Latitude vs Inspiron - Key Differences

I hope the Dell gurus here will help me with this.

What's the difference between Latitude vs Inspiron Dell notebooks?
Now, I know that Latitude is for business use and Inspiron is for home use, but what does that mean?

Is there like any annecdotal evidence over the years that Latitude notebooks are more reliable than Inspirons? Less prone to breakdown? After all they were built for stability in mind. Is it worth paying the extra price for a Latitude model of comparable specs to an Inspiron model?

 

One important difference is that Latitudes have business support included in the price. This means that for 3 years if you call Dell and say you have a problem they will come to your house on the next business day (NBD) and fix it free of charge. You don't have to ship the laptop to them, and if the problem is serious enough to warrant a replacement, you keep your old laptop until the new one arrives.

I think you can pay extra cash when you buy an Inspiron to get his kind of support as well.

 

Here are some key differences:

Construction: Latitude-Magnesium Alloy; Inspiron-Polycarbonate/ABS plastic

System Main Drive: Latitude-available Solid State Drives (SSD) which have no moving parts, so they last much longer and are more reliable; optional Hard Drives with Free Fall Sensors which park the drive in case of a drop/fall to prevent damage to the drive

Keyboard: Latitude-Spill-resistant keyboard designed to protect critical internal electronics from minor spills; they also allow time to save any work and safely shut down the system in case of a spill.

Warranty: Inspiron- 1-Year; Latitude- 3-Years (except E5400/E5500)

I currently have a Latitude E6400. My previous laptop was a Dell Studio 15. The Latitude feels much more solid, the keyboard doesn't give/flex at all like it did on the Studio; the display/lid of the Latitude is very rigid; it definitely feels as if it will last for 3+ years.

 

The older Inspirons (1520, 1720) use a magnesium alloy shell.

 

My best friend has an Inspiron 1520. It's bulky, a bit heavy but VERY solidly constructed for a budget model....now I know why!

THe Studio 15/17 and Inspiron 1545 are 100% plastic. The Studio 15 has the structural rigidity of a cereal box with the top ripped off!

Thankfully the new Studio XPS 13 and 16 both have a magnesium alloy reinforced chassis...

 

That's pretty accurate. My Studio 15 lid is actually permanently bent slightly at the top. When the lid is completely closed, the left side is in direct contact with the palmrest, but the right side is raised by a fraction of a centimeter. If you look down the top edge of the display from the side, you can see the curvature of the display.

Of course, Dell support does not acknowledge this as a problem and recommends that I try to bend it straight by myself!

 

I'm still in 'negotiations' with Dell over my Studio 1535 that has been out of service since early January (over three months now). It's been in twice for repair and not only did they NOT fix the issue(s), they returned it scratched and with new problems! The motherboard needs to be replaced because of flex issues- it's defective. The laptop has been taken apart and put back together at least 5-6 times between me trying to diagnose the source of the problems and the Dell repair techs doing their damage! What was already an inherently weak structure now has ill-fitting trim pieces and obvious seam gaps as well as a loose display bezel.

I'm waiting to hear back from my case manager, but he has told promised me a replacement system if they can't properly repair mine this time around (they have it for the third time). They'll have to replace the 1535 with a new 1537 with at least the same specs as mine. My 1535 has the WXGA+ (1440x900) LED, 2.5GHz T9300, ATI 3450, Backlit Keyboard, 7200rpm hard drive....all the goodies. Whether I get mine back or a replacement unit, it's going on eBay and Craigslist the moment it arrives!

I'm SO much happer with my Latitude E6400!!!

 

For me it's kind of stupid this lower quality of consumer models. Of course, everyone that has had even a basic management course knows that to maximize profit you should sell several products of several quality levels -- one product that is "the best" and "the cheapest" on everything is not the optimal. Still, it would be expected that Dell has some high-quality gamer/enthusiast system. I mean, if you want a quality gaming machine, are you supposed to buy the Dell Precision M4400??

 

for one thing, dell latitude e4200 and e4300 and vostro series are getting much slimmer and lighter than their predecessors.

if this trend continues, we may see all plastic computers in 2010 and after.

 

Interestingly enough, I ran out and bought a Studio 15 (the original) first generation when they first first came out when Staples had a great deal on them. To this day, there's not really any issues with it besides the plastic palm rest next to the left hinge is a bit loose. But that's it! I don't even have an issue with the keyboard at all...

 

There are some materials that are lighter than plastic, but are also stronger and more durable. For example, Magnesium Alloy, which is used in the E4200, E4300, E6400 and E6500 Latitude models.

You may be right that most consumer notebooks, at least budget/mainstream models, will be made of plastic in the not-too-distant future. But business notebooks such as the Dell Latitude/Precision and Lenovo ThinkPads will continue to be made of high-quality materials!

 

Take a look at the HP G60t, Toshiba L300 and Lenovo IdeaPad Y530, which are all entry-level/budget systems. The Inspiron 1545 doesn't look or feel nearly as high-quality as any of those models.

Even worse, the Studio 15/17 models make the Inspiron 1545 seem like a ThinkPad or Latitude. They use the lowest-quality materials that I've seen in a modern Dell laptop. Even the Mini 12 feels rock solid in comparison...

 

I'm on quite a tight budget here, as I am purchasing a Dell as a secondary computer. I've been looking at the Latitude E5400 series and Vostro series.

Are the entry-level Latitude and Vostro on the same build quality of the higher quality models like E6400. Or would you relegate them to the Inspiron-class flaky build?

 

if your on a tight budget and this will be your secondary computer, you might want to consider a netbook. the mini 10 looks really nice with 160 gb hd. I'm waiting until windows 7 comes out befor I one.

 

Also remember to buy from the Dell Outlet if you are on a budget, you can make considerable savings there (30%+ is not uncommon).

 

Thanks for the advice. Considered it, but Atom CPU is simply too slow for what I do

 

Another cheap alternative is a laptop from the Dell Outlet.

 

The Vostro models benefit from a magnesium alloy reinforced base (frame) and sealed keyboards. They are made of higher quality ABS plastic than consumer-grade budget laptops, so they feel pretty solid. Unlike the Latitude models, the Vostros have features such as multi-media controls and available Glossy displays, which are common on consumer-oriented models but not on business models. They're also the only Dell Business models available with Vista Home Premium. The Latitude and Precision models have Vista Home Basic standard and Vista Business optional, but not Vista Home Premium.

Dell introduced updated versions of main Vostro models- they are the 1320, 1520 and 1720. They replace the 1310, 1510/2510 and 1710. The older models are still available and they're a great value if you don't need the latest and greatest hardware!

Below are four configurations to consider. The Vostro 2510 would be my first choice, as long as you like the Red/Black design. I think it looks great...but I'm also a UGA grad! I bought my Mazda3 because the seats were black/red checked...Go Dawgs! But I digress....

Vostro 2510 - $699
Red/Black exterior
Windows Vista Business (with or w/o XP Pro downgrade)
2.0GHz Intel T5870
15.4" WXGA+ (1440x900) TrueLife display
3GB DDR2-667 RAM
250GB 7200rpm hard drive (or 320GB 5400rpm)
DVD-RW
256mb nVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS graphics card
Dell 1395-g wireless card
1.3mp Webcam
6-cell Battery
***MS Office 2007 Basic (Word, Excel & Outlook)
1-Year Warranty with Next Business Day On-Site Service

Vostro 1510 - $598
Black with Black Glossy lid
Windows Vista Home Premium
1.8GHz Intel T5670
15.4" WXGA+ (1440x900) TrueLife display
2GB DDR2-667 RAM
250GB 7200rpm hard drive (or 320GB 5400rpm)
DVD-RW
Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics
Dell 1395-g wireless card
No Webcam
6-cell Battery
1-Year Warranty with Next Business Day On-Site Service

The NEW Vostro 1520 - $648
Black with Glossy Lid
Windows Vista Home Premium
2.1GHz Intel T6570
15.4" WXGA (1280x800) LED-backlit display
2GB DDR2-800 RAM
160GB 5400rpm Hard Drive
DVD-RW
Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics
Dell 1397-g wireless
No Webcam
6-cell Battery
1-Year Warranty with Mail-In Service

Dell Latitude E5500 - $696
Windows Vista Business w/ XP Pro downgrade
2.4GHz Intel P8600
15.4" WXGA+ (1440x900) Anti-Glare display
1GB DDR2-800 (upgrade to 3GB yourself- $25 vs. $69 from Dell)
160GB 5400rpm Hard Drive
Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics
CD-RW
Intel 5100AGN wireless
6-cell Battery
1-Year Warranty with Mail-In Service

***Extended warranty pricing for the Vostro is dirt cheap- 2-years is $40 and 3-years is $80....worth considering. The E5500 doesn't offer a 2-year option, but 3-years is only $83. For perspective, the a 2-year warranty on an Inspiron 15 is $170!!!

 

Dell haven't released the XX20 Vostro's here in the UK yet - we're still waiting.

 

I'm shocked really! The fact that the Inspiron line switched to mag alloy with the big redesign was a big deal for the consumer market, indeed they were very solid. It's disappointing that they would take that away, most likely to cut costs, as it was such a great differentiator between a Dell and it's HP competitor. It's even more disappointing that the Dell Studio 15/17 that replaced the Inspiron line as Dell's mainstream mid-range systems aren't built the same way.

Glad to hear you like your e6400! Would you say that it's lighter than your studio?

 

I had a Dell Studio 1537 before I purchased the Dell Latitude E6500 that I have now. The difference in quality between the two machines is astounding. The Latitude is better in everything except for the slot loading drive. Since I also have Apple notebooks, I am a fan of the Studio's slot loader compared to the more outdated looking tray loader in the Latitude. The tray is by far quieter but it's quite flimsy when you open it. In comparison the slot loader is sturdy as a rock being built into the chassis itself.

 

I am also a fan of the slot-loading optical drive design, but the caveat is that if anything ever goes wrong with it, it's much harder to fix. You have to disassemble pretty much the entire laptop to access the DVD drive, which is buried under virtually every other component.

 

LOL, same here-although I must admit that the Pavilion machine that turned my whole family off of HP for good a solid 10 years ago is working astonishingly well as my temporary computer at school while my D630 is being fixed. (perhaps they'll say it's a lost cause and give me an e6400 - hey a guy can dream right?!). Not one lockup yet. *crosses fingers*

Yeah, the 1440x900 resolution is great. I was concerned after reading several D630 reviews that it would be a bit too high but after seeing the screen, it's amazing-I couldn't go to a lower resolution!