Rumour Mill Suggests Dell Latitude Z Series to be Macbook Pro Killer
The Internet rumour mill is currently on overdrive with talk of Dell launching an Apple Macbook Pro killer in the form of the Dell Latitude Z laptop. Rumours are unsubstantiated at this moment but message boards are alive with talk of a new Dell laptop which will follow in the footsteps of the Dell Adamo notebook by being ultra thin, but will have a little more under the hood for more serious small business computer users.
The saying goes there is no smoke without fire and Dell’s move towards more stylised laptops suggests a Macbook Pro equivalent would be a logical step in their continued battle for PC dominance. Varying reports suggest the Dell Latitude Z series will be about a half an inch thick with a 16″ widescreen HD.
We’re trying to grill our contacts at Dell but so far they’ve given us nothing but rest assured we will report right here as soon as we get an affirmative or negative as to whether the Dell Latitude Z will be a ground breaking PC laptop or Internet message board hoax?
Dell Adamo Laptop Review
We at Computers AU were delighted when Dell’s PR department sent us an Adamo to review. Our first impressions of the Dell Adamo (Pearl / DESIRE model) were that we hoped the actual product was as impressive as the box and slick presentational case. Luckily, upon removing it from its ‘floating effect’ packaging we were not disappointed, it was immediately apparent that this is one sexy beast with full marks in terms of the design aesthetic – check out the pictures below! Anybody who’s familiar with Latin (erm, no thought not..) will know that the word Adamo means ‘to fall in love’ and whilst nobody in the office was seen (at least in public) to consummate their affection we were definitely all smitten. Holding its cold aluminum chassis it was evident that this was definitely not your run of the mill Dell laptop.
The first thing I’d say is that the build quality of this machine is equal to pretty much anything we have laid our hands on. The precise attention to detail and engineering is quite obviously the crux of the Adamo range and there is no doubt that it is to be put in to the ring with other notable high end ultra light players – particularly the MacBook Air which I’d say that Adamo just shades in terms of both its style and visual impact. The rest comes down to application and practicality for the discerning buyer so we’ve given it a thorough road test to help you decide on the pros and cons before you buy.
The price tag on the Adamo from Dell Australia starts from $3,799 and puts it in that category that focuses on users seeking refinement and highly stylised design quality as well as portability and Dell have most definitely produced a top quality product that enters them as a new player in this distinct market.
Dell Adamo Laptop Pros :
- Portability – For on-the-go users this is an away from the office solution that offers pretty much everything you need – robustness, practical size and weight, lengthy battery uptime, connectivity, speed and reliability, it fits the bill 100%. It has the hardware to handle higher demanding tasks with ease. 9/10
- Engineering - Looks awesome, feels solid and is easy to gain access to the innards of this machine. From a technician’s point of view, screwless entry to the entire underside of the chassis is a credit to the designers at Dell. The tidy layout also means it’s a breeze to install mini PCI add-on’s or, possibly when technology and price permits, a larger hard drive. 10/10
- Robustness – The build feels so solid that you could feel as comfortable using this on a dusty red mine site as you would reclining on an automated massage chair in your business lounge or simply on your desk. 8/10
- Ease of Use - The layout of the external ports is very well placed to ensure minimal interference during practical use. eSATA and USB ports aplenty should satisfy most users. The 13.4″ 16:9 HD edge to edge glass screen is delightful to look at from every angle. The brushed aluminum backing looks nice and gives the screen a robust feeling. 8/10
- Value For Money - The backlit keyboard is something that these days should be a standard on all laptops and the key touch feels robust and like that of the dials and buttons inside a luxury car – refined and high quality. In fact we’d say that the screen is delightful to look at (not a superlative that we’d normally use lightly!) and again it looks and feels robust yet delicate like the whole machine. Definitely worth every cent – 9/10
- Practicality – The most common real world uses of the Adamo are for browsing, email and standard applications – these were without disappointment and speed was no issue. 8/10
Like all computers, there are aspects of the Dell Adamo which can be improved and we’d like to see Dell address them on future releases within the Adamo range.
Dell Adamo Laptop Cons:
- Upgrades - Upgrading the Adamo is not possible with the current hardware configuration as RAM is soldered to the motherboard. Choose your Adamo configuration carefully based on your usage demands and this should ensure you don’t have any issues further down the line. 4/10
- Features – There is no optical drive and whilst this is easily overcome with the cheapness of flash based memory this may not suit all users. Additionally, graphics based users will find the hardware limiting in its capabilities e.g. users wanting to play games or use any CAD programs will have to shop elsewhere. The 128MB graphics of the Adamo is a bit of an anticlimax. Again choose carefully if this is a priority. 5/10
Overall we peg the Dell Adamo as a target market product for prospective buyers looking for a luxury laptop that is both practical and solid but ultimately a very impressive, uber-sexy and stylish piece of kit (now all we need to do is convince them to let us keep it!).
It’s certainly a great entry into this market segment and Dell can only impress more with further releases that improve on this as a foundation.
>> Click Here to Buy the Dell Adamo Online
Dell Adamo Super Thin Laptop to Launch in Australia this Month
The Dell Adamo, the world’s lightest notebook, will be available from Dell Australia later this month. With people quick to compare the Adamo with Apple’s Macbook Air, Dell are now building to cater for the real top end of the consumer market with this fantastic piece of engineering ingenuity. Reports suggest that it start shipping worldwide on 26 March.
The machine itself weighs in at a measly 1.81Kg with an aluminium chassis and full size back lit keyboard. The Adamo features a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor with Centrino technology, Windows Vista Home Premium, plus up to 4GB RAM alongside a 128GB solid state drive.
Other features include:
- 1.3 megapixel webcam
- Integrated digital microphone
- Super-thin 13.4inch HD widescreen display
- Display port
- 3 USB ports
- Bluetooth 2.1
- Li-Polymer battery
Since the launch of the Apple Macbook Air, Dell has been working long and hard to offer a competitive machine for some time – it now appears they have it. The Adamo is sleek and stylish, yet with enough grunt under the hood to keep everyone happy.
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