Dell Latitude 7400 vs 5400: Which One is For You?

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The Dell Latitude 7400 and Dell Latitude 5400 are compared here. Both the laptops are good ones to buy but which one you should go for is what we will see here.

BUY NOW	BUY NOW
Dell Latitude 14 7400	Dell Latitude 14 5400
PROS	PROS
Long battery life. Fast system performance. Comfortable keyboard.	Excellent keyboard. Monstrous battery life on 68 Whr battery. Good build quality and carbon fiber finish.
CONS	CONS
Bland design. Whistling fan.	Dim display.

Specs Difference

Design

Dell Latitude 7400

The Dell Latitude 7400 stands out with its elegant finish, offering a blend of style and functionality for professionals. Users have the option to choose between a touchscreen feature, adding a layer of versatility to its usage. This model presents two distinct finishes: carbon fiber and aluminum, catering to different aesthetic and functional preferences.

Aluminum Finish: The sleek aluminum variant does not support the touchscreen feature, providing a distinct look with its metallic sheen, moving away from the traditional black plastic appearance.

Carbon Fiber Finish: For those prioritizing touchscreen functionality, the carbon fiber option is available, combining advanced features with a high-quality build.

Despite its weight of 1.36 kilograms, the aluminum cover version slightly increases to 1.53 kilograms, making it somewhat heavier than anticipated. However, it still maintains a competitive edge in the ultra-lightweight category. Its durability and rugged build suggest it can withstand considerable use without compromising on portability.

The keyboard design takes inspiration from classic models, offering deep key travel that enhances the typing experience. The touchpad also sees an upgrade, with a rougher texture that improves usability, especially for users with smoother fingers.

Dell Latitude 5400

The Dell Latitude 5400 might deceive the eye with its appearance, resembling plastic, but it’s actually crafted from carbon fiber. This not only lends it a sophisticated look but also contributes to environmental sustainability by utilizing almost 17% post-consumer recycled carbon fiber material. This effort to reduce carbon fiber waste in landfills highlights Dell’s commitment to eco-friendly practices.

While it may not be the lightest clamshell laptop on the market, its weight is still reasonable, ensuring it doesn’t sacrifice portability. The typing experience on this model is highly satisfying, thanks to a pleasant and responsive keyboard. Although it lacks the ergonomic smile-shaped keys found on ThinkPad models, it offers a springy and firm response that facilitates efficient typing.

The inclusion of a Microsoft precision trackpad with dedicated click buttons and a version of Lenovo’s eraser stick pointer further enhances its user-friendliness, making navigation and control more intuitive.

Display

Dell Latitude 7400

The Dell Latitude 7400 elevates the user experience with its touchscreen display, offering a maximum resolution of 1920×1080. This model showcases a significant design improvement with its thinner bezels, providing a more immersive viewing experience.

One of the notable features is its flexibility, with the display capable of tilting to approximately 190 degrees, slightly more than the usual 180 degrees. This added range of motion enhances the laptop’s versatility, catering to different user preferences and scenarios.

Dell Latitude 5400

The Dell Latitude 5400 focuses on delivering a practical display solution for business professionals. As a device designed primarily for business use, it doesn’t offer 4K resolution or pen support, in line with its clamshell design ethos. However, it does feature a 1080p touchscreen option, which represents the peak of its display capabilities. The presence of a matte screen helps in reducing glare, compensating for its lack of brightness and making it more suitable for various lighting conditions.

Despite its business orientation, the 5400 model does have its drawbacks in terms of color reproduction, with a somewhat limited color gamut that leads to a less vibrant display. Nonetheless, it benefits from a good white balance straight out of the box and offers decent contrast levels, making it a reliable choice for general business applications and productivity tasks.

Features

Dell Latitude 7400

The Dell Latitude 7400 continues to rely on 8th-generation Intel processors, yet offers impressive customization options with up to 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB of SSD storage. While it may not support discrete graphics, sticking with integrated Intel graphics, it compensates with practical features like a fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button for enhanced security.

Port Selection and Design Innovations:

• Right side: Includes an audio combo jack, micro SD card reader, SIM slot (specific models), USB 3.1 with power share, and a Noble lock slot.
• Left side: Features Thunderbolt/USB-C, HDMI, and an additional USB 3.1 port.
• The speakers are located at the bottom, delivering average sound quality.
• A 720p webcam comes with a new privacy shutter, marked by a red light when activated, ensuring privacy with a simple flick.

Despite a 6% smaller footprint than its predecessor (the Latitude 7490), the 7400 model notably lacks an RJ45 Ethernet port, a potentially significant omission for a business laptop.

Dell Latitude 5400

Starting at $800, the Dell Latitude 5400 can be configured to suit various needs. A model equipped with a Core i5, vPro, full HD touchscreen, and 512 GB SSD is priced around $1400 (pre-discount). Noteworthy is its true matte display, even on touchscreen models, enhancing visibility under various lighting conditions.

Upgradeability and Connectivity:

• The laptop supports upgradable components, featuring two RAM slots and a removable M.2 SSD.
• Connectivity options are robust, including three USB-A 3.1 ports, a USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 port, HDMI 1.4, a micro SD card slot, a nano-SIM slot (for optional 4G LTE), and a headphone jack, alongside onboard gigabit Intel Ethernet and Intel Wi-Fi AX200 (Wi-Fi 6).
• For security, it offers a fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button, Windows Hello IR cameras, and even a smart card reader, along with Dell’s suite of security software.

