Review: Dell Latitude E4310

May 18, 2010

In May 2010, Dell announced the Latitude E4310 13.3-inch widescreen, which is based on Intel's Calpella notebook platform. The E4310 supplants the Latitude E4300 and is a substantial update.

Design and Changes

The biggest single change for the Latitude E4310 is that this generation of the E series moves to Intel's Calpella notebook platform, which includes the QS57 chipset, allowing increased I/O and video performance along with support for modern interfaces.

The Latitude E4310 enclosure is approximately the same size as the Latitude E4300 it replaces, though there are some changes (it's slightly wider and shorter) because of the move from a 13.3-inch 16:10 display to a 13.3-inch 16:9 display. This LED-backlit display is 1366 x 768, yielding a resolution of approximately 118 dpi. Along with the previously released Latitude E6410 and E6510, the E4310 has a new brushed aluminum ("Slate Silver") cover. The E4310 uses the same power supplies and docking solutions that the E4300 used.

The Latitude E4310 is about a tenth of a pound heavier than the E4300, weighing from 3.4 to 4.0 pounds, depending mostly on battery size with a travel weight (which includes power adapter) ranging between 3.9 and 4.5 pounds.

When appropriately configured, the Latitude E4310 is EPEAT Silver-compliant and Energy Star 5.0-certified. Note that as of mid-May 2010, the Energy Star certification is not available for configurations with either a 64-bit version of Windows or a WWAN card, though both of these options have little real-world influence on energy consumption.

Ordering Notes

Several notes when ordering a Latitude E4310 through Dell's Premier Page for the University:

1. All E4310 models include either 2.4 Ghz or 2.53 GHz versions of Intel's current Core i5 processors. Information Systems & Computing (ISC) believes that the 2.4 GHz processor is appropriate for most users.
2. An integrated web camera is optional on the E4310. However, ISC suggests adding the web camera unless there is a specific local policy or security reason to exclude one.
3. Having 3.0 GB to 4.0 GB RAM is essential for the optimal functionality of a modern lightweight notebook.
4. Though 128 GB and 256 GB solid state drives are available with the E4310, ISC does not believe that they are currently an appropriate choice for many users because the cost and size trade-offs are too great. ISC expects this assessment to continue changing throughout calendar year 2010.
5. ISC believes a DVD±R/CD-RW drive is the best optical drive choice for a lightweight notebook.
6. As with any lightweight notebook, ISC suggests that LSPs consider purchasing both a mid-capacity (6-cell) and a low-capacity (3-cell) battery along with an extra AC power adapter for the Latitude E4310. Providers also may wish to consider Dell's range of port replicators and docking solutions, which include a port replicator and a mini dock.
7. The E4310's connectivity options include 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, Gobi multi-vendor WWAN connectivity, and the recently adopted Bluetooth 3.0 + HS. ISC believes that Bluetooth is a relevant protocol for most notebook users and that WWAN connectivity is useful for many "road warriors".

See ISC's Notebook Purchasing Guide for more configuration hints. As of May 2010, configuring a Latitude E4310 to the lightweight notebook specification can be done for approximately $1,350 to $1,600.

Windows 7 Performance

ISC tested a Latitude E4310 with 2.53 GHz Core i5, 1066 MHz 4.0 GB RAM, integrated Intel HD graphics, a 250 GB hard disk drive, and Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. It received a Windows Experience Index base score of 4.7, with individual scores of:

• Processor: 6.8
• Memory (RAM): 5.9
• Graphics: 4.7
• Gaming graphics: 5.1
• Primary hard disk: 5.9

These scores suggest that Windows 7 and Windows Vista performance will be excellent for most users on a Latitude E4310 configured in this manner.

Analysis

The Latitude E4310 is a substantial upgrade over the already successful Latitude E4300, with improved processors, a better chipset, and a 16:9 screen being the most obvious differences. ISC sees the Latitude E4310 as being a very competitive choice among full-featured 13.3-inch lightweight notebooks available in mid-2010, especially for users "downsizing" from a mid-weight notebook.

When correctly configured to the lightweight notebook specification in the Notebook Purchasing Guide, the Latitude E4310 is approved for general use at the University.

Thanks to Lorne Borsa, Wesley Napier, Jason Trumpy, and Chuck Wilkinson (all of Dell) for their help with this review.

Latitude E4310 graphic courtesy of Dell

--John Mulhern III, Lead for Client Technologies, ISC Technology Support Services (May 18, 2010)