Dell's full-size, fully rugged, totally modern high performance laptop packs a very big punch
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

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On October 23, 2018, Dell introduced successors for both its semi-rugged and fully rugged 14-inch laptops. The new machines are the Latitude 5420 and 5424 Rugged on the semi-rugged side, and the Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme on the fully rugged end. On this page we're describing the new Dell Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme.

The Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme is a direct replacement of the Dell Latitude 14 Rugged Extreme, which had served as Dell's primary fully rugged laptop offering since its introduction in the Fall of 2014. Dell's approach with ruggedized laptops has been a conservative one, emphasizing compatibility, the longer life cycles of enterprise rugged systems, and well as steady improvement.

While the Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme is an entirely new design, Dell's approach hasn't changed. The new fully rugged looks much like the previous one, but it has been changed and improved in numerous ways. The table below shows a comparison of some of the primary characteristics of new and old:

Dell Latitude	NEW: 7424 Rugged Extreme	OLD: 14 Rugged Extreme
Introduced	2018	2014 (updated 2016)
Standard display	14.0", 1920 x 1080 (157 ppi)	14.0", 1366 x 768 (112 ppi)
Touch	Capacitive	Resistive
Dimensions	13.95 x 10.0 x 2.0 inches	14.0 x 9.7 x 2.0 inches
Weight	From 7.6 pounds	From 7.8 pounds
Processors	Intel 6th/7th/8th gen Core	Intel 6th gen Core
Battery	1 or 2 x 51Wh Li-Ion	65Wh or 97Wh Li-Ion
Memory	Max 32GB DDR4 2400MHz	Max 32GB DDR4 2133MHz
Max storage	2TB PCIe + 2 x 1TB SATA SSD	1TB SSD
Media bay	Yes	Yes
Windows Hello	Yes	No
USB Type-C	Yes	No
Sealing	IP65	IP65
Drop	4/5/6-foot transit drop, 3-foot operating	4/5/6-foot transit drop, 3-foot operating
Op. temp range	-20° to 145°F	-20° to 145°F

Display and interface

What do we make of that? The new machine is the same size as the old. It weighs almost a pound less, thanks to the smaller standard battery and more weight-saving design. Dell went from a fairly large standard battery and an optional extended battery to a new design that can accommodate two smaller batteries. That means batteries are now hot-swappable, and the combined battery capacity is actually a bit larger than that of the old extended battery. With dual batteries, Dell says the new design can reach 14 hours of battery life or more.

While the predecessor 14 Rugged Extreme was already quite powerful with its choice of Intel 6th generation Core processors, the new machine is more versatile: A 6th gen "Skylake" chip remains available for those who still want Windows 7. A 7th generation Core i3 represents the low end. And very powerful 8th generation i5 and i7 quad-core processors provide significantly more performance than the older model's Skylake chips.

All available CPUs are ultra-low voltage versions with TDPs of just 15 watts and integrated Intel graphics. Discrete AMD Radeon graphics are optionally available.

The specs suggest that all primary storage solid state disk options are of the PCIe NVMe variety. These are much faster than SATA-based SSDs. Two additional (SATA-based) expansion slots allow boost maximum SSD onboard storage to a full 4TB!

Display and connectivity

The Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme has a 14-inch display. Standard resolution is full HD 1920 x 1080 pixel. Full HD was only available as an option on the predecessor 14 Rugged Extreme (it came with 1366 x 768 pixel). Dell materials suggest 1,000 nits luminance, but it's not clear if that is for the standard display or only for the optional Direct-View display. Dell also switched from resistive to (glove-capable) capacitive touch on the optional outdoor-viewable screens.

Like the competition in this class, the Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme offers excellent connectivity and expandability. There are three USB 3.0 ports, a USB Type-C port, a native RS232 serial port, a gigabit RJ45 LAN jack, audio in/out, HDMI-out, and a docking connector, all with protective covers. There is a memory card reader. Expresscard/54 or PC Card slots are optionally available. Customers can also get optional VGA, second serial and LAN ports, or a Fischer-type USB port. Below is a look at the left and right sides of the 7424 Rugged Extreme, with ports open:

Below is a close-up of the backside of the Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme with the protective door open. Note that the laptop's port covers are waterproof, they securely snap into place, and can easily be replaced should they ever break or wear out.

State-of-the-art wireless communication is crucial in a mobile computing device, be that in the office or out there on the road or in the field. Dell covers that with either Intel or Qualcomm 802.11ac modules that can also include Bluetooth 4.1. Additional options include mobile broadband via a Qualcomm Snapdragon X20 that can handle next-gen Cat16 4G/LTE, and a dedicated u-blox NEO-M8 GPS module. Dell also plans to soon support FirstNet with Band 14 access — a nationwide public safety communications platform — as an available option for Dell's Rugged line.

Full ruggedness

How tough and rugged is Dell's Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme? Here, Dell chose to put the attribute "extreme" right into the model name, indicating that they went all out. That means heft and weight. Though it looks the same as the semi-rugged 5424, the 7424 weighs over two pounds more. Those extra two+ pounds all go to extra protection, tougher build, whatever it takes to make this an armored version of the lighter 5424 (which Dell says is a "built-down" version of the 7424).

Dell subjected the Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme to the MIL-STD-810G transit drop test from four feet, five feet, and six feet. The common three foot drop off a desk or table won't faze this bad boy at all. And while it is not easy at all to seal a large, complex laptop, Dell built the Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme to IP65 rating, where the "6" means the device is completely protected against dust, and the "5" that it's also protected from low-pressure water jets from all directions. You can hose a 7424 down after working in the mud.

An important requirement of semi-ruggeds is that they continue to perform at a high level when it's very hot or very cold. The Latitude 7424 Rugged's operating temperature range is -20° to 145° Fahrenheit. That means it can be used practically anywhere.

Where does Dell stand with the new 7424 Rugged Extreme?

What with market leader Panasonic trying out new 2-in-1 form factors and Getac still at a smaller, lower resolution display with its B300, it's not totally clear where traditional fully rugged laptops are headed. The cost difference between a full-out rugged machine and a standard laptop, or even a semi-rugged, is substantial. Dell's semi-rugged 5424 starts at US$1,499, the fully rugged 7424 starts at a full two grand more, and those are two machines using essentially the exact same tech.

That said, there are still plenty of applications where nothing but the very toughest will do, places where the extra hardware cost pales compared to the potential benefit of having gear that absolutely will not break or leak. And that is what the Dell 7424 Rugged Extreme is for.

Dell, of course, is also a world-leading provider of commercial PCs, which gives them an edge in large scale production experience and also with enterprises that like to one-stop shop. In addition, there's Dell's Global Command Center that stays on top of well over 100 million supported systems, 17 million annual dispatches and 500+ same day parts centers in over 160 countries, providing 24/7 support in 50+ languages.

Between that, Dell's solid commitment to the rugged space, and the machine's impressive design, up-to-date technology and specs, this thoroughly modern, fully rugged notebook will be hard to beat.