Dell Latitude 5420 Rugged Laptop Core i3 Full Spec

If you need a capable all-around laptop that is brave outdoors, look no further than the Latitude Rugged offered at prices starting at $ 1,359.

With a bright 1080p display, a relatively slim chassis, and a responsive touchpad, the Latitude 5420 overcomes the biggest problem we previously encountered with rugged laptops.

Dell Latitude 5420 Rugged Laptop Core i3 7th Gen

And it does so without sacrificing endurance or performance, thanks to the power of the military class and a capable Core i7 CPU. Better yet, the Latitude 5420 offers battery life all day, even though it uses a chassis that is thinner than its rugged rival.

The Latitude 5420 Rugged is predictably expensive, but you can't put a price on a laptop that keeps your important data safe, even under the harshest conditions.

The Latitude 5420 is an expensive machine but its modular design allows you to adjust to your needs. The $ 2,317 basic configuration has a 14-inch non-touch screen and is equipped with a Core i5-8350U CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, and integrated UHD 620 graphics.

Our $ 3,547 review unit showcases a $ 660 touchscreen and packs a Core i7-8650U CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and AMD Radeon RX540 GPU. The model we tested also came with many useful additions, including a secondary 51Whr battery, a second Ethernet port, Display Port, and an IR camera.

Maximizing 14-inches, the Latitude 5420 touch screen with a Core i7-8650U CPU, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD storage and AMD Radeon RX540 graphics raised the price to $ 5,627. But that doesn't stop there: You can then shop for extras such as LTE connectivity (+ $ 215) and a rubberized RGB backlit keyboard (+ $ 173).

Dell Latitude 5420 Rugged Laptop Core i3 Specification

Processor

Intel® Core ™ i3-7130U Gen 7 Processor (Dual Core, 3M Cache, 2.7GHz, 15W)

8th Generation Intel® Core ™ i7-8650U Processor (Quad-Core, 8M Cache, 1.9GHz, 15W, vPro)

8th Generation Intel® Core ™ i5-8350U Processor (Quad-Core, 6M Cache, 1.7GHz, 15W, vPro)

Operating system

Windows 10 Pro 64bit English, French, Spanish

Ubuntu Linux 18.04

Graphics card

Intel® Core ™ i3-7130U Processor Base with Integrated Intel HD 620 Graphics

Display

14 "FHD WVA (1920 x 1080) Anti-Glare Non-Touch

14 "FHD WVA (1920 x 1080) Anti-Glare Non-Touch, Outdoor-Readable Screen

14 "FHD WVA (1920 x 1080) Embedded Touch, Outdoor-Readable Screen

Memory

8GB, 2x4GB, 2666MHz DDR4 Non-ECC

16GB, 2x8GB, 2666MHz DDR4 Non-ECC

32GB, 2x16GB, 2666MHz DDR4 Non-ECC

Hardware

M.2 128GB PCIe NVMe Class 35 Solid State Drive

M.2 1TB PCIe NVMe Class 40 Opal 2.0 Self Encrypting Solid State Drive

M.2 1TB PCIe NVMe Class 40 Solid State Drive

M.2 256GB PCIe NVMe Class 40 Opal 2.0 Self Encrypting Solid State Drive

M.2 256GB PCIe NVMe Class 40 Solid State Drive

M.2 2TB PCIe NVMe Class 40 Solid State Drive

M.2 512GB PCIe NVMe Class 40 Opal 2.0 Self Encrypting Solid State Drive

M.2 512GB PCIe NVMe Class 40 Solid State Drive

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office 30 Day Trial

Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019

Microsoft Office Professional 2019

Security Software

McAfee® Small Business Security 30 Day Free Trial

No Security Software

McAfee® Small Business Security 12 month Subscription

McAfee® Small Business Security 36 month Subscription

The warranty

Hardware Ltd 3 Year Warranty: Mail-in; Customer inventory box, Dell pays shipping fees

3 Years ProSupport with Next Business Day Onsite Service

4 Years ProSupport with Next Day Business On-Site Services

5 Years ProSupport with Next Business Day Onsite Service

3 Years ProSupport Plus with Next Day Business On-Site Services

4 Years ProSupport Plus with Next Business Day Onsite Service

Keyboard

Closed Internal Non-Backlit Keyboard

Sealed Internal RGB Backlit English Keyboard

Sealed Internal RGB Backlit English Rubber Keyboard

Port

3 USB 3.0 Type A

1 USB 3.0 Type C ™ - supports power and display

1 Original RS-232 serial port

1 RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet network connector

1 HDMI

1 Universal Audio Jack

1 Optional RJ-45 gigabit Ethernet network connector

1 Optional Combination: RJ-45 gigabit and Serial 2nd Ethernet network connector (with optional VGA, Display Port, or Fischer USB)

Slot

1 key slot

1 SD Card Slot

1 SIM Card Slot

1 Optional Smart Card Reader

Dimensions & Weight

Height: 1.29 "(32.88 mm) x Width: 13.67" (347 mm) x Depth: 1.29 "(244.5 mm) excluding bumpers and handles

