Dell Latitude 12 E7270 Notebook Review

Subnotebooks - they were once the spearhead of mobility in the laptop sector long before ultrabooks were invented, and before the tablet/laptop hybrids, and even before the netbook hype. That is now a thing of the past. Nevertheless, they still exist - the traditional ThinkPad X lineup, the 12.5-inch EliteBooks or the model series from which our present review sample comes: The 12-inch Latitudes. In case the name is unfamiliar, Latitude is Dell's product range for high-quality business laptops that encompasses the affordable Latitude 3000 models, the solid Latitude 5000 lineup that represents the mid-range, and the highest priced Latitude 7000 models. Once, the Latitude 6000 series also existed, but it became extinct with the launch of both the 5000 and 7000 models.

The device that we are dealing with in this review is a member of the premium business laptop class: Dell's Latitude E7270 could be called Dell's flagship in the 12.5-inch business sector. This model is made for road warriors, and generally also for business people who need a compact device and do not want to waive features like a docking port, mobile broadband or security features, such as a SmartCard reader or fingerprint scanner. This comes in a robust casing alongside a generous warranty package. Dell naturally demands prices that underline the device's high-end claim: At least 1338 Euros (~$1479) are due for a Dell Latitude 7270. The base configuration is furnished with a Core i5-6300U, 4 GB of RAM, 128 GB of SSD storage and HD panel (1366x768 pixels). The next higher configuration of the E7270 costs 1638 Euros (~$1811) and offers 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of storage and Full HD panel (1920x1080). The more expensive model also features LTE. The CPU is the same; Dell apparently sells the E7270 exclusively with the Core i5-6300U in its own shop and in stores in Germany, although the manufacturer's spec sheet states "Up to 17 processors". Some store configurations only include the smaller 37 Wh battery while Dell sells the device directly with only a 55 Wh battery. Our review sample roughly corresponds to the more expensive configuration, but without an LTE modem.

The Latitude E7270 has many rivals. However, not only the traditional, major competition HP and Lenovo challenge the small black unit; Dell itself also has some devices in its lineup aimed at  a similar user group. Opponents are Lenovo's ThinkPad X260, HP's EliteBook 820 G3, Dell's Latitude 7370 and Dell's XPS 13 in this comparison. Although, the latter two devices have a 13.3-inch screen, their dimensions are either the same or marginally smaller than the nominally "little" brother thanks to the Infinity Edge Display with an extremely narrow bezel.

Dell Latitude E7270 Specs