Dell designed its new Latitude C400, the smallest and lightest notebook in its corporate line, for executives on the go. But what sets this 1.7 kg travel companion apart from other ultraportables is that you won't give up much in the way of performance or features.
No lightweight performer
The Latitude C400 isn't as tiny as the razor-thin Toshiba Portégé 2000 and Sharp PC-UM10 notebooks. But at exactly 1 inch thick and weighing 1.7 kg (2.1 with the AC adapter), the Latitude C400 will hardly bog you down. In addition, many competitors in this class can't match its performance and features.
The Latitude C400 is one of the most loaded ultralights around. The configuration we tested included a screaming 1.2GHz mobile Pentium III-M processor--a rarity among ultralights since their small batteries usually can't withstand such tremendous power output. The Dell's processor speed far surpasses that of two other top ultralight competitors, the IBM ThinkPad X22 and the Compaq Evo N200, which max out with 800MHz and 700MHz mobile PIII-M CPUs, respectively.
With help from its generous 256MB of memory and an Intel 830M integrated-graphics subsystem, the Latitude C400 soared 33 percent past the IBM and 64 percent past the Compaq in our labs' Internet-content-creation test. And the Dell finished dead even with the IBM ThinkPad T23, a fast, mainstream system that also carries a 1.2GHz PIII-M processor.
The Latitude C400's incredible speed didn't sap its battery life. Its test score of 3 hours and 15 minutes is excellent for an ultralight, easily outlasting the Evo N200's 2 hours, 25 minutes and falling just short of the ThinkPad X22's impressive 3 hours, 37 minutes. None of these Pentium-based systems can compete in battery-life tests with Transmeta Crusoe-based portables such as the NEC Versa DayLite, but they offer a better balance of performance vs. battery life for most users.
Ultra-usable
Not just an excellent performer, the Latitude C400 is also a surprisingly full-featured and usable ultralight. The sharp, 12.1-inch, XGA (1,024x768 pixels), active-matrix screen is large enough to look at for hours without eyestrain. Dell also built in a slightly smaller yet still comfortable version of the signature keyboard and mouse layout found on almost all of its Latitude and Inspiron laptops. It conveniently includes both a touchpad and a pointing stick with corresponding mouse buttons.
As with most ultralights, however, you'll have to connect secondary storage drives externally. All systems ship with a floppy drive. Our evaluation unit included a combination DVD/CD-RW drive (which is sold separately for AU$636.90), but other options include DVD-ROM (AU$132), CD-RW (AU$88), or a second 20GB hard drive (AU$220). Each of these drives fits in the internal bays of the C400's larger siblings, the C600 and the C800, as well as in past C-series systems. Your boss will love this cross-compatibility since your company can buy just a few drives to share. Our only gripe with this setup is that you can attach only one drive at a time to the system's proprietary connection port.
Latitude C400 users can make these drives more aesthetically appealing by slipping them into an external plastic case, but those who care more about travel weight can ditch the case and plug cords directly into the drives themselves. The AC adapter also comes in a plastic case that helps prevent an unmanageable power cord by wrapping it around the case grooves; again, you can leave the case behind if you're looking for a lighter load.
Dell follows the example of many ultralight manufacturers by integrating an antenna for 802.11b wireless networking into the C400's chassis. Our configuration also included the internal TrueMobile 1150 mini-PCI wireless card (sold separately for $383.90), leaving the single Type II PC Card slot open for other uses. And because the system offers enough connectivity ports, such as serial, USB, VGA, headphone, microphone, docking, and IrDA, you can plug in peripherals without needing a cumbersome port replicator.
Strong support
Dell also minds its p's and q's when it comes to support, providing a long three-year parts and labour warranty with convenient onsite service. You can place a toll-free call to the company's tech-support line any time, day or night, for as long as you own the laptop. For enterprise customers, Dell's Web site lets you set up a customised support page with content from a huge customer forum, FAQs, downloads, and more.
From just about every angle, the Dell Latitude C400 is a sight to be seen. Any business looking for an ultralight with an excellent combination of features, performance, support, and price should consider this system.
Latitude C400
Company: Dell Computers
Price: AU$4298.80
Distributor: Dell
Phone: 1800 812 393
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