Weight: 4.89lbs (2.22 kg) with a single 3-cell battery and no handle

Wireless

Qualcomm® QCA61x4A 802.11ac Dual Band (2x2) Wireless Adapter + Bluetooth 4.2

Intel® Dual Band Wireless AC 8265 (802.11ac) 2x2 (No BT)

No Wireless LAN Card

Intel® Dual Band Wireless AC 8265 (802.11ac) 2x2

Primary Batteries

3 Cell 51Whr Express Capable of Large Loads

3 Cell 51Whr LimitedCharge Hardware Warranty 3-Year ExpressCharge Main Battery Capable

Regulation

Regulatory model: P46G

Official type: P46G002

Energy Star 7.0,

EPEAT MIL-STD-810G * test: Transit drop 36 "/ 91m; single unit; 26 drops, decrease in operation (36" /0.91m), dust blowing, vibration, functional shock, humidity, altitude, extreme

thermal operating range: -20 ° F to 140 ° F (-29 ° C to 60 ° C); Non-operating range: -60 ° F to 160 ° F (-51 ° C to 71 ° C)

IEC 60529 entrance protection *: IP-52 (protected from dust, protected from dripping water when tilted up to 15 °)

Price

Prices for the Dell Latitude 5420 Rugged Core i3 Laptop start at $ 1,379.00

Design and Features of the Dell Latitude 5420 Rugged Core i3 Laptop

1. Design

Latitude 5420 is very easy to transport when you consider the roughness, thanks to the comfortable grip on the front of the laptop.

I must be clear: Latitude 5420 is not a thin or light laptop. This lump of black plastic seemed completely out of place on my office desk - presumably, the 5420 Rugged was in its element when surrounded by debris at a construction site or mounted on the dashboard of a police car.

Yes, Latitude 5420 is more of a beast than beauty, but that is the point. From bumpers that cover every corner to its magnesium-alloy material, the utilitarian design of this laptop may have been made in a secret military laboratory. 

Open screws, geometric angles, and thick bezels assure the user that no expense has been spent on making a practical, indestructible chassis from Latitude 5420.

With a weight of 6.2 pounds and 13.7 x 6.6 x 1.3 inches, the Latitude 5420 is a giant machine that is too big to put in a backpack and too heavy to carry around comfortably for a long time. In his defense, we have tested larger and more powerful laptops, such as his more expensive sibling, Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme.

2. Durability and Safety

With military-level strength, the Latitude 5420 has a sturdy chassis that can withstand even the harshest conditions. When we dropped it from 3 feet (with power off), the laptop didn't get hurt and was turned on. 

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Even more impressive is how he handled our water tests. The laptop turned on and booted Windows without a hitch even after we watered it for 30 seconds. The touch panel, touch screen, and keyboard are functioning properly.

Latitude passed the MIL-SPEC-810G endurance test for high altitudes, water ingress, repeated droplets, and thermal shocks - just to list a few. Soldiers and construction workers will benefit from Latitude 5420's ability to withstand sand and dust, while the vehicle's vibration test has to convince police officers and emergency workers.

Although the 5420 Rugged is a durable machine, it is not as sturdy as the more premium (and much larger) Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme, which has survived additional testing, including a drop from a height of 6 feet, "explosive atmosphere" and blowing rain.

Latitude 5420 displays its exterior toughness but hidden inside are security measures designed to combat digital attacks. Onboard, the 5420 Rugged is a TPM 2.0 chip to secure passwords, while Dell's Data Protection and Backup and Recovery software protect the 5420 Rugged from insecure systems.

Physical security measures include steel-reinforced key slots and an optional fingerprint reader, IR (with shutter privacy) camera and Contactless SmartCard for fast and safe authorization.

3. Port

Secured behind the cover are various ports for docking, connecting peripherals and charging other devices. Latitude has almost every port I can think of but can't explain explaining Thunderbolt 3, which allows super-fast transfer speeds, high-performance networks, and connections to multiple UHD monitors.

Under one of the two covers on the left side of the laptop are two USB 3.0 ports and a headphone jack, while the other protects the USB-C port. The back of the laptop has HDMI, two Ethernet ports (one of which is optional), RS-232 serial port, key slot, DisplayPort, and open power input.

The right side of this laptop is where you will find removable SATA storage space, SD Card slots, SIM card slots (for LTE connectivity) and a third USB 3.0 port. There is also a connector on the bottom of the laptop to attach it to the dock.

Related Post: Dell Latitude 7480 Business Laptop Full Spec 

Unlike the Latitude 7424, the door that protects the port on the Latitude 5420 is not secured by a locking mechanism. Instead, you can simply open the lid by pressing the small hook.

Want to know what accessories you might need for Latitude 5420? See our guide to the five best Dell Latitude accessories you can buy.

