a latitude attitude
Written: Jan 27 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: quality craftsmanship, reliable
Cons: pricey
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| dbodily's Full Review: Dell Latitude Cpi A366XT |
The DELL Latitude CPi is very nice little laptop. I the opportunity to work with these laptops quite a bit and I can say I know then as well on the inside as the outside.
The outside is durable and is very forgiving. The LCD screen gives a very nice resolution. The keyboard is a bit smaller than I like, but that is why there is docking stations. The functions available to the user such as screen control is very easy to use but takes time to learn. The Operating system that is put on the CPi does affect how well it functions and crashes. If the laptop is used in a very stable environment then windows NT is a great option if you need the security of windows NT. If you travel a lot or your use is not very stable then loading windows 98(which is the Factory norm is an excellent option.) The latitude allows you to use the CD-ROM or floppy drive installed or the use of a second battery. The CPi though does not allow hotswapping (removing parts while the laptop is running) of peripheral devices except PC cards. So you must shut down the computer to change media types such as to go from floppy to CD. Power saver option are available and can save a lot of money especially in situations where you want the PC on 24-7 for network updates or other reasons which are your own personal choice.
The PC card slots will allow 1 type III or two type I or II cards at the same time. The Texas instruments PCI card reader is one of the best on the market. The DELL Latitude is also built with sound to go. The keyboard although being a little small is convenient for when you are traveling and not to much in an inconvenience for your fingers.
The C-port docking station is a peripheral device that is a must have or atleast a must consider option. The C-port allows you to dock the laptop and use a standard keyboard and mouse, as well as any monitor that you choose, (21" Dell UltraScan is my preference), and to connect to a network. This is an excellent addition for the laptop.
with all of the wonderful options and durability that the DELL Latitude CPi provides there are some drawbacks to this PC. If the Fan goes bad the whole motherboard is replaced, that is not bad if it is under warranty but if it is out of warranty that is and expensive choice. The fan can be simply changed if you have another machine that is dead and you just want to have fan replaced and are willing to have the fan removed form the dead CPi. I do recommend that all service be done by a certified technician. This laptop has so many screws that it hard to keep track of them all, and every screw is required to be where they belong or the laptop will not boot up. (I know I have done it and had to open the whole case cause of one screw.) The memory is upgradeable and it is suggested that you use DELL memory though Viking and Kingston can get reliable memory upgrades for probably a little less money. The mother board is rather modular and is relatively simple to replace if you know what you are doing, pretty obvious but true. If the the screen needs to be replaced this is a challenge that should only be done by a professional. I have seen more than one screen scratched even by professionals, Luckily I am not one of those who have scratched screen accidently cause it is very time consuming to replace the LCD screen.
Though I get the chance to see the inside of the DELL latitudes. The Latitude is great laptop. With over two hundred laptops and counting on my campus at work and having to service almost a third of those laptops if they need service I rarely see the Latitude cross my work station because of hardware problems, in fact I see them more to install software more than anything else.
The DELL latitude is a Laptop with Attitude, a five star performer.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
dbodily
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Member: Douglas
Reviews written: 72
Trusted by: 28 members
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