The Latitude 5420 Rugged runs Windows 10 Pro, an operating system meant for enterprise users. And yet, bloatware apps like Candy Crush Saga rear their ugly head once again. Other pre-installed apps courtesy of Microsoft include Netflix, Fitbit Coach and Xbox. And although its 512GB PCIe NVMe Class 40 SSD couldn't keep up with the category average (526.7 megabytes per second) on our File Transfer Test, it still duplicated 4.97GB of mixed-media files in a reasonably fast time of 10 seconds for a rate of 508 MBps.

Terms Apply. Promotion ends 3 December 2023. Items are subject to availability. Max 5 units per customer. If the 14-inch, 1080p touch screen display on our Latitude 5420 were any brighter, I might have needed to put on some sunglasses. The Latitude 5420 we tested had Intel’s Core i7-10610U quad-core processor. It’s an upgrade from the Core i3 processor found in the base configuration, but it certainly didn’t feel like it. In brief, stay away from the Dell Latitude 5420. This is not the work-from-home laptop you’re looking for. The Latitude 5420's display is easily visible outdoors and under bright lights, thanks to its 923 nits of maximum brightness. To put that into context, the average premium laptop's display illuminates to just 329 nits. Viewing angles are also strong; I had no problems reading text no matter where I stood in relation to the laptop.The fans inside the Latitude 5420 did a reasonable job of keeping this beast cool, but the underside warmed to uncomfortable temperatures. After playing a 15-minute HD video in full screen, the bottom of the laptop, near the hinge, reached 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Fortunately, that was the only location on the laptop that breached our 95-degree comfort threshold. The Latitude's touchpad peaked at just 86 degrees, while the center of the keyboard remained a bearable 94 degrees. Connect confidently: Stay connected with up to 450 Mbps LTE mobile broadband speeds. Wi-Fi 6E allows 7 additional channels (in 6GHz band) for more bandwidth which provides faster, smoother Wi-Fi, especially in high-density areas. * Travel with ease with new eSIM technology that connects to more global carriers without having to switch SIM cards. * Unless you intend on gaming at the highest graphics settings on this rugged laptop, you won't run into any problems with its AMD Radeon RX540 GPU. The discrete graphics card enabled the Latitude 5420 to run the racing game Dirt 3 at a swift 146 frames per second, nearly doubling the premium laptop average (76 fps).

From the bumpers covering each corner to its magnesium-alloy materials, this laptop's utilitarian design may as well have been contrived in a secret military lab. It’s honestly the worst touchpad we’ve used in years. We became so frustrated that, at one point during testing, our reviewer rage-quit the laptop entirely and walked off to finish the day’s work on a desktop. Intel SME Study Disclaimer: Based on a 2018 survey of small business owners in five countries. Details here intel.com.au/smestudy Nothing about the Latitude 5420 suggests it might be a good laptop for anything unrelated to work, so perhaps it’s no surprise the display fails to hold up.While the 5420 Rugged is an unquestionably durable machine, it isn't quite as rugged as the more premium (and much larger) Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme, which survived additional tests, including a drop from 6-feet high, an "explosive atmosphere" and blowing rain. Its 1920 x 1080 resolution, matte display coat, and good contrast ratio make a decent first impression. To its credit, the display works well for its narrow intended purpose. It’s readable, resists glare, and is bright enough to use in any office. For that reason, the Latitude 5420 Rugged is the better option for most people, and a highly recommended laptop for the world's toughest jobs. I do have a few minor qualms with the keyboard. For one, some of the keys, especially the arrow keys, are undersized, which could be a problem for those who work with gloves on. Also, the optional handle installed on the front of the laptop doesn't make for the most comfortable wrist rest, and the RGB lighting settings are very basic.