Apart from configurational differences (fingerprint reader), you”ll see yourself facing the same case in the model at hand, as for instance in the older E6400. Consequently, the latest edition has also inherited all strengths and weakness of the case, available for some time.

An outstanding pro argument is definitely the superior case stability given. You”llonly find metal components on the surface, which also enhances the notebook”s haptic. A look inside the laptop, which by the way is done quickly and easily by removing only a single screw on the base unit”s bottom (the removable cover grants access to all components), also reveals the application of quality materials and metal alloys of the otherwise usually concealed parts. Dell cites a "Tri-Metal casing" in this connection.

The E6410 doesn”t show itself impressed by the selective pressure test. Only unusually high pressure can provoke slight, irrelevant deformations in some areas. The display makes an especially exemplary impression, as it doesn”t allow any image distortions under applied pressure, despite its slim build of merely eight millimeters. In reference to this, we also have to mention the commendable hinges, which are made of one solid piece of metal and always keep the screen in position with the right amount of tension.

Perhaps a few words about the laptop”s design. The Latitude E6410 tries to score with plain, straight forms and thus uses a matt black finish generously. Nevertheless, the silver coated surface, which imitates a brushed metal texture, gives it a certain optical charm in a closed state. The silver hinges and the battery”s silver gray accentuation over the back edge down to the notebooks bottom are also appealing.
Alternately to our "Silver Back Cover" version, there is also a blue and red cover available. They have a surcharge of 25 euro each.

The case”s, perhaps somewhat premature aforementioned, weaknesses remain. Well, the only complaint that the tester has, is the soundscape while handling the notebook. But no need to worry. Apart from a slightly wobbly battery everything fits tight in the case. However, slight clatter noises can turn up when the laptop is placed on a hard surface, which are likely mainly caused by the keyboard.

Connectivity

If the current test model is compared to the Latitude E6400 reviewed in November, you”ll be slightly surprised to see that virtually nothing has changed in the scope and type of given ports. If this is to be rated as something positive or less positive is dependent on the individual requirements of every user. On the whole, we can again issue the Latitude E6410 a good rating.

The positioning of the single ports contributes decisively to this verdict. Dell uses the back third of the lateral edges and the rear (despite the centrally placed battery) consistently for the alignment of built-in interfaces. This is again differentiated between mainly permanently used interfaces (LAN, display port, power supply), which are all found on the rear and thus won”t obstruct the work area beside the notebook. The other ports (VGA, 3 USBs, eSATA, Firewire and Audio) are found well visible and distributed over the lateral edges.

Dell still has two different display alternatives available for its 14 inch Latitude. Two 16:10 screens with a resolution of 1280x800 or 1440x900 pixels can be chosen from. Both models are LED screens with a matt display surface. Dell charges an additional 70 euro for the WXGA+ display with a higher resolution in the online shop. Professional users are well advised to sooner choose the WXGA+ screen, already because of the gain of overview on the display (more room to work with multiple windows).

This display was also used in our test device. It was an AUO4147 display to be precise. The maximum assessed brightness was a good 274 cd/m² in the display”s center area. We could record the lowest brightness in the lower center measuring quadrant (211 cd/m²), which results in an only below average illumination of 77%. Visible dimming couldn”t be observed.

The utilized display also has to accept criticism in terms of contrast. The screen can only reach a maximum contrast ratio of 161:1 with a relatively high black value of 1.7 cd/m². This is also visible to the naked eye in dark image content, making black look rather grayish.

An indicator for the graphic card”s performance is, for example, the OpenGL Shading test in Cinebench R10. The E6410 reaches a good result of 2087 points for the equipment in the configuration we had. In comparison, devices with a NVS 3100M graphics achieve up to 3500 points (Lenovo T510), which represents a bonus of 71%.

Even if it”s rather more aligned on games, the 3DMark from Futuremark also provides information about the performance potential of the utilized graphic card. The notebook takes a place below comparably equipped models with 3356 points in 3DMark 2005. A blatant difference between integrated graphic chips and dedicated graphic solutions can also be seen in the rates. In comparison, the Nvidia NVS 3100M can again take the lead with results up a bit over 7000 points. This represents a plus of over 100%.

System Noise

As a rule, the choice of especially powerful components can have a negative effect in some areas. The laptop”s noise emissions are an important aspect. Therefore, we were more than surprised when the notebook remained mainly silent in idle mode and simple office load. Every now and again, the fan started up at a still very low level of 32.7 dB(A) and ran for a few minutes to only finally fall silent for a longer time.

Even a consistent utilization of the main components in the stress test only increased the noise level to a still acceptable 35.5 dB(A). DVD rendering runs just as pleasantly quiet with 35.4 dB(A).

Temperature

The idea to accept a somewhat warmer case in favor of a lower system noise is principally alright, but doesn”t really apply to the Dell Latitude E6410. The case always remained within a green field with surface temperatures of a bit under or over 30°C in idle mode over several hours.

We first recorded a maximum laptop temperature of 42.7°C on the base unit”s bottom, and 38.1°C in the keyboard”s center in the stress test. Subjectively, the notebook already gets noticeably warm here, but this extreme situation represents an exceptional situation which will hardly be met in practical use.

The CPU achieved a maximum temperature of 85°C and thus remains significantly below the maximum admissible rate. Both CPU cores ran constantly with 2.66 GHz without noticeable throttle-breakdowns under load.

Aside from the used components, the battery life is also directly linked to the single battery used. Dell has a whole range of battery solution for the Latitude E6410. For example, choosing a 3 cell (37Wh), 6 cell (60Wh) and a 9 cell 90Wh main battery is possible. Beyond that, the notebook can be extended by a capacity of 88 Wh with an additional battery, which is docked to the laptop”s bottom ("extended battery slice"). Price: 299 dollars. Alternately, there is also a battery for the modular drive bay available - 48Wh for 135 dollars. Interestingly, both options are only currently listed in the US American version of the online shop.

Theoretically, the Dell Latitude can be upgraded to be an endurance machine with the aforesaid options. But it”s not cheap. Our test device had the 6 cell battery intended for the standard configuration and was flush on the rear. The 9 cell battery with 50% more capacity (the runtimes also range in this field) is currently priced with a surcharge of 65 euro, and should be considered by mobile users in any case.

Our test configuration achieved 325 minutes, so almost 6.5 hours, in the maximum possible battery life test (BatteryEater Reader”s test). The "worst case scenario", so operating under load, is simulated with the BatteryEater Classic test and indicates 72 minutes of battery runtime for the laptop.

The notebook achieved a good runtime of 262 minutes in a true-to-life WLAN surf use with selected energy savings mode and slightly reduced brightness. We looked at various websites enhanced with flash animations and the odd video playing for this test. The DVD rendering test turned out a bit disappointing. Merely 115 minutes could be recorded, which is just enough for a short Hollywood movie.