Dell's first fully ruggedized laptop is the Arnold of notebooks: A massive block of a machine that can withstand a SWAT team assault while blowing up Cyberdyne Systems. The D630 meets Department of Defense MIL-STD 810F standards for operation in extreme temps, moisture and altitude with a solid magnesium chassis, sealed keyboard, SSD and shock protection for its delicates. Dell also says it stomps out Panasonic's ruggedized Toughbooks like girlie men with 23 percent better performance.
The specs are pretty solid too: Core 2 Duo, 14.1-inch, 500nit screen, 802.11n, GPS and high-end thermal management for the processor and RAM. Interestingly, it looks like Vista is too much of a pansy ass for the army—the standard config is Windows XP.
Round Rock, Texas, March 4, 2008
* 23 percent better system performance than the Panasonic CF-301
* 100 percent commonality with Latitude components and images
* Unmatched standard Next Business Day Onsite ServiceDellTM today unveiled its first fully ruggedized laptop, the LatitudeTM XFR D630. The system is one of the only in its class to simplify IT with seamless integration into existing infrastructure and deliver extreme durability without compromising performance. The rugged laptop, intended for government and commercial customers, is available today in the U.S. and starts at $3,899. Visit www.dell.com/xfr for more details.
The Latitude XFR D630 meets MIL-STD 810F standards from the Department of Defense for products that operate in extreme temperatures, moisture and altitude, to name a few. The system shares common images and components with Dell's current line of Latitude laptops to greatly simplify deployment and maintenance. Also, a patent-pending thermal management system allows the rugged laptop to use latest generation technology and deliver up to four times better graphics performance than the Panasonic CF-30.2
"The Latitude XFR D630 represents a tectonic shift towards simplicity in the ruggedized laptop space," said Brett McAnally, director, Dell Product Group. "We are taking a multi-dimensional approach that focuses on simplified deployment, service and durability without sacrificing performance. Major competitors focus their efforts on 'rugged' only."
The Latitude XFR D630 leads major rugged laptop vendors in standard service with Next Business Day On-Site3 service for major components inside the laptop. Competitors require customers to return systems for service. Dell's rugged laptop also allows users to service many components in the field.
The Latitude XFR D630 includes several features that keep users productive:
* Five times more data durability of leading competitors with solid state drives4
* Latitude ExpressCharge charges batteries at least 30 minutes faster than competitors5
* Outdoor readable screen at 500 nits
* Integrated resistive touch technology to easily interface with the system
* Shock isolated mounting to help protect hard drive, LCD and core electronic elements
* Dual locking butterfly mechanisms for easy access to components
* Sealed keyboard designed to withstand driving rain and dust
[Dell]