Dell’s successor to the D600 series packs plenty VGP-BPS9/S of power and endurance in an eye-catching and durable new design.

Wi-Fi Performance

Our review unit came with Sony VGP-BPS8 Battery an unremarkable 802.11b/g wireless connection that pushed data along at a rate of 16.0 Mbps from 15 feet away from our access point and 13.4 Mbps at 50 feet away, both of which are below the category average. We highly recommend spending the extra $39 on an 802.11n connection. Nevertheless, we were able to surf the Web at a fairly speedy clip; we loaded CNN’s content-heavy main page in 5.7 seconds. The system also includes Dell’s Wi-Fi Catcher, VGP-BPS9/B which sniffs for available signals even when the notebook is powered down.

Road warriors will appreciate the option to add 3G mobile broadband from AT&T ($199, includes GPS), Sprint ($149), Akku Dell TK330 or Verizon ($149). If you’re worried about missing out on future technologies, don’t be; the Dell Latitude E6400 is future-proofed, as it supports Wireless USB and Mobile WiMAX.

Software, Security Features, and Management

The security-conscious will be pleased to learn that the Dell Latitude E6400 features a Akku Dell P726C contactless Smart Card reader, TPM, an optional biometric fingerprint reader, and Intel’s vPro technology. Data can also be kept from prying eyes through the use of remote data deletion and certified data destruction.

The Latitude E6400 also comes pre-installed Akku Dell T118C with Dell Video Chat (if configured with the optional webcam), Google Earth, Microsoft Office Live Small Business, Roxio Creator Home, and CyberLink PowerDVD DX. New Dell ControlPoint software provides a single access point that lets users configure the notebook as they see fit. With a single hot key combination, users can access power management, displays and devices, connections, security, and system information.

Battery Life

Using our LAPTOP Battery Test, which tests endurance by surfing the Web until the battery dies, the Dell Latitude E6400’s nine-cell Akku HP Compaq NX7400 battery lasted 5 hours and 17 minutes, which ran neck and neck with the Lenovo ThinkPad SL400’s 5 hours and 20 minute score on the same test. Dell states that users can expect a whopping 19 hours of battery life if you equip this system with a 64GB solid-state drive ($554), and a 12-cell slice battery ($399).

Verdict

Priced at $1,463, the Dell Latitude E6400 is a Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery durable and secure notebook that offers snappy performance and plenty of endurance. And thanks to Dell’s redesign, this is one sleek business notebook you’ll want to be seen carrying. Power users will want to upgrade to discrete graphics, and we wish the touchpad were bigger, but overall the E6400 is an very good choice.