Dell Latitude E6400 14in business laptop Dell supplied us with a Latitude E6400 set up for German use. Appropriate given the laptop's design that seems Teutonic in its slab-like seriousness. The other word it brings to mind is "ThinkPad". Let's have a quick look along the Latitude's straight lines and angles, all free from the fripperies of curves. Like the IBM …
Thinkpad users are used to the Magnesium Alloy screen casing, which makes it amazingly durable. I've seen a few laptops with cracked screens due to being carried in a bag with the power brick and UK plug in the pouch on the front. When the whole thing is crushed (in an overhead locker, for example) the plug presses on the centre of the screen. Only Thinkpads survive this.
Actually looking from the side it is more along the lines of early Compaq Armada. In fact it definitely closer to the Armada than to Thinkpad. If it has some of the other Armada properties like being able survive being used as a weapon in a bar brawl, I may even consider revoking the ban on Dell goods in my household.
It actually starts at £579, not £549, and that's less VAT and delivery. Dell really take the piss with their £57.58 delivery charge. It would be OK if their products were reliable and backed up with competent after sales service, but any idiot (plenty buy Dell) can tell you that's sadly not the case.
Bought one of these at work for myself - but no Linux drivers for network, screen (didn't try hard on that one), wifi - so I gave it away and kept my D620.
Looks ugly too.
Keyboard backlight didn't work and after 2 motherboard changes, we told Dell to give us a new one. (not a fault of the laptop design - just a friday afternoon box).
Might give it another try in a few months time.
M2400 is basically the same setup with a higher-end mobile Quadro graphics unit and a third mouse button - but it also has a mag-alloy lid so should be more robust than the Lat'. The price is not too far from the E6400 either. I got the M2400 since it apparently is the only 14" which can drive a 30" external display... mind you - still needs a docking bay to do it!
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