Dell Latitude E-Series: Latitude E6320 review

PREVIEW: Allow your thoughts to drift into the world of business laptops, and your mind is unlikely to be filled with technicolour potential. With dumpy desktop replacements and dull black portables almost always the order of the day, business all too often means boring. That, however, is a cliché some brands seem keen to dispel – none more so than Dell, with its new Latitude range.

The major surprise is just how much has changed. While the likes of Lenovo’s ThinkPads have retained their classic (some might say dated) all-black design, the Latitude has evolved.

Set against the boxy, jet-black physique of last year’s range, the new models mark a sea-change in Dell’s mobile division. Anodised aluminium lids abound, while those stark, polygonal edges have softened into gentle, classy curves. The premium 6-series models are distinguished from their 5-series counterparts by a subtle orange trim circling the keyboard.

The real standout of the group, however, is the 13.3in Latitude E6320, an early pre-production sample of which we were given for this preview. Were it not for the Latitude logo subtly etched into the keyboard’s silver surround, you’d imagine this might be the first glimpse of Dell’s new XPS. For a business laptop, it’s still just the right side of striking – the muted palette of grey and silver stops short of all-out ostentatiousness and retains a serious, workmanlike air.

It’s the transformation in build quality that truly stuns. Previous Latitudes never felt insubstantial, but they wilt next to the new generation. Dell’s redesign has seen the new Latitude emerge with a reinforced magnesium alloy chassis, strengthened further by a ring of alloy running around the circumference of each laptop. With spill-proof keyboards and MIL-STD-810G accreditation across the range, Dell is taking on not only the ThinkPads, but also Panasonic’s Toughbooks at their own game.

If the E6320 is anything to go by, the new design feels indestructible. Despite weighing in at just 1.89kg, the chassis is rock solid and without a hint of flex to be found anywhere; 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 sign of any show-through on the display itself. It’s clear this laptop will take transatlantic flights and the perils of boisterous baggage-handlers in its stride.

The Latitude’s tough-guy exterior looks and feels every inch the luxurious business laptop, and ergonomics are no exception. The twin touchpad and trackpoint is a winning combination, and the backlit keyboard is superb. The rigid chassis makes for zero flex in the keyboard’s base, while every keystroke finishes with a soft, padded thunk that feels great under the fingers.

With Intel’s Sandy Bridge making its debut across the Latitude range, it’s safe to say that performance just isn’t going to be an issue. Our review unit came with the Core i5-2410M processor, 2GB of DDR3 RAM and Intel’s integrated 2000-series HD graphics. Fleet-footed is the right way to describe it; applications bound into life with minimal delay.

Thanks to the frugality of Intel’s Sandy Bridge platform, battery life even on this pre-production model was immensely promising. It’s clear Dell has had to sacrifice battery capacity to retain the E6320’s figure – the three-cell, 2,620mAh battery is hardly capacious – but with the battery lasting 3hr 45mins on a 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 soon to be available as optional extras, as well as a three-cell battery which replaces the optical drive, we wouldn’t be surprised to see that figure stretch close to the 20-hour mark with a fully kitted out E6320.

Connectivity is the final hurdle. The two USB ports on our sample were only USB 2 compliant – with one doubling as an eSATA port. Given the range of docking options that 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 businesses prefer HDMI and D-SUB – but otherwise, the breadth of connectivity is ample. ExpressCard/34 and an SD card reader are accompanied by optional extras including standard or contactless SmartCard readers and a fingerprint reader.

Finally, Gigabit Ethernet comes as standard, while 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 easy for IT departments to upgrade models in-house too: remove eight screws and the unit’s underside pops off to give quick access to the mini-PCI slots, CMOS battery and RAM. Our model had the WWAN aerials ready and waiting the addition of a suitable mini-PCI adapter.

Without any pricing to go on, the ultimate appeal of Dell’s Latitude E6320 hangs in the balance. But as a business laptop that manages to blend the indestructible feel of a rugged Panasonic Toughbook with the sex appeal of Apple’s MacBook, this year might see the Latitude series genuinely come of age.

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