Dell Latitude 7400 2-In-1 Review: A Lethal Weapon For Road Warriors

The Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 is an almost-perfect example of a modern business laptop. It's light, sleek, powerful, and flexible. And we mean that quite literally -- its 360-degree hinge give users the ability to use it as a regular laptop with a touch-enabled screen, in tent mode for drawing or for viewing movies or presentations, flat for sharing, or folded all the way back for use in tablet mode.

The new Dell Latitude 7400 2-In-1 is about 25 percent smaller than the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 14, with extremely narrow bezels, and comes in configurations ranging from 8GB RAM to 16GB, with 128GB to 2TB of solid state storage. Under the hood, the base model offers an 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8265U processor, while the fully decked-out version sports a quad-core / eight-thread Intel Core i7-8665U that still drops into a 15W power envelope. The display is a 14" FHD (1920 X 1080) narrow-bezeled, touch-enabled, glossy slab of Corning Gorilla Glass that includes an IR cam and proximity sensor at the top.

About that proximity sensor. It may seem like a gimmick to some, but we came to enjoy it immensely. The sensor is used to enable Dell's ExpressSign-In, which works with Windows Hello to give you a quick and fully automated sign-in experience. The sensor knows when you're approaching the system and, if Windows Hello is enabled, the machine is up and running and you are signed in by the time you sit down and reach for its keyboard. Far from gimmicky, it's a slick, useful time-saver.

We reviewed the 16GB, 512GB Class 40 SSD version of the Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1, which Dell sent us, along some extra goodies: Dell's Premier Wireless Mouse ($65.99), the Dell Premium Active Pen stylus ($100), dock ($329.99), and Dell's 6-cell 78 Whr ExpressCharge-capable battery (add $21 to the base price). None of those latter items come with the base model.

Dell Latitude 7400 2-In-1 (As Tested) Specifications & Features

Processor	8th Generation Intel Core i7-8665U Processor (4 Core, 8MB Cache, 1.8GHz, 15W, vPro)
OS	Windows 10 Professional
Display	14" FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics	Intel integrated UHD graphics 620
Storage	M.2 512GB PCIe NVMe Class 40 Solid State Drive
Memory	16GB LPDDR3 2133MHz
Audio	Two stereo speakers
Camera	IR Camera (User-Facing fixed focus) with LED + Proximity Sensor
Connectivity	Wireless Intel Dual Band Wireless AC 9560 (802.11ac) 2x2 (Mobile broadband optional)
Ports: Left	Audio combo jack, uSD reader, uSIM slot, USB 3.1
Ports: Right	2x Thunderbolt 3 w/DisplayPort, HDMI, USB 3.1, Smart Card reader
Keyboard	Full-size, backlit
Battery	6 Cell 78 Whr ExpressCharge Capable
Extras	Dock, Premier Mouse, Active Pen Stylus
Weight	2.99 lbs.
Dimensions	12.6 (W) x 7.9 (D) x 0.34-0.59 (H) inches
Warranty	1-year limited, mail-in service
Price	$1899 - As Tested

Find The Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 at Dell, Starting at $1,599

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We were pleasantly surprised by the relatively rich sound put out by this machine's stereo speakers, but we weren't crazy about dealing with the glossy display outdoors. That's typical of similar touch-enabled, glossy displays, however. And we should talk a bit more about the Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1's price. The base model runs $1,599 at Dell; the tricked-out 16GB version with more storage and a faster processor (which is what we tested) will set you back about $1899. That's a decent chunk of change, though no more expensive than a similarly equipped ThinkPad X1 Yoga. Still, no matter how you look at it, it's a serious investment in a serious machine.

Next, let's check out the Latitude 7400's design chops, build quality, and user experience...