Specifications

Weight: 3.2lbs (with battery, without optical drive)•

Brand new, and without my extra warranty upgrade, this configuration of the D430 would cost $1,640 before

taxes. With my warranty upgrade, the system would cost about $1,800-$1,900 brand new. Additionally, the

single-core D430 is only available in the Large Business section at www.dell.com.

The Small Business section (where consumers can purchase from too!), only the dual core variant is

available. A similarly dual-core configured laptop costs about $1,650, so there is virtually no price difference

between a U1400 laptop and a U7600 laptop.

I got the single core version because I needed a lower cost machine, and this was the lowest I could get. I

purchased the warranty upgrade only to take advantage of the 15% off Latitudes at the Dell Outlet coupon,

and paid $883 for the entire package. Not bad for almost 50 percent off!

Build and Design

Business notebooks are supposed to be the top-of-the-line laptops, with the highest build quality and top

notch support. My last two notebooks were both high-quality business notebooks, and I have come to expect

the best in my notebooks.

With ultraportable machines, there is an even higher emphasis and these laptops must be built as solid as

possible. They get carried around more, used more, knocked around more, and have to be built for road

warriors. Does the D430 deliver?

(view large image)

Undoubtedly. The D430 may possibly be the

most solid notebook I have ever held in my

hands despite its feather-light weight. The

entire chassis is constructed of magnesium

alloy, but some of the laptop’s black exterior

"plating" I believe is still made of a very solid

plastic material. Other parts of the notebook,

like the base of the chassis or the inside frame

of the LCD screen are solid metal alloy. The

notebook chassis is extremely well built and

cannot be twisted or pushed around at all. The

palm rests are the only part of the base that

flexes, but I believe that is because only the

battery is found underneath that location.

When pushing in and prodding around the rest

of the notebook base, it became very clear to

me the D430 is very well packed inside and has a very strong frame to support/protect the entire chassis.

When closed, the laptop seems virtually indestructible.(view large image)

The screen construction is also impressive, but not as much as the chassis’ construction. As with most

laptop screens, the display can be twisted a little bit … but not nearly as much as other laptops I have

e 2 of 15Dell Latitude D430 User Review

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