This “extremely” durable, rugged laptop can be described as a “tank”. It wraps a competent computer in a water-resistant, dust-tight shell that can withstand almost anything without a problem. While this amount of durability does make it weigh a bit more than the averaged size laptop, it’s still a great choice for somebody who wants a powerful computer in mobile form. The Dell Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme is a 14-inch notebook with intuitive swappable dual batteries, enhanced graphics, and a USB 3.0 Type-C connectivity.
Its shell is made of matte-black magnesium alloy and plastic with some steel reinforcements on features such sa the security-lock slot. This system weighs around 3.45-kg (7.6-lbs) with a 3-cell battery and no optical drive or handle. There IS an option for an 8x DVD-ROM or 8X DVD / RW (+/-) or BluRay RW. Keep in mind that any optical drive you select will replace the third storage bay option. It has rubbery bumpers to protect each corner and lockable doors that cover every port. You also get a privacy shutter that hides the 720p webcam with face-recognition technology.
The14-inch display is an FHD WVA model with 16:9 anti-glare display and 1920 x 1080 resolution, as well as an optional direct-view outdoor display with superior readability and a global capable touchscreen, which you’ll definitely want to consider. The outdoor-friendly display is VERY BRIGHT (as many as 1,000-nits, according to Dell).
The Dell Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme comes with either Windows 10 Pro or Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. The swappable Dual Batteries ensure continuous power so that you can prepare for the switch between day shift and nightshift, as well as everything in between.
Dell Latitude 7424 Base Specifications
• Processor: 6th / 7th / or 8th Gen. Intel Core i5 (dual-core), i3 dual-core, or i5 or i7 with vPro (quad-core) respectively
• Video card: Integrated Intel HD 520 / 620 / HD UHD 620 OR AMD Radeon 540 / RX540
• Memory: 8GB / 16GB / 32GB with 2400-MHz DDR4 (non-ECC)
• Hard drive: Up to 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD (Class-40) OR 1TB PCIe NVMe Self-encrypting Drive (class-40)
• Optional 2nd and 3rd drive options
There are numerous ports and slots, including 3 USB 3.0 Type-A ports, 1 native RS-232 serial port, USB 3.0 Type-C, which supports the display and power, HDMI, optional RJ-45 network connector with or without a 2nd serial w/ optional VGA and DisplayPort, etc.
Lastly, it’s important to mention in a Dell Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme review that this machine has been through MIL-STD 810G testing to ensure that it can withstand vibration, humidity, blowing rain, dust, and eve solar radiation and explosive atmosphere.