Dell Latitude E6410 Review

Our Dell Latitude E6410 Specifications:

• 14.1 LED-backlit WXGA+ 1440x900 Display
• Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
• Intel Core i7 620M processor (2.66GHz, 4MB cache)
• NVIDIA NVS 3100M Dedicated Graphics with 512MB VRAM
• 4GB DDR3 RAM
• 250GB 7200RPM hard drive (Western Digital Scorpio Black)
• Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6200AGN
• Built-in Bluetooth v2.1+EDR
• 8X DVD burner
• One-year limited warranty
• 9-cell Li-ion battery (85Wh)
• Weight: 4.26lbs starting (5.5lbs configured)
• Dimensions: 13.2 x 9.4 x 1-1.2-inches
• MSRP: $960 starting ($1,865 closest configuration)

Build and Design
The Dell Latitude E6410 has a very modern look and feel, with a few changes this generation to give a nod towards past models. The E6400 brought the latest body style, with a black alloy shell. The E6410 this time around keeps the body style, but switches back to the gunmetal gray coloring scheme which was found on the D630 and D620 before it. The finish has a pseudo-brushed appearance (painted, not actual brushed metal like on the HP EliteBook) that seems to resist fingerprints more than the real thing. The lower half of the notebook keeps the black metal design, with a large service panel that lets you access everything in the notebook by removing a single screw.

Inside the E6410 the look is matte black on everything besides the keyboard and model lettering. Compared to what you might find in a consumer model, there are no glossy or reflective surfaces besides the small chrome lettering on the Dell branding logo. This is nice if you use your notebook in brightly lit areas where reflections can be distracting. It also means that smudges and fingerprints won't be a problem from day-to-day use.

Build quality is very good and if feels very durable with the metal panels top and bottom. In the business notebook market not all makers have stuck with metal body panels. After the T60-series ThinkPad, Lenovo switched to a plastic top cover, which has stuck for every generation since then. The HP EliteBook though keeps the metal top cover and retains the image and feel of a higher-grade notebook over a standard plastic consumer model.

The Latitude E6410 chassis felt very well built and resisted any flexing in the usual spots. The palmrest and touchpad showed no signs of sag under heavy prodding. The keyboard directly over the optical drive stayed firm, even though most notebooks do show some signs of weakness in this area. Grabbing the notebook by the palmrest and carrying it around didn't cause any twisting or creaking noises. With the notebook closed the screen cover gave above average protection for the screen and should prevent any keyboard key marks on from imprinting on the LCD after being transported in a backpack loaded with other items. With the notebook open it took a good amount of pressure applied to the back of the cover before it showed any ripples or distortions on the display.

Users looking to upgrade parts of IT staff looking to replacing components will find the Latitude E6410 very easy to service. Dell designed the entire bottom around a single access panel with a single screw holding it in place. After removing the screen (which is retained with a spring so it never gets lost) you simply slide the cover down about a smidge and pop it off. With the cover removed you gain access to the WWAN, Wi-Fi card, memory slots, processor and heatsink, CMOS battery, cooling fan, and the instant-on OS card. Outside of having a cover that removes by the thought of wanting to upgrade alone, the E6410 is probably the easiest notebook we have come across to upgrade.

Ports and Features
The Latitude E6410 is packed with a ton of connections, including three USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA/USB combo port, VGA and DisplayPort-out, audio jacks, LAN, and FireWire-400. Other features include an optical drive, SDHC-card reader, and a SmartCard reader.

Front: SDHC-card slot	Rear: LAN, DisplayPort-out, power jack
Left: Kensington lock slot, VGA-out, one USB 2.0, eSATA/USB, SmartCard reader	Right: ExpressCard/54 slot, FireWire-400, optical drive, audio jacks, wireless on/off, two USB 2.0 ports.