"For sheer wow factor you can’t really beat the XT2 XFR it’s like something out of a Hollywood action movie."
John Hillman
The Dell Latitude XT2 XFR is a ruggedised version of the Latitude XT2 and is the first rugged laptop with multi-touch screen technology.
Dell has designed its rugged laptops to withstand drops of up to three feet and tested them to meet military standards for use in extreme and challenging conditions.
It is fully sealed against the elements with a rubber waterproof keyboard that can apparently withstand a fire hose. It also has sealed ports and a fully reinforced chassis with special locks and hinges.
What we like most
For sheer wow factor you can’t really beat the XT2 XFR, it’s like something out of a Hollywood action movie.
The fact that it can take such rough treatment will make this an ideal piece of kit for people with very specific jobs – we’re thinking construction, farming, fishing, mining etc.
If we forget the XT2 XFR’s ruggedness and just focus on the technology then its other main feature is the touch screen. It swivels at a 180 degree range for extra flexibility and you can also use your fingers to scroll, pan, rotate and zoom – it also comes with a digitizer pen.
The technology is powered with a 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9600 – which works well – although the base model only carries 1 Gb RAM, so you’ll probably want to take advantage of the upgrade options when ordering.
It has a fairly small 12.1 inch screen with a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution – standard stuff for a screen of this size. When you choose your hard drive you can opt for either a 64 or 128 Gb solid state hard drive.
What we like least
There isn’t much to say on this front as this is such a specialist laptop that no-one is going to consider it unless their needs fit the XT2 XFR’s unique selling points.
The cost of this laptop is rather eye-popping when you consider the modest power inside it (prices start in excess of £2,200).
When you consider that the non-ruggedised Latitude XT2 starts at around £1,300 you can see that what you are paying for is essentially a suit of armour for your PC. The question is do you really need it?
Video review
A whole new world of computers and a very expensive one to boot (sorry!). If you have a genuine need for a machine that can withstand extreme conditions then these are the first mainstream computers designed for that market and very good they are too. However as an expensive novelty item I’m sure the thrill will wear off quite quickly, as this would be the laptop equivalent of having a Sherman Tank parked on your driveway.
Processor Speed
1.4 GHz
Processor
Up to Intel Core 2 Duo (ULV) SU9400
RAM
Up to 5 Gb 1333 MHz DDR3 1333 RAM
Screen Size
12.1 inch
1280 x 800 LED Display and Wide View
Graphics
NVIDIA NVS 3100M 512 Mb DDR3
Intel HD Graphics
Hard Drive Storage
Up to 128 Gb Mobility Solid State Drive
Battery
Up to 6-cell Lithium ION
Multimedia
Built in microphone jack
Stereo headphone jack
6E-family modular (external) media bay: 8X DVD-ROM, 24X CDRW/DVD, 8X DVD+/-RW
54mm Express Card
Ports
2 x USB 2.0
1 x eSATA combo
1 x VGA video connector
1 x RJ-45
1 x IEEE 1394 connector
1 x Ethernet
Weight & Size
297mm (W) x 220.6mm (D) x 27.4mm (H)
1.64Kg (with 6-cell battery)
Connectivity
Dell Wireless 1397(802.11g)
Dell Wireless 1510 (802.11 a/g/n 2x2)
Up to Intel WiFi Link 5300 (802.11a/g/n 3x3)
Dell Wireless 5530 HSUPA/HSDPA Mobile Broadband Minicard
Dell 365 Bluetooth Module
Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)
Operating System
Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit
This video review compares the Dell Latitude XT2 with its rugged partner the Dell XT2 XFR, battle hardened by Dell’s designers for the US military.
The Dell Latitude XT2 is a business notebook with a swivel feature that lets you twist the angle of the its 12 inch multi-touch screen up to a full 180 degrees, giving you excellent functionality and maneuverability.
This video takes a look at the flagship business tablet from Dell alongside its rugged cousin, the Latitude XT2 XFR.
The XT2 XFR is a fully reinforced laptop that has the same swivel functionality and features of the regular Latitude XT2 XFR. It comes reinforced with body armour is water resistant to the degree that it can withstand being sprayed by a fire hose and dropped from a height of around three feet.
It also claims to be able to withstand temperatures of -10 to 140 degrees although we were unable to access extreme temperatures on a drizzly July afternoon in London, so we’ll just take Dell’s word for it.
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