The Latitude 5400 is designed with durability in mind, featuring dust, vibration, and shock resistance. Despite average stereo speakers, it maintains a focus on business efficiency. Access to internal components for upgrades or repairs is straightforward, highlighting its suitability for business environments where longevity and adaptability are key.

Performance

Dell Latitude 7400

The Dell Latitude 7400 distinguishes itself with a notable change in its cooling system compared to its predecessors. Users will find that this model operates with a louder fan noise, peaking around 59 decibels. This increase in volume is attributed to a higher spinning, possibly smaller fan, which emits a high-pitched whine, particularly noticeable under heavy loads.

Heat Management and Keyboard Usability:

• The laptop efficiently manages heat, concentrating most of it near the function keys area. However, this does not detract from the usability of the keyboard, including the function keys.
• Exhaust vents are strategically placed behind the screen hinge, effectively dispersing heat without compromising comfort.
• Despite the noise, the Latitude 7400’s cooling system excels at air circulation, drawing air from bottom vents to keep the system running smoothly.

Dell Latitude 5400

On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 5400 offers a more subdued experience in terms of heat and noise, typical of ultrabooks. Its construction, featuring carbon-fiber and plastic materials, and a design that avoids being overly thin, ensures the laptop remains cool to the touch even during extended use.

Performance and Heat Dispersion:

• Benchmark tests and real-life usage reveal that the 5400 model performs admirably, ranking at the top among Intel 8th-generation ultrabooks.
• Its effective heat dispersion mechanism and design choices mean that users can enjoy both high performance and comfort without the laptop becoming uncomfortably hot or noisy.

Battery

Dell Latitude 7400

The Dell Latitude 7400 impresses with its Quick Charge capability, allowing users to recharge up to 80% of the battery in just one hour. This feature ensures minimal downtime for those on the go. Battery life on this model varies significantly based on usage:

• Stress Test: Under intense workload, the laptop sustains approximately 2 hours of operation.
• Average Use: For regular tasks, it boasts an impressive 16 hours of battery life, offering all-day productivity without the need for frequent recharging.

Dell Latitude 5400

Similarly, the Dell Latitude 5400 supports Express Charge, enhancing user convenience with the ability to charge 80% of the battery in one hour—especially when paired with the optional 90-watt power adapter. The laptop offers two battery options:

• Standard Battery: A 51-watt-hour battery for typical usage requirements.
• Extended Battery: An optional 68-watt-hour battery provides extended usage, outperforming many competitors.

With its efficient full HD display and integrated graphics, the 5400 model delivers excellent battery life:

• Typical Usage: Achieves between 9 to 10 hours of battery life with mixed productivity tasks and some video streaming at 150 nits brightness, surpassing the performance of some leading competitors.

Which One You Should Buy?

The Dell Latitude 7400 marks a significant leap forward in both design and performance. Despite being equipped with an 8th-generation processor, it doesn’t fall short in delivering commendable performance. It’s well-suited for standard work tasks, offering a blend of modern design elements and reliable functionality. This laptop proves that even within a mature processor generation, efficiency and productivity need not be compromised.

On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 5400 emerges as an excellent option for those mindful of their budget. It stands out for its:

• A comprehensive array of ports for versatile connectivity.
• Matte display, including an option for a matte touchscreen, which reduces glare and enhances visibility.
• Availability of 4G LTE for on-the-go connectivity.
• Comfortable keyboard designed for extended typing sessions.
• Upgradable components, including RAM and SSD, ensure the laptop can grow with your needs.

The 5400 model embodies practicality, offering significant features at a more accessible price point. Its balance of performance, comfort, and upgradeability makes it particularly appealing for cost-conscious professionals and students alike.

When deciding between the Latitude 7400 and 5400, consider the specific features that are most important to your work or personal use. If budget is a primary concern, the Latitude 5400 offers remarkable value with its robust feature set and upgradeability. However, for those seeking enhanced design elements and slightly better performance metrics, the Latitude 7400 may justify its higher price tag.

Both laptops have their merits, making them viable options depending on your priorities—whether it’s performance, design, or cost-efficiency.

Expert reviews of Dell Latitude 7400:

By Gadgetsnow
Dell’s Latitude range of laptops has always been unique in …

By Laptopmedia
Let’s put it straight – Dell Latitude 14 7400 is an amazing device. Yes, you need to pay a premium to get it, but you also get pretty…

By Pcmag
The Dell Latitude 7400 is a 14-inch business ultraportable with excellent performance and battery life and a wide array…

Expert reviews of Dell Latitude 5400:

By Compsmag
The long battery life and strong performance make the Latitude 5400 a good business…

By Neowin
The Dell Latitude 5400 is a great all-around laptop. It checks all of the right…

Arya

Hello! I'm Surendar Arya, a passionate tech writer from Uttar Pradesh, India. I'm a freelance contributor to the tech blog - The World's Best And Worst. My enthusiasm for technology drives me to explore the latest trends and innovations in the field. I take immense pleasure in guiding individuals on how to leverage technology for their benefit, making their lives easier and more efficient.