Dell Latitude D620 (Core Duo T2500 Processor 2.0GHz, 1GB RAM)

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As the middle child in the business-focused Latitude brood, the Dell Latitude D620 is larger than the ultraportable D410 and smaller than the midsize D820. Like its big brother, the D620 has undergone an extensive overhaul, emerging with some sweet new features such as a 14.1-inch wide-aspect display (the prior model was standard aspect), an Intel Core Duo processor and a fingerprint sensor. The system's mobile performance is superior to the D610's, though its battery life remains about the same. In the end, companies that have already standardized on the Latitude D600 series should feel comfortable adding the new D620 to their portable families. But businesses starting from scratch may want to consider other thin-and-light alternatives, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad Z60t.

Design
The Latitude D620 tips the scales at the same 2kg weight as the prior-generation D610 and features the same 32mm thickness. The D620's new dual-tone gray color scheme gives it a sleeker look than its predecessor. Since the laptop now features a wide-aspect screen, its dimensions are different: the case runs 337mm wide and 238mm deep--a bit wider and shallower than before. Overall, the Latitude D620's size falls in line with other systems offering 14.1-inch wide-aspect displays, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad Z60t and the Toshiba Tecra A6. There are certainly smaller laptops in Dell's Latitude lineup, for example, the Latitude X1, but the D620 is light enough for occasional travel and moving throughout the office.

From a design standpoint, the Latitude D620 is a smaller version of the D820. While the D820's display measures 15.4 inches, the D620 has a clear, sufficiently bright 14.1-inch wide-aspect screen with an average 1,280 x 800 native resolution. The D620's keyboard is wide enough, but its keys are a bit noisy compared to the D820's. Both laptops feature three handy volume buttons, plus a touch pad and a pointing stick with a corresponding set of mouse buttons--though the D820's stick has a flat top that's easier to manipulate than the D620's rounded eraser head. On the D620, the touch pad's standard mouse buttons are of adequate size, but if you add biometric security to your system, Dell swaps them out for two smaller ones with the fingerprint sensor wedged between them; we wish the buttons were larger. The D620 has a pretty sorry excuse for a speaker on its front edge, which is not uncommon for a business portable. Fortunately, the D620 shares the D820's excellent steel hinges that secure its display to its base, and it offers a similarly sturdy magnesium alloy internal frame as well as a shock-protected hard drive. These design specs are also found in the ThinkPad Z60t, which also provides arrow keys that double as multimedia controls (there are no hardware media controls on the Latitude D620) and two drain holes underneath the keyboard to dispel accidental spills.

Features
Dell has made wireless communications a top priority for the D620. We particularly like its handy Wi-Fi finder feature, which lets you test for nearby Wi-Fi networks by simply sliding a switch on the laptop's left edge. The feature works when you're booted up or powered down, so you don't even have to turn your system on to find a network. Other wireless options include a cutting-edge, and Bluetooth + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) card, all of which were included in our test unit.

The Latitude D620's unremarkable array of ports, jacks, and slots will satisfy standard business connectivity needs. Highlights include infrared, VGA, and four USB 2.0 ports, plus an archaic serial port for businesses that can't let go of legacy peripherals. You also get headphone and microphone jacks; one Type II PC Card slot; and one Smart Card slot that accommodates cards that carry covert information, such as credit card numbers or sensitive passwords. You may secure more of your top-secret info by saving it to the Trusted Platform Module chip that's hardwired to the D620's motherboard. In addition to the WWAN and Wi-Fi mentioned above, the D620 network connections include modem and Ethernet jacks. Though the D620 lacks some features--such as S-Video and SP/DIF audio ports and a media card reader--that are included in most contemporary consumer laptops, it stands up well next to other big-business portables, such as the HP Compaq nc6220 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T60. As with most business laptops, the Latitude D620 doesn't ship with much software beyond Windows XP Pro and Roxio Digital Media for disc-burning tasks.