Dell refreshes enterprise Latitude range and offers Optiplex All-in-One

Dell Latitude E6430s

Dell has refreshed its Latitude laptop range and launched an all-in-one Optiplex desktop aimed at medium to large enterprises.

The Latitude E6430s aims to offer business users portability without compromising performance. Dell has packed a 14in display with 1366 x 768 resolution into a 13.3in chassis. The matte coating makes it suitable for use in environments with overhead lighting.

The Latitude range offers long battery life, configurability, portability as well as a range of sizes.

Dell will offer a choice of Intel Ivy Bridge processors, and the option of having vPro technology to help IT administrators manage the devices and keep them secure.

The Windows 7 laptops include 2GB of RAM as standard, which can be boosted up to 8GB. There will be a maximum configurable hard disk capacity of 750GB or users can opt for a 256GB SSD. Dell offers users the option to have a hybrid storage combination and a Trusted Platform mode.

In terms of connectivity the E6430s will come with a USB port, 2 x USB 3.0 ports, VGA connection, an eSATA/USB combo as well as an Ethernet port.

There is a modular bay included so users will be able to add in a second battery to boost uptime by up to six hours, add extra storage or use an optical drive. It will also be possible to add discrete graphics and 3G capabilities.

In terms of battery life, Dell offers users a choice between a 3-cell, 6-cell or 9-cell batteries, giving the device a theoretical battery life of over 30 hours.

The main concerns for users are battery life, portability and screen size, Markus Schuetz, senior reviews manager of EMEA at Dell told IT Pro at the launch event.

"The Latitude range offers long battery life, configurability, portability as well as a range of sizes," he said.

"Dell aims to make it easy for IT admins to deploy devices. We can also help businesses to configure software and pre-load software images onto machines to save businesses time."

The Latitude range will be available 12.5in, 13.3in and 15.6in form factors, with pricing and release dates to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the OptiPlex 9010 All-in-One is set to come with a 23in 1920 x 1080 LCD display, four USB 3.0 ports as well as HDMI, VGA-out, and Ethernet ports round the back.

Dell will offer users the choice between Ivy Bridge chipsets, up to 16GB of RAM and a maximum of 1TB storage space. Dell expects these devices to be used in receptions, Wi-Fi kiosks at airports or by business users who need to conserve desk space.

There are also plans to roll out touch screen version of the 9010 when Windows 8 is launched at the end of this year. No pricing has been confirmed at this time.

Khidr Suleman is the Technical Editor at IT Pro, a role he has fulfilled since March 2012. He is responsible for the reviews section on the site  - so get in touch if you have a product you think might be of interest to the business world. He also covers the hardware and operating systems beats. Prior to joining IT Pro, Khidr worked as a reporter at Incisive Media. He studied law at the University of Reading and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism and Online Writing at PMA Training.