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With its optional M5Y0X 9-cell battery installed, the Dell Latitude E6430 lasted a very strong 10 hours and 37 minutes, more than 4 hours longer than the 6 hour and 33 minute thin-and-light notebook category average. However, the Lenovo ThinkPad T430 lasted a whopping 13 hours and 25 minutes with its 9-cell battery attached.
Design and Durability
The Dell Latitude E6430 has the same attractive gunmetal gray aluminum lid, matte chrome body and angular sides as its predecessor, the Dell Latitude E6420. With a snazzy design that reminds us a sci-fi spaceship, the E6430 stands out in the world of staid black-and-gray business notebooks.
Like all the current members of Dell's Latitude E6400 line, the E6430 is built for durability with a Tri-Metal chassis that consists of a magnesium alloy frame, reinforced steel hinges, a matte chrome bumper, a protective LCD seal and a spill-resistant keyboard.
The notebook has been MIL-STD 810G tested, which means it should be able to withstand extreme temperatures, dust and vibrations better than most notebooks.
At 5.4 pounds and 13.9 x 9.5 x 1.3 inches, the Dell Latitude E6430 feels bulky for a 14-inch notebook. The ThinkPad T430 is smaller, thinner and lighter at 5.2 pounds and 13.8 x 9.1 x 1.2 inches. The Fujitsu LifeBook U772 (12.9 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches, 3 pounds) is much lighter, but that 14-inch Ultrabook isn't nearly as rugged as this Dell or the T430. (DELL 312-1242 batteries)
Keyboard
The Dell Latitude E6430's backlit, spill-resistant keyboard provides a strong level of tactile response. Combine that with an very comfortable soft-touch plastic palm rest and you have one of the best typing experiences on a notebook. We were able to achieve a strong score of 92 words per minute with just a 1 percent error rate on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, well above our 80 word-per-minute average.
By hitting Fn + right arrow, we were able to configure the keyboard's backlighting, choosing between five modes: off, 25 percent, 50 percent, 75 percent and 100 percent brightness. Even at 100 percent, the light was not particularly bright, and it shined up from the crevices between the keys.
Touchpad and Pointing Stick
The 3.2 x 1.75-inch touchpad provided accurate navigation around the desktop, and even provided reliable multitouch gesture support. Pinch-to-zoom, rotate and three-finger flicks all worked smoothly. The two discrete buttons offered just the right amount of feedback.
In addition to its touchpad, the Latitude E6430 includes another navigation option: a pointing stick between its G and H keys. While we're huge fans of the TrackPoint sticks that Lenovo puts on its ThinkPads, Dell's rubber nub sits too low relative to the keys around it, making it uncomfortable to touch. If Dell wants to continue offering pointing sticks on its business notebooks, it needs to revisit this annoying design.
Heat
The Dell Latitude E6430 stayed pleasantly cool throughout our tests. After 15 minutes of streaming a video at full screen, the touchpad measured just 80 degrees, the keyboard was a mere 82 degrees and the bottom clocked in at 87 degrees Fahrenheit (DELL 4YRJH Battery). We consider temperatures below 95 degrees comfortable.
Display and Audio
The 1600 x 900 matte 14-inch screen provided bright, sharp images and solid viewing angles, though its colors seemed muted at times. At 237 lux on our light meter, the Latitude E6430's screen is brighter than the 203 lux thin-and-light notebook category average. The configuration of the T430 we reviewed had a 1366 x 768 display, and was rather dim at 147 lux.
When we watched 1080p QuickTime trailers for both The Avengers and The Expendables 2, most images stayed true at greater than 45 degrees, though dark scenes occasionally washed out. Even viewed head-on, colors like the red in Iron Man's armor or the blue in Captain America's suit seemed dull, and blacks in particular seemed washed out and noisy.
The Latitude E6430's dual, front-facing speakers provide accurate audio that's good enough for watching videos and presentations, but not to serve as your stereo. When we played Patrice Rushen's bass-heavy Forget Me Nots, sound was clear and smooth, but not particularly rich. The Scorpions' heavy metal No One Like You did not sound distorted, but it was hollow and monotone with little separation of sound between speakers. In both cases, the maximum volume was barely loud enough to fill a room.
Ports and Webcam
Dell packs the DELL Latitude E6430 with a solid selection of ports, including some you won't find everywhere else. On the right side sits an ExpressCard/54 slot, a rarity among even business notebooks, a hardware Wi-Fi switch, an optical drive and three USB ports, two of which are USB 3.0 compatible and one of which doubles as an eSATA port.
The back houses an HDMI port, a Kensington lock slot and an Ethernet connector. The left side contains a SmartCard slot, a headphone/mic jack, a VGA port and a USB 2.0 port.
Dell Latitude E6430 WebcamClick to EnlargeThe 1.3-megapixel webcam provided sharp, noise-free images, even in low light. However, colors were bland and our face appeared shadowed, even when we were sitting in a well-lit room.
Graphics Performance
Our Latitude E6430 only had Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics, so it's no gaming machine. On 3DMark11, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics prowess, the E6430 scored a solid 717, which is just a little below the 755 category average.
Still, when we played World of Warcraft at default settings, the Latitude E6430 provided a good frame rate of 53 fps. Just don't expect to keep things playable with the special effects turned up; the rate dropped to 26 fps. (MSI A32-A24 Battery)
Verdict
The Latitude E6430 has a lot going for it: strong performance, extraordinary battery life, a world-class keyboard and an attractive chassis that's designed to take some punishment. Users may want to consider the similarly-priced 14-inch ThinkPad T430, which has an even better keyboard and pointing stick and offers 3 hours of more endurance with its 9-cell battery. However, if you want a great-looking business system that packs plenty of power, the Latitude E6430 is one of your best choices.
More info: laptop-batteries.com.au , laptop-battery.org.uk , battery-store.eu
