Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
Dell's main competition for the Latitude 9420 2-in-1 is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 5 (and the recently released Gen 6, which we will be reviewing in the coming weeks). Although it has an older 10th Generation Intel processor, Lenovo's 14-inch convertible has many of the same features as the Latitude, including optional QHD and 4K displays and Intel's vPro manageability technology. The CPU and graphics are optimized for light office work. Dell's power control allows for whisper-quiet work with little waste heat or, alternatively, moderate performance. However, this 14-incher is not made for continuous performance. Anyone looking for this should look at AMD Ryzen alternatives ( ThinkPad T14s) or individual Core i7 models ( ThinkPad T14 Gen2). Choosing the 2-in-1 version of the Latitude 9420 does add a bit of weight; it starts at 3.2 pounds with the smaller battery, versus 2.8 pounds for the clamshell. Still, the convertible's weight is close enough to the 3-pound mark that we consider the standard for ultraportable laptops. (Photo: Molly Flores) Whether you choose the convertible or clamshell version of the Latitude 9420, the chassis stays mostly the same. It measures 0.54 by 12.2 by 8.5 inches (HWD), which makes it compact enough to compete with many alternative corporate machines that have smaller 13-inch screens, let alone 14-inchers. For instance, the 13-inch Dell Latitude 7320 2-in-1 is 0.67 by 12.1 by 8 inches. The ThinkPad X1 Yoga measures 0.59 by 12 by 8.5 inches.
The results of our Handbrake video editing trial are clustered close together, and although the Latitude 7420 tied for last place the differences were negligible. Handbrake is another tough, threaded workout that's highly CPU-dependent and scales well with cores and threads. In it, we put a stopwatch on test systems as they transcode a standard 12-minute clip of 4K video to a 1080p MP4 file. It’s a timed test, and lower results are better.The 8GB of DDR4 system memory and 256GB of storage is enough to run, but heavy users might find that storage gets somewhat snug after a few months use. Ergonomically, this is one of the smaller machines in this category, if only by a few millimeters. There are smaller machines, like the Lenovo X1 Carbon, but this device is certainly very portable. Sound quality is basic for such an expensive laptop. With a mic integrated into the webcam assembly and dual stereo speakers, videoconferencing and voice calls are clear but not exceptional on the Latitude 7420. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon also offers a basic audio experience; even Dell's flagship Latitude 9410 uses a similar audio setup.
Our “Design and Gaming” profile delivers optimal color temperature (6500K) at 140 cd/m2 luminance and sRGB gamma mode. Interestingly, the performance here is weirdly biased towards the integrated graphics, at the expense of pure computational power. Especially with the Core i7-1185G7, which is the top-of-the-line unit from the Tiger Lake lineup. Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates PWM but also reduces the harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate. If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light. Conclusions Still, we’ve included other color spaces like the famous DCI-P3 standard used by movie studios, as well as the digital UHD Rec.2020 standard. Rec.2020, however, is still a thing of the future and it’s difficult for today’s displays to cover that well. We’ve also included the so-called Michael Pointer gamut, or Pointer’s gamut, which represents the colors that naturally occur around us every day.Work wherever: Our 2-in-1s feature Corning® Gorilla® Glass, which offers premium glass innovation for better readability and durability, so you can work anywhere your job takes you. * Jump into work: Power on by opening the lid, then stay synced thanks to Modern Standby capability. Log in instantly with ExpressSign-in proximity sensor or optional fingerprint reader in the power button. The Latitude 9420 returned to the top of the class in our Adobe Photoship image editing benchmark, in which we apply a series of 10 complex filters and effects to a standard JPEG test image, timing each operation and adding up the total. Graphics and Battery Tests
The Latitude 7420's direct competitors include other high-end business subnotebooks such as the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G9, ThinkPad T14s, the HP EliteBook 840 Aero, and - as dGPU models - the affordable MSI Modern 14 and the ThinkPad T14 Gen2.I'm also including the ThinkPad X1 Yoga, a 2-in-1 that competes with the convertible version of the Latitude 7420. Finally, since our Latitude is a clamshell laptop without a touch screen, a comparison with the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro is also useful.Many corporate users covet Mac laptops, too. Storage performance as measured by PCMark 8 proved roughly equal across the Latitude 7420 and its competitors, since they all use speedy SSDs as their boot drives. There are hardly any tablets in this display size range anymore. For subnotebooks, on the other hand, it is the standard format. Meanwhile, the only port on the right edge is a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A connector. The remainder of the right edge is dedicated to one of the two outlets for heat exhaust. Any object you place next to this port will get warm; it's great if you're right-handed and using an external mouse on a cold day, but not so much if it's hot out and you suffer from clammy hands. (Photo: Molly Flores)
As far as performance goes, the unit I had was based on an Intel Core i5-1145G7 processor (Tiger Lake), which has four cores and eight threads, with a rated speed of 2.6 GHz and a maximum turbo speed of 4.4 GHz, manufactured on Intel’s 10 nm SuperFin process. You can get it with the higher-end Core i7-1185, which has a base speed of 3.0 GHz and a turbo of 4.8 GHz, which is what the higher-spec laptops I’ve been testing this year have had. Both processors have integrated graphics and support vPro, Intel's enterprise management feature. The unit I used had 16GB of memory and a 512GB solid-state drive, similar to the others. IDC Whitepaper: “Optimizing Performance with Frequent Server Replacements for Enterprises” commissioned by Dell Technologies and Intel, March 2021. Results are based on interviews with 18 IT practitioners and decision makers at midsize and large enterprises and a web survey of 707 IT practitioners and decision makers at midsize and larger enterprises using Dell Technologies server solutions across 7 industries. See full whitepaper: https://www.delltechnologies.com/resources/en-us/asset/white-papers/products/servers/server-infrastructure-resiliency-enterprise-whitepaper.pdf It is also worth mentioning that Dell offers the Latitude 14 7420 in both Carbon and Aluminum outfits, both of which feel premium enough.The unit I tested had a carbon fiber weave design, which I don’t find as modern as the aluminum case in the 9420, but it’s a good-looking laptop and carbon fiber is about 0.2 pounds lighter. Measuring 0.68 by 12.65 by 8.22 inches (HWD), the 7420 is a bit bigger than the 9420 two-in-one I tested (0.54 by 12.2 by 8.5 inches), but still pretty small (HWD). It’s actually lighter, with a starting weight of 2.7 pounds. The unit I tested, which has a touch screen, weighed 3.0 pounds, 3.8 pounds with the charger; the Lenovo Carbon X1 and HP EliteBook 840 Aero are both a little lighter, but this is an easy machine to carry. The bezels around the screen are noticeably larger, but that certainly doesn’t impact the usability of the machine. It has a solid, modern look. Where others obfuscate the exact nature of their devices with paint and thin metal facings, Dell embraces plastic as its material of choice, and the surface finish achieved with it is admirable. Dell: Dell is a U.S. manufacturer (based in Texas) of computer hardware founded in 1984 and is one of the largest international manufacturers in terms of both market share and notebook models. Its product line includes desktops, notebooks, storage systems, monitors, servers, printers, consumer electronics and peripherals. Dell offers laptops that are suitable for various applications, such as business laptops, gaming laptops, ultra portables and workstations. Dell's business laptops from the Latitude and Precision series are an option for professional users and businesses. Hard drive retention: Hard drive retention is not available on models with a soldered hard drive, including XPS 9315 2in1, Chromebooks or Venue tablets, except the Venue 11 Pro.
Great Deal 
New Comment