Dell E5450/5450 Latitude 14 Core i5-5300U Dual-Core 2.3GHz 4GB 128GB SSD 14 WLED Laptop No OS w/Cam, BT & WiFi-AC (Black

Dell Latitude 14 E5450 Notebook Review

Time is money. Dell's new Latitude E5450 that is designed to make work efficient and be performance-enhancing has now been introduced to the business world. Will the professional domain benefit from its mobility, security, and power

Case

All parts of the plastic casing have been assembled neatly, and thus the plain Dell device makes an elegant impression. The display back of our review sample features a magnesium alloy. Instead of being content with rubber nubs, the screen is completely encircled by a rubber rim. The color of the metal hinges adds contrast, and they make a robust impression. The subjective feel is very pleasant owing to the subtle curves. Maintenance and repair are possible via the removable base unit. Unfortunately, it is also the only way to replace the battery and needs time. The material-related drawbacks have to be expected in terms of stability. However, the plastic casing cannot be dented anywhere. Overall, the casing makes a decent and business-suitable impression. An unsightly drawback is that dust settles between the display's bezel and the screen, which then has to be removed with care.

Connectivity

Three of the four sides feature interfaces. The rear can harbor permanently connected peripherals, such as a screen. The SD-card slot and one of the three USB ports for connecting temporary devices are found in the rear area of the right. Interfaces in the front areas usually limit the work space due to interfering cables. The strategy that Dell uses for interface positioning can be called well-conceived.

Communication

Intel's Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 is responsible for wireless connections in the Latitude. Its everyday throughput rate was ascertained in a test specified by the author. Dell's Latitude E5450 had to compete against a MacBook Pro Retina (Late 2013). The test was performed one story below the router. The reception performance of Dell's device was approx. 40% and that of the MacBook roughly 70%. Moving to the same story as the router evened out this difference.