Difference between Vostro V13 and Latitude 13??

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to get a new notebook with strong build quality, and the Vostro V13 and Latitude 13 came to mind. Both have the aluminum bodies and similar processors etc...and when I compare the specs, I can't figure out what the difference is between the two models. For $949 CDN, I am able to configure almost identical models (except the Latitude has 2GB RAM, Vostro has 4GB; I doubt I'd see a tangible performance diff between the two for word processing, internet browsing etc, but correct me if I'm wrong!). What is the difference between the two?

PS. Does the Latitude have a backlit keyboard?

 

The Vostro line is intended to be a lower-cost range of business laptops, with the high level of durability and security that business users require. Vostro laptops can be purchased with fingerprint readers, and hard drive encryption

Latitude laptops tend to have higher-power components than Vostro laptops do in their default configurations, and can be docked to simulate desktop computers.

· Many companies that deploy a large number of systems prefer to have their users on the same basic types of notebooks for a longer period of time. Therefore, we focus in Latitude on longer product lifecycles and extended transitions from one generation of product to the next. In general, Vostro has more frequent product transitions with less of a focus on compatibility between older and newer generations.



· Latitude can support build-to-order configurations beyond the hardware in the notebook. For instance, many companies deploy systems to their users with a custom BIOS or a pre-load of company specific software. This is done at the Dell factory, which is a huge cost & time savings for Latitude buyers. This capability is available on Latitude notebooks but not on Vostro.



· Latitude systems are also designed to carry “stable images”, which means that driver & BIOS updates are kept to a minimum. Frequent image updates due to excessive driver changes are expensive for IT departments to manage, hence the focus on keeping these to a minimum on Latitude – and when they do occur, bundling them together for one larger update rather than several small ones. The frequency of these changes is sometimes determined by the hardware components within the system, so Latitude focuses in part on components with fewer expected driver updates. Again, Latitude notebooks are designed to minimize the time IT departments spend keeping systems updated and running smoothly in an environment with a large deployment.

 

Yeah, that's like the flavor text, but the V13 and L13 are like an Inspiron 1420 and a Vostro 1400... basically the same thing sold with different branding. I think there might be some differences in pricing, warranty, and possibly even configuration, but the basic design is shared between the two.

 

I always buy Vostro when I compare the two because the Vostro always gives me the best bang for the buck.

 

Thanks guys, this is helpful. Now, here is the big question: if I am using this computer for school (note taking/word processing) and internet browsing (watching videos online), will the ULV Core 2 Duo processor be okay? Say....compared to a toshiba r705?

 

Hell the Celeron ULV will be an overkill.

My V13 is running Windows 7 Premium on a Celeron ULV with 2GB of memory and it fly's.