blurred around the edges of our sample pictures, and there was a distracting green cast to all our test shots.

Verdict

Despite the mediocre cameras, sluggish performance and a woeful case, there’s plenty to like about the Latitude 10. The huge battery and amazing stamina are enough on their own to justify the asking price of £521. We know of no other device capable of running full Windows software that comes close, and the fact you can buy extra batteries for £56, to swap out when it does eventually run out of juice, turns it into the ultimate road-warrior’s tool.

Add the stylus capability, which places it one step ahead of the Acer Iconia W510, and the desktop dock, which adds to its office-bound appeal, and you have (almost) the perfect mobile workhorse. The Dell Latitude 10 sets a high standard for Windows 8 business devices; we wonder if anything else will be able to compete with it.