Unbelievable Dell's Laptop More Slim And Better Than Macbook Air - In the Ultrabook
world it's a race to the bottom for who can make the lightest, thinnest, and
smallest notebook of all. Last year, Dell pulled out all the stops with the XPS
13, which jammed a 13-inch screen into an 11-inch frame. Now the Round
Rock-based company is hoping to make a splash on the enterprise front with the
Latitude 13 7000.
Although we've
seen a grow space of fanless, Intel Core M-powered business notebooks, the new
Latitude comes as 12.5-inch notebook packing the full power of an Intel Core i7
processor. On top the beefier processing power, thin and light rig also looks
promising thanks to its unique Infinity screen, carbon fiber body and $1299
(about £880, AU$1,785) starting price.
Design Concept
Much like Dell's
recent enterprise-oriented Chromebook 13, the Latitude 13 features a completely
carbon fiber-lined chassis. The material helps make the 12.5-inch laptop
lighter than other Ultrabooks and at the same time gives the screen lid an
attractive woven-finish look. The surface is also coated in a resin clear coat
that's soft to the touch and manages to repel fingerprints fairly well.
Still if you're
not a fan of the carbon fiber, Dell also plans to offer the Latitude 13 with a
magnesium alloy lid, making it similar to the XPS 13.
The interior is
made up of a flat, hard piece of semi-glossy carbon fiber composite. Though it
looks like a simple plastic panel, it doesn't feel cheap at all and there's
hardly any flex. Still I would have much rather preferred the interior to have
the same weaved finish as the screen lid and it would have been a fitting touch
since this 7000-series machine is Dell's highest-end Latitude model.
Where this
12.5-inch laptop truly impresses is the keyboard. The keys travel noticeably
deeper than those on the XPS 13 and they also produce a satisfying click when
pushed down. Each key has also been molded with a fantastic concave curvature
for your fingertips to fill. Similarly, the trackpad features actual buttons
rather than being a clickable pad – though I wish it were lined with glass
rather than being made of a high-grade plastic.
Dell has
implemented the magic of its Infinity Display with the latest line of Latitude
machines, and like the XPS line before it does an amazing job of shaving down
the screen bezels. However, the same tradeoffs are present as the webcam has
been moved down to the lower left of the machine.
This positioning
of the camera will make your nose hairs ever more visible during web calls and
forget about typing while you're on a meeting as it will look like a fleshy
tarantula is attacking the keys. Still if you're willing to put up with this
small caveat, the shrunken bezels are a treat and they help draw your eyes to
the pleasantly colorful and bright display.
Small, but not smallest
Measuring just
12.22 x 8.47 x 0.74 inches or 310 x 215 x 19mm (W x D x H) and weighing in at
2.77 pounds (1.26kg), the Latitude 13 is one of the lightest business laptops
to come out beating even the 2.84 pound (1.28kg) Lenovo Yoga 900 and the 2.96
pound (1.35kg) MacBook Air.
That said, it's
not the smallest device around. It has some noticeably generous dimensions that
make it bigger than the Yoga 900 and even the 14-inch screenLenovo X1 Carbon.
It's especially noticeable when you place it next to the 11.97 x 7.87 x 0.35 -
0.59 inches (304 x 200 x 9-15mm) XPS 13, which remains as one of the most
compact Ultrabooks ever created.
The Latitude 13
is that much larger thanks to its extensive array of ports including three USB
3.0 ports, USB C for docking, SD card, Ethernet, HDMI, mini DisplayPort a slot
of a SIM card and an optional smart card reader.
The most
interesting addition is this will be the first Latitude to introduce a USB type
C port as its docking connector. Using a single cable, users will be able to
connect their laptop to a block-shaped dock to push data and power as well as
driving two external 4K monitors.
Specifications & Pricing
At its core, the
Dell Latitude 13 7000 features Skylake Intel Core I-series processors
upgradable to a Core i7 chip. Users will also be able to configure their system
with up to 16GB of DDR4 memory and a 512GB SSD.
For screen
options, the base Latitude 13 comes outfitted with a 1,366 x 768 resolution
display at its $1299 (about £880, AU$1,785) base configuration. However, you'll
most likely want to bump up to the FHD 1080p or even a QHD+ panel, and there's
also a touch display option which throws in a sheet of Corning Gorilla Glass.
Dell has also
made two battery options available and you'll be able to customize your
12.5-inch notebook with either a three or four cell battery, the latter of
which should last for 10 hours.
Early verdict
The Dell Latitude
13 7000 is a well built and handsome business laptop but it's not breathtaking
in any sort of way if you're looking for a machine to sweep you off your feet.
While the Lenovo Yoga 900 impresses with its ability to transform, the MacBook
with its thinness, the Latitude 13 merely exists. It's not the smallest and
just slightly lighter than other Ultrabook options out there.
That said, this
12.5-inch notebook is a solid option complete with excellent keyboard, decent
display and competent trackpad. And more power to you if you're looking to
update your business' fleet of Dell machines.
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