Dell Latitude X1

Dell's Latitude X1 ultraportable provides a a very large screen for an ultraportable notebook but the various limitations and cost only make this an average ultraportable computer.

9/5/05 – Dell's Latitude X1 marks a change in the format of the Dell ultraportable systems to a slightly larger format for an improved LCD screen. The 12.1” wide screen LCD is one of the larger ones found in the ultraportable segment and will be a big benefit for those with less than perfect eyesight.

Powering the Latitude X1 is the Intel Pentium M 733 (1.1GHz) processor. This ultra low power processor gets excellent battery life while still providing decent processing power. It is matched up with 512MB of PC3200 DDR memory that should be plenty for the standard office applications.

Storage is a bit below average for the Latitude X1, but that is due to the size constraints limited by the system. Rather than a standard size notebook drive, the X1 uses a smaller 8mm drive which limits the amount of storage capable. The standard size is 30GB that is much smaller than competing system. The notebook itself lacks an internal optical drive and relies upon an external D-Bay drive. The system ships with a 24x CD-ROM D-Bay that plugs into the powered USB port.

The main advantage to the Latitude X1 and other Dell systems is the ability to customize the system to the user. While this is a benefit, it also means that the base system tends to lack things such as productivity software.