The Dell Latitude laptop line-up is getting an update with neural processing units, AI features, and improved sustainability. Dell has unveiled several upcoming Latitude devices including the 7350 Detachable, 9450, 5350, 5450, 5550, 7350, 7450, 7650, and 7450 Ultralight. While the chassis designs are nothing new, there are some hardware updates worth taking a look at.
Dell Latitude 7350 Detachable: A step up for tablet users
The new Dell Latitude 7350 Detachable has a few features that caught my eye (although I’ve never been a fan of the kickstand design). It’s pretty powerful for a detachable, shipping with an Intel Core Ultra 5 or 7 AI-ready CPU. Dell’s goal for this device is to achieve laptop-level performance in a tablet form factor, which the Core Ultra processors will certainly help accomplish.
The Latitude 7350 Detachable also includes up to 32GB of RAM, up to 2TB of SSD storage, and optional 5G connectivity. You can also add the detachable keyboard and pen as well as a touch fingerprint reader and Face IR camera for Windows Hello compatible sign-in. The 13-inch IPS display is made with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus boasting a max brightness of 500 nits and a reported 100% sRGB.
The 7350 Detachable also received a camera upgrade. It now has 8MP cameras on the front and back with the addition of HDR. This should noticeably improve camera quality with better lighting and exposure, handy for anyone who’s often in video meetings.
Another feature that will help out with that is the collaboration touchpad. This was previously only available on Dell’s 9400 series Latitude devices, but it’s now making its way into the rest of the line-up. The collaboration touchpad activates four buttons on the touchpad while in video calls on Zoom, Google Meet, or similar platforms. The buttons act as shortcuts for video call features like muting, turning your camera on or off, and opening the chat panel.
The 7350 Detachable would make a good device for someone who mainly uses a tablet but wants the option for laptop functionality. If you enjoy the form factor of detachables but wish yours had a bit more processing power, the Latitude 7350 could be a solid upgrade. The only drawback to it is the lack of a dedicated GPU, but the integrated graphics should be powerful enough to handle everyday productivity tasks, especially with the help of the new AI-enabling NPU.
Core Ultra CPUs and improved sustainability across the Dell Latitude line-up
While the 7350 Detachable is the highlight of Dell’s updated Latitude devices, the entire line-up has a few new stand-out features. First, the new Intel Core Ultra CPUs will be available across the product line. That means you can tap into a plethora of AI features on any of the new Latitude devices.
Intel’s NPUs open the door for a few really exciting AI tools including hardware acceleration, camera effects, and security features. For instance, if you are on a Zoom call on one of the new Latitude devices, you can turn on background blur without it sucking up processing power from your CPU. Now the NPU will handle tasks like that, allowing your CPU and GPU to perform more efficiently, even during processor-intensive tasks.
A longer-to-use Latitude
Another update that really stands out is Dell’s increased attention to sustainability. The Latitude 7350 and 7350 Detachable both include a battery made with 50% recycled cobalt. The chassis on the Detachable is also made with 90% recycled magnesium which reduces its weight as well as its environmental impact.
The screen on the 7350 Detachable is fully serviceable, as well, which means it’s designed to be easily repairable. So, if you dropped your 7350 Detachable and cracked the screen, you could just replace the panel instead of the whole device, resulting in less e-waste.
Damaging the 7250 Detachable's display could be easier said than done, though – it’s made with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, and therefore stands to resist a sizable amount of wear and tear without fail. The improved serviceability of the new Latitude devices also means you can easily upgrade certain components, such as the SSD.
While we don't have pricing to share yet, we can reveal that the Dell Latitude 7250 Detachable will be available from Q2 2024, with the rest of the Latitude lineup available from March.
