Latitude E6400 Owner's Lounge

One thing that I would like to say about the E6400, is that while it is heavier than advertised, the laptop is actually quite well balanced. You might wonder why this is important, but my laptops have always been used in the same manner; plugged in on the floor next to the couch. Compared to my old XPS m140, it feels like it is about 3 pounds lighter to pick up. The XPS weights 6 pounds, this weighs 5. Why? Because the XPS had all of the weight in the 9 cell battery. The rest of the laptop was plastic. My E6400 uses a 6 cell, and the metal construction gives the front of the laptop more weight relative to the battery. I find it easier to pick up than my father's SZ, solely for this reason.

Greg

 

Even with the 9-cell, the build is quite balanced. Slightly heavier to the rear (obviously) but not bad at all.

 

Can anyone tell me what the sound card is in the E6400? Can this be upgraded? (I'm not so concerned about the speakers in the E6400 as I am in the sound card, b/c I will most likely be using external speakers when I listen to music).

One of the main attractions of the E6400 for me over the D630 is the webcam for skype purposes. I haven't yet heard many comments on the E6400 webcam resolution. 0.3 megapixel sounds extremely low, maybe they meant "1.3 megapixel"?

 

I forgot to mention another worry with the E6400--since the edges are squared off, will the palmrest be uncomfortable...or is rounded off there? I personally prefer the rounded look and feel of the D series. Sharp corners aren't a plus in my book.

 

The webcam is quite good. Especially in low light conditions. If you have good, outside-like light, it looks amazing. Very sharp focus as well. Higher megapixels are only useful for taking pictures with webcams. You can't use the higher resolution when streaming video.

The sound card can't be upgraded, at least no more than any other laptop. You can always get an Expresscard sound card. Unless you are an audiophile, the integrated sound would probably serve you fine. The headphone jack is very clear so long as you aren't using XP.

The edges are not rounded off, but I haven't noticed it in use. They certainly don't cut into my wrists at all.

Greg

 

Mmm. So I'm playing around with my E6400, and then remember the slot in the back of the notebook next to the the input for the AC. It was for charging devices that could be charged via usb when the machine's off, right? But of course the usb for my Zune won't fit, so what am I missing here? Is there another adapter that I need to purchase or that I should have received? The answer could be fairly obvious as I'm currently running on a couple hours of sleep due to two lab reports and two exams in the last 3 days..

 

That isn't the USB powershare port. That is the upper USB port on the left of the notebook with the lightning bolt next to it.

The port you are referring to is the DisplayPort. With adapters, it can do HDMI, DVI, VGA, and possibly others.

Greg

 

Yep, that makes sense, thanks. -____-
But do I have to turn the function on? I've attached my Zune + USB and nothing's happening..

 

Possibly. Boot into the BIOS (F12 when you see the Dell logo) and check the settings.

Greg

 

There is a BIOS setting for it...I'm fairly certain.