Review: Dell Latitude E6510

June 9, 2010

In March 2010, Dell announced the Latitude E6510 15.6-inch widescreen, which is based on Intel's Calpella notebook platform. The E6510 supplants the Latitude E6500 and is a moderate update. It is accompanied to market by an updated 14.1-inch widescreen (E6410) and an updated ruggedized 14.1-inch (E6410 ATG).

Design and Changes

The biggest single change for the Latitude E6510 is that this generation of the E series moves to Intel's Calpella notebook platform. The discrete video card is upgraded from 256 MB to 512 MB and RAM changes from 800 MHz DDR2 to either 1066 MHz (for dual core processors) or 1333 MHz DDR3 (for quad core processors).

The Latitude E6510 enclosure is approximately the same size as the Latitude E6500 it replaces, though there are some changes (it's slightly heavier, wider, and shorter) because of the move from a 15.4-inch 16:10 display to a 15.6-inch 16:9 display. Along with the Latitude E4310 and E6410, the E6510 has a new brushed aluminum ("Slate Silver") cover. The E6510 uses the same power supplies and docking solutions that the E6500 used.

The Latitude E6510 is about two tenths of a pound heavier than the E6500, weighing from 6.2 to 6.6 pounds, depending mostly on battery size with a travel weight (which includes power adapter) ranging between 7.3 and 7.7 pounds.

Latitude ON is an option on the Latitude E6510. This is basically a separate system on a chip that is meant to be booted up when on the go and is for short temporary use. Latitude ON runs off a modified Linux system and was unable to connect to AirPennNet out of the box. It is a little slow to boot and takes almost as long as a full system boot up does. Latitude ON seems polished and easy to use. It offers web, email, remote desktop, Skype, and calendar usage, along with a picture viewer and music player. Dell also advertises that the battery life is significantly longer in this mode, but Information Systems & Computing (ISC) has not confirmed these claims.

When appropriately configured, the Latitude E6510 is EPEAT Gold-compliant and Energy Star 5.0-certified.

Ordering Notes

Several notes when ordering a Latitude E6510 through Dell's Premier Page for the University:

1. All E6510 models include Arrandale versions of Intel's recently introduced Core i5, dual core Core i7, and quad core Core i7 processors. ISC believes that the Core i5 or the dual core Core i7 are appropriate for most users.
2. Choosing EPEAT Gold and Energy Star 5.0 adds no cost but requires the choice of the Energy Star power adapter.
3. All display choices for the E6510 are 16:9 aspect ratio. The "HD" display is 100 dpi, the "HD+" display is 118 dpi, and the "FHD" display is 141 dpi.
4. ISC strongly suggests purchasing the E6510 with a discrete video card.
5. Having at least 4.0 GB RAM is essential for the optimal functionality of a modern mid-weight notebook.
6. An integrated web camera is optional on the E6510. However, ISC suggests adding the web camera unless there is a specific local policy or security reason to exclude one.
7. Though 128 and 256 GB solid state drives are available with the E6510, ISC does not believe that they are currently an appropriate choice for many users because the cost and size trade-offs are too great.
8. As with any mid-weight notebook, ISC suggests that LSPs consider purchasing both a high-capacity (9 cell) and a mid-capacity (6 cell) battery along with an extra AC power adapter for the E6510. Note that Dell is now offering an extra cost 9 cell battery with a three year warranty instead of the normal one year warranty for batteries. Providers may also wish to consider Dell's range of port replicators and docking solutions, which include a port replicator and a mini dock.
9. The E6510'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 June 2010, configuring a Latitude E6510 to the mid-weight notebook specification can be done for approximately $1,200 to $1,500. The University's Computer Connection has an E6510 configuration available to order.

Windows Performance

ISC tested a Latitude E6510 with 1.6 GHz Core i7, 1333 MHz 4.0 GB RAM, 512 MB NVIDIA NVS 3100M discrete graphics card, 250 GB/7200 RPM hard drive, and Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. It received a Windows Experience Index base score of 4.9, with individual scores of:

• Processor: 6.9
• Memory (RAM): 7.4
• Graphics: 4.9
• Gaming graphics: 5.9
• Primary hard disk: 5.9

These scores suggest that Windows 7 and Windows Vista performance will be excellent for most users on a Latitude E6510 configured in this manner.

Analysis

The Latitude E6510 is an upgrade over the Latitude E6500, with improved processors, a better chipset, and a 16:9 screen being the most obvious differences. ISC sees the Latitude E6510 as being a competitive choice among 15.6-inch mid-weight notebooks available in mid 2010. The three year warranty battery is an interesting innovation for removable batteries.

When correctly configured to the mid-weight notebook specification in the Notebook Purchasing Guide, the Latitude E6510 is approved for general use at the University.

Latitude E6510 graphic courtesy of Dell

--John Mulhern III and Andrew Romond, ISC Technology Support Services (June 9, 2010)