4. Display

If the 14-inch 1080p touch screen display at 1080p on our Latitude 5420 is brighter, I might have to wear sunglasses. That is a definite excitement, because the extraordinary lighting from this display is not only useful outdoors, but also displays bright panel colors.

When I watch the trailer for the upcoming movie Shazam !, I can see broken rock falling after Billy Batson uses his newly discovered strength to eliminate the concrete pillar. The amount of detail captured by the panel played a role when I watched Batson's different facial expressions transition from "What happened?" for "Let's kick supervillain's ass."

I was also impressed by the excellent screen color reproduction and blinding brightness. The red jumpsuit worn by our protagonist has a rich tone, while the giant flash bolt on his chest looks like it will pierce my screen and surprise me.

The screen covers 110 percent of the sRGB color gamut, according to our colorimeter measurements. Even though it's a little below the average premium laptop (117 percent), the panel never looks boring.

The Latitude 5420 screen is easily visible outdoors and in bright light, thanks to its 923 nits maximum brightness. To put it in context, the average premium laptop display turns on only 329 nits. The point of view is also strong; I have no problem reading text wherever I stand concerning a laptop.

On the lower side, the Latitude touch screen is inaccurate and removing the pen from the slot can be an interesting exercise. I need a key to pull out the stylus and once I do that, I have a hard time tapping the small icon.

5. Keyboard and Touchpad

My fingers appreciate the comfortable keys on the Latitude 5420 RGB backlit keyboard. There is a pleasant preoccupation with the keys and I have never felt like I was at the bottom, thanks to the 1.5-millimeter key travel (1.5 to 2mm is our choice). 

And because a key that is well placed requires an actuation strength of 61 grams, (just above our minimum 60 grams), I can quickly move my fingers from one letter to the next.

I have a few minor doubts about the keyboard. For one, some buttons, especially the arrow keys, are too small, which can be a problem for those who work with gloves. Also, the optional handle mounted on the front of the laptop does not make the armrest most comfortable, and the RGB lighting settings are very basic.

I type at 119 words per minute with a 95 percent accuracy rate on the 10fastfingers.com typing test, which matches my average on both accounts.

The 3.8 x 2.1 touchpad on the Latitude 5420 is fluid and responsive, unlike the annoying touchpad on the Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme, which doesn't have a Microsoft Precision driver. 

I have no problem running the Windows 10 gestures, including pinch-to-zoom and a four-finger tap to open Cortana. Even though I don't use it personally, some corporate users might regret the lack of pointing sticks.

6. Audio

The sole speaker on the front edge of Latitude 5420 did a pretty good job handling complex instrumentation in "The Other Side of Paradise" Glass Animal, but psychedelic pop songs barely filled our small office. 

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The electronic voice was crisp and Dave Bayley's smooth vocals sounded clear. However, the limitations of the speaker were revealed when I listened to "All the World is Mad," by the rock band Thrice. The high notes in this electric guitar-driven song are hollow, and the drum sounds are louder than louder.

If the audio quality is not what you want, Latitude 5420 comes with MaxxAudioPro software from Dell, which allows you to adjust the sound frequency using a simple EQ interface.

7. Performance

The Intel Core i7-8650U processor and 16GB of RAM in the Latitude 5420 kept this laptop downing because I loaded 20 Google Chrome tabs, four of which played HD video. I don't see any slowness when I change the tabs and graphics provided before I can blink.

Armed with high-end components, the 5420 Rugged was impressed with our performance benchmarks, scoring 16,054 on the Geekbench 4.1 test. This strong result is above the average category of premium laptops (13,113) with a large difference.

With a fast time of 1 minute and 29 seconds, the Latitude 7424 Rugged only sets aside the average premium laptop (1:31) in our Excel Macro Test, which involves pairing 65,000 names with the appropriate address.

And even though the 512GB PCIe NVMe Class 40 SSD can't compete with the category average (526.7 megabytes per second) on our File Transfer Test, it still duplicates 4.97GB of mixed media files within 10 seconds which are fast enough for a rate of 508 MBps.

Latitude 5420 only beats the average premium laptop (21:48) in our Handbrake test, converting 4K video to 1080p resolution in 21 minutes and 23 seconds.

The point

Whether you are a first respondent or an army stationed abroad, you have protected the Latitude 5420 Rugged with a very bright display, a durable chassis, and an impressive battery life. Latitude 5420 offers many things because the price is very expensive - most importantly, the certainty that your data is stored safely in a sturdy chassis.

However, if you need more protection against extreme environments, see Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme. While it's more expensive than its lower-class siblings, the 7424 Rugged Extreme (starting at $ 3,499, reviewed at $ 5,123) passes additional endurance tests, including a 6 foot drop and spatter. 

This also lasts longer at cost than the Rugged 5420. Unfortunately, the 7424 Rugged Extreme does not have a Microsoft Precision driver, which makes the touchpad a nuisance to use.

For this reason, the Latitude 5420 Rugged is a better option for most people and a laptop that is highly recommended for the toughest jobs in the world.

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