There's the legacy features such as VGA, ExpressCard, and SmartCard slot. The E6420 is equipped with 4 USB ports, one of which is an USB/eSATA combo. Its feature set isn't exactly brimming with new technology, but it has the essentials for any business to run smoothly.

The touchpad, on the other hand, felt really nice and dragged smoothly, complemented by a pair of really soft mouse buttons. It has dual-pointing devices-pointing stick and touchpad-though the pointing stick was my least favorite feature on the E6420, as it was too stiff to use for navigation. The combination of a backlit keyboard and traditional-style keys makes for a satisfyingly productive experience, regardless of lighting conditions. It's a matte screen, the kind that doesn't reflect light back at you. Its 1,366-by-768 resolution can be upgraded to 1,600-by-900, which is well worth $80 upgrade. The 14-inch widescreen is intensely bright, but not as rich in colors as the one found in the HP Elitebook 8740w (($1,999 direct, 4 stars). In contrast, ThinkPads sport an all-black frame.

The additional orange lining around the keyboard, however, may seem like color overkill, although I didn't find it to be an eyesore. The interior has a similar color combination: black palm rests and aluminum trim around the keyboard. The gun-metal gray top is made of brushed aluminum that tapers along the sides, surrounded by a light silver trim, while the base is completely black. But then again, the Lenovo ThinkPad T410 (5.5 lbs) ($1,484 direct, 4 stars) and T420 (review coming shortly) were subjected to similar torture tests and given a similar battery, yet they're half a pound lighter.ĭespite its heft, the E6420 has pleasing aesthetics. This metallic blend withstood a wide range of improvised military torture tests by Dell that include vibrations, extreme temperatures, drops, and moisture, to name a few. Then there's the fact that it's a solidly-made laptop, made from magnesium alloy and topped with an aluminum finish. There's the huge 9-cell battery without which the E6420 wouldn't have its impressive battery life. The E6420's heavy weight can be attributed to several factors.

Although powerful, the E6420 is pricey and weighs a whopping 6 pounds, which is very heavy for a 14-inch laptop. This particular configuration runs an Intel Core i5-2540M processor, a 9-cell battery (the biggest available), and integrated graphics. For instance, the Dell Latitude E6420 ($1,788 direct), the company's latest 14-inch business laptop, has every feature and component that a power user could possibly dream up, from the full range of Intel Sandy Bridge processors to the gamut of business-oriented features. Latitude-branded laptops are dedicated to the most demanding businesses and largest enterprises for a reason: They're fully loaded, with a world of options to choose from.

Dell latitude e6420 9 cell battery