TechTurn Blog: Check It Out: The Dell Latitude D420

Dell Latitude D420 Review

The Pros: Ultra portable; Sturdy; Good battery life; Slim; Lightweight design

The Cons: Small keyboard; Low sound quality

The Bottom Line: Even though the Dell Latitude D420 is Dell's smallest business laptop, it has plenty of positive perks including its great balance between features, portability, and price. It combines decent specs with a convenient form factor.

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The Latitude is Dell s laptop brand that is targeted for business use. Latitudes are made of plastic with a durable magnesium-alloy casing and Strike Zone shock protection in case of an accident where it s dropped or suffers some type of impact. Latitude models are made more durable and tend to have a higher quality than the other Dell notebook lines.

The Dell Latitude D420 is a a very solid notebook, despite it s feather-light weight. The chassis is constructed of magnesium alloy, but some of the laptop s exterior is made with a solid plastic material. There is only a small sign of flex in the palm rests but I believe that s just because the battery is the only thing found underneath that location. Overall, the D420 has a very strong frame that protects the entire chassis.

The keyboard is smaller than what you might be used to, but the keys feel nice to touch and the key feedback is user-friendly. This Dell comes with two mouse replacements, a pointer and a touchpad. Both of them allow you to precisely control the mouse pointer in a quiet manner. The Latitude D420 is also equipped with two USB ports, VGA port, Firewire, and a PC Card slot. Not to mention, the battery life is impressive and can last more than four hours. The D420 will also keep you connected with an 802.11 G Wireless.

The Dell Latitude D420 would be an excellent companion for someone who does frequent traveling. This notebook is light, looks professional, feels sturdy, and has a battery life that could last throughout those long flights. This is a well-equipped notebook that has definitely earned it s right to be called a business notebook.

View this product on the store.

Memory Type	DDR2
Video Card	Intel GMA 900
Processor	Intel Core Duo 1.2 GHz
Display Port	VGA
Wireless Type	IEEE 802.11 G
USB Ports	3
Screen Size	12.1"
Screen Resolution	1280 x 800
Height	1.1"
Width	11.5"
Depth	8.5"
Battery	6-cell
Battery Life	Up to 4.5 hrs
Weight	3.0 lbs