The 3.8-pound Dell Latitude C400 is Dell’s best ultraportable—and dare we say portable of any kind—to date. Along with the IBM ThinkPad X22 we also tested, it merits an Editors’ Choice.
The C400 was the fastest unit on our performance tests, which is no surprise given its 1.2-GHz Mobile Pentium III-M processor and the companion Intel 830M chip set. (The 830M chip set comes in three flavors: the 830M with fast graphics, the 830MG with passable graphics, and the 830MP for external graphics support.) The C400 battery also delivered the best battery life: 3:39, just surpassing the IBM’s 3:33.
For those who want a CD-ROM or DVD drive readily available, Dell includes a drive in a slide-out case, which, together, adds just 1.1 pounds, so you don’t have to lug along a 2-pound media slice to house the drive (although one is available). We would, however, prefer to see a less bulky AC adapter; at about a pound, it’s the heaviest among the five units here.
The C400, set to be unveiled at Comdex, is the only entry in this class to come equipped with both a touch pad and a pointing stick, with dedicated buttons for each. These additions make the C400 a good bet for fleet buyers who need to satisfy the preferences of many users.
Take a look at the spec:
Pros
* Very good performance and DELL Latitude C400 battery life
* External modular bay supports a good range of drives.
Cons
* Lacks IEEE 1394 support
* Wireless 802.11b connectivity costs extra
* External modular bay is quite bulky.
Key Specs
Processor manufacturer: Intel
Processor model: Mobile Pentium III-M
Clock speed: 1.2 GHz
RAM installed: 256 MB
Wireless LAN: optional
Hard drive size: 20 GB
Graphics processor: Intel Graphics Technology (integrated)
Display diagonal size: 12.1 in
Dimensions (W x H x D): 28.9×2.5×23.9 cm
Weight: 1.7 kg
Operating system: Windows XP Professional
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