Dell's Latitude X200 has the profile of an ultralight notebook, but thanks to its media base, it has the potential capabilities of a heavyweight desktop replacement.
The new Latitude X200 is the first Dell ultralight to offer a bottom-docking media base (historically, Dell laptops have docked from the back). While the base drives up the price of the total package, it also brings the Latitude X200 to the level of a desktop replacement. Frequent travelers will appreciate its versatility, its speed, and its thoughtful design.
Media frenzy
The AU$4,227 Latitude X200 we tested came with Intel's new 800MHz ultralow-voltage mobile Pentium III-M, 256MB of RAM, and a 30GB hard drive. Its media base ($AU523) included a floppy drive in one bay and a front-loading, 8X DVD/CD-RW(AU$632) combo drive in the other. Thanks to dual sliding locks, attaching and releasing the base is a cinch.
Small but well supplied
The Latitude X200 may be small, but it squeezes in a lot of features. It measures 19.8mm thick by 273mm wide by 226mm deep and weighs 1.27 kg. The AC adapter adds the usual amount of weight, while the media base adds about a kilo and doubles the notebook's thickness. Connectivity is good, with one IEEE 1394 (FireWire), one Ethernet, one modem, one audio, and two USB ports. The single Type II PC Card slot is nice, but rather than a spring-loaded door, it comes with a flimsy, plastic dummy card that'd be easy to break or lose. Dell meets you halfway on 802.11b wireless networking; you get dual antennae inside the system, but you have to purchase the optional TrueMobile 1150 mini-PCI wireless card to make them work or use a wireless card in the PC Card slot.
The display and the input devices (the components you'll use the most) are well designed. The 12.1-inch, XGA (1,024x768), active-matrix screen is small--a typical ultralight trade-off--but it's bright and crisp. Atypical for an ultralight, the keyboard is nearly full-sized and feels as big and comfortable as a desktop's. Nestled in the wrist rest is a smooth-feeling touchpad with two mouse buttons underneath. The front speakers are standard, adequate-sounding notebook fare.
Average speed, battery life
It's unclear whether the low-voltage processor helped the Latitude X200; the Dell's standard six-cell battery conked out after just 114 minutes in our tests, which is normal for an ultralight. If you need more juice, squeeze out another AU$283 for the X200's optional eight-cell second battery.
As ultralights go, the Dell Latitude X200 is one of the better systems we've seen. Hard-traveling execs and office workers who want to switch between a well-configured ultralight and a desktop's worth of drives will like the flexibility of the Latitude X200's optional media base. Competent in speed and features, it also has a great-feeling keyboard for such a tiny machine, and Dell's generous support program is the icing on the cake.
Dell Latitude X200
Company: Dell Australia
Price: AU$4,227 base model; configurations vary
Phone: 1800 812 393
7%
3%
