Dell has rolled out a new Ultrabook, laptops, workstations and an all-in-one PC that are powered by the fourth-generation Intel Core processors.
In the arena of Ultrabooks and laptops, the company introduced thinner and lighter models of the Latitude, priced starting at US$599. The most significant enhancement, however, is full touch capability to take full advantage of the new Windows 8 operating system.
The new Latitudes come only with fourth-generation Intel Core processors, which have helped improve laptop performance and battery life, according to Bernard Chua, Business Development Manager, End User Computing, Dell Philippines.
The Latitude 3000 series for small businesses will start at $599, the 5000 series will be for mid-market buyers, while the 7000 series will be the thinnest and lightest but also the most expensive starting at $1,049.
The laptops will be available in touch (carbon fiber lid) and non-touch (aluminum cover) models for users looking to upgrade to either Windows 7 or 8, says Chua.
The laptops will also come with replaceable batteries, which are different from integrated batteries in Ultrabooks.
Business Ultrabook
Dell Latitude E7240
Positioned as a business Ultrabook, the 7000-series includes the Latitude 12 E7240 laptop, which has a 12.5-inch screen and weighs 1.36 kilograms, and also the Latitude 14 E7440, which has a 14-inch screen and weighs 1.63 kilograms. The 7000-series laptops start at $1,049.
Chua said the laptops could provide roughly up to eight hours of performance with a three-cell battery. The Latitude 12 E7240 laptop supports up to 256GB of solid state storage and 8GB of RAM. The larger Latitude 14 E7440 supports either 500GB of hard drive storage or 256GB of SSD storage, and 8GB of RAM.
Dell Latitude E7440
The E7240 measures 12.2 inches wide by 8.3 inches deep by 0.79 inches thick, while the E7440 measures 13.2 inches wide by 9.1 inches deep by 0.8 inches thick, and 3.6 pounds.
The 7000 series are also compatible with existing (E)-Latitude docks.
Mid-range Laptop
Meanwhile, the Latitude 14 and Latitude 15 5000 Series are designed to meet most workforce needs with 14.1-inch or 15.6-inch display options and other key features.
The 5000 series adds an ultra-low-voltage Core processor for extended battery, and provide a discrete graphics option for more processing power and a higher quality visual experience, and SSD or Performance Solid State Hybrid Drive options.
Entry-level Laptops for SMBs
The Latitude 3000 Series is Dell’s newest line of entry-level commercial laptops for education and small business customers, says Chua.
The 3000 series is available in two models: the Latitude 15 3000, with a 15.6-inch display; and the Latitude 14 3000, with a 14.0-inch display. Both ship with either 1366 x 768, 1920 x 1080, or 1366 x 768 touch options.
The Latitude 15 measures 14.8 inches wide, 10.2 inches deep, and between 0.99 inches and 1.33 inches high depending on the battery selected and the display chosen. The weight of the Latitude 15 ranges from 4.8 to 5.1 pounds. The Latitude 14 measures 13.62 inches wide, 9.65 inches deep, and from 0.98 inches to 1.3 inches deep. The Latitude 14 weighs between 4.3 pounds to 4.6 pounds, depending on the configuration.
The 3000 Series also features an integrated microphone and HD Webcam for remote collaboration and interaction.
Common Features
Other features in the laptops include Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet and optional LTE wireless connectivity. There are three USB 3.0 ports and also mini-DisplayPort and HDMI connectors for external monitors. Optional VPro features are also available for remote systems management.
The laptops have carbon fiber coatings and Gorilla Glass, which add a level of ruggedness. Wireless docking using the WiGig protocol is also available to connect external monitors and other peripherals.
Dell said the Latitude 3000 and 5000 laptops will be available in multiple screen sizes.
All new Dell Latitudes will be upgradeable to Windows 8.1, which is due for release in October 18.
Desktop and mobile workstations
Dell has also given its Precision line a complete overhaul with new desktop and mobile workstations.
The 15.6-inch M4800 and 17.3-inch M6800 replace the M4700 and M6700 respectively. Both gain fourth-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors – including the Core i7 Extreme Edition – and support up to 16GB of 1,866MHz RAM.
The Dell Precision T3610, T5610, and T7610 are near identical to their predecessors: the single-Xeon-chip T3600 and the dual-processor medium-sized T5600 and large T7600.
Other new features are aimed at enterprise-level customers: support for Nvidia’s Quadro K6000 graphics card with 12GB of graphics RAM; Intel’s Xeon Phi co-processor 3120A PCIe card, PCIe SSDs and Intel’s Cache Acceleration Software – Workstation (CAS-W).
The new workstations are now available, with pricing starting at $2,367 for the T3610, $2,539 for the T5610, $3,029 for the T7610, $2,482 for the M4800 and $2,669 for the M6800.
OptiPlex 9020 All-in-One
Dell OptiPlex 9020
The Dell OptiPlex 9020 is designed with business customers in mind. In addition to the all-in-one trim shown here, the OptiPlex 9020 will also be available without an integrated display in ultra small form factor, small form factor, and mini-tower configurations.
The OptiPlex 9020 can be configured as a conventional business PC offering Intel’s vPro security technology; a conventional hard drive, a hybrid drive, or an SSD; and integrated or discrete graphics. Alternatively, it can be configured with Dell’s Cloud Desktop and operate as a stateless, diskless for higher data security.
(Photos by Melba Bernad)
