Dell Latitude 13 7370 Review: A Sleek Business-Class Ultrabook

Thermal constraints are always an issue when designing laptops. The ever-thinner, flatter bodies of laptops make channeling heat away from the hardware difficult. On top of that, fans can be both bulky and noisy, ruling them out for the slimmest of systems. Intel’s Core M processors that don't require active cooling have made a huge difference in performance over previous-gen low-power processors - without generating as much heat - but the end result is that ultrabooks can struggle to match the performance of larger laptops with some workloads.

