Dell's newest addition to the Latitude family, the D505, is one of the first notebooks to be equipped with the Intel Celeron M processor. Unlike the Pentium M processor launched as part of the Centrino package last year, which comes with 1MB of L2 onboard cache, the new Celeron M processor features a scaled-down architecture that includes 512KB cache instead. What this means is a technically slower processor which offers the same battery-saving features as its Pentium M predecessor at the same clock speed, but at a lower price. For that reason, the sub-S$2,000 D505 is also one of the most affordable machines in the company's Latitude series.

Design
Like many other Dell notebooks, the D505 comes in the familiar dull-grey plastic case which should go well with most people, be it for home, school or business use. It's 338.4 x 273 x 31.8mm frame is a little clunky, though, and weighs slightly more than 3kg (inclusive of AC adapter), so it may not suit those who travel frequently with their notebooks.

While the D505 offers an average build quality, its grey exterior gives it a rugged appearance, complemented by a set of strong hinges that support the 14.1-inch LCD screen. The thick bezel surrounding the display, however, does give the notebook a rather dated look, reminiscent of the older laptop models.

Lifting the cover, users will find a set of large, spaced-out keys and a two-button touch pad. During tests, we found it easy to use the keyboard as it features a standard layout that is styled similarly to a desktop's sans the dedicated number keypad. The keys, however, felt a little soft, so those who want a keyboard with strong tactile response may have to look elsewhere.

Features
The Latitude D505 comes with various user-configurable options including Pentium M and Celeron M processors, up to 2GB of DDR memory, 14.1- or 15-inch LCD screens and hard drive capacities from 20GB to 60GB. Users can also choose to replace the default CD-ROM drive with an additional 40GB hard drive, floppy disk drive, DVD-ROM drive, DVD/CD-RW combo or DVD+RW burner.

Our test unit features a basic configuration that includes a Celeron M 1.2GHz chip, 128MB DDR SDRAM, 20GB hard drive, 24X CD-ROM drive and 14.1-inch display.

For an entry-level system, the D505 comes fairly well-equipped with a good range of connectivity options which include two USB 2.0, FireWire, serial and parallel ports. It also comes with a VGA-out and S-video for hooking up to external displays. Networking features include the standard modem and Ethernet in addition to the onboard 802.11b wireless LAN. Dell offers users a choice to add wireless networking options such as Bluetooth and 802.11a/b/g.

The PC maker has thoughtfully designed the D505 with most of its ports found on the rear side of the notebook, giving it a rather simple and uncluttered look. Like other recent Latitude offerings, the D505 is compatible with the optional D/Port Advanced Port Replicator which can be used together with the optional D-Family notebook or monitor stand.

Performance
Our major gripe with the D505 is its sluggish performance. During MobileMark 2002 tests, the laptop scored just 84 points, which put it way behind systems featuring its Pentium M counterparts. In comparison, Toshiba's Portege R100, which is powered by a Pentium M 900MHz processor, scored 119.

During tests, Windows operations felt noticeably slower and not as responsive. It seemed that the problem lay in the system memory. The bundled 128MB was simply not enough to efficiently power Windows XP, especially since 32MB was further shared with the integrated graphics chipset. We would recommend an upgrade to 256MB or even 512MB RAM.

Overall, we found the Latitude's screen relatively bright but offering a rather limited viewing angle, especially during movie playback. Unless you intend to blast your music, the onboard speakers should provide enough volume range to meet most personal needs.

Battery Life
Fortunately, the D505 redeems itself with good battery life. BatteryMark 2002 tests show that the notebook is capable of running without the AC mains for nearly 4 hours on a full battery charge, clearly proving that the Celeron M chip offers the same power-efficient capabilities as the Pentium M processor. The best part is users can swap the optical drive for an additional Lithium-ion battery to further enhance the battery life of the machine.

It takes approximately 2 hours to fully charge the D505 when it is kept on. The notebook stays cool even after prolonged use.

Service And Support
Our D505 test system came pre-installed with Windows XP Professional Edition. CD and DVD authoring software will be made available to users who have chosen to upgrade to a CD-RW/DVD combo drive or DVD+RW burner. For an additional fee, users can also upgrade to one of the Microsoft Office 2003 versions.

Dell offers a standard one-year limited warranty for the D505 which includes next business day onsite response and phone support (during office hours). Warranty upgrade packages are available, including an extended four-year 4-hour response plan that comes at a hefty one-time S$1,076 fee. As with most vendors, you can also find a useful archive of FAQs, documentation and driver updates on Dell's Web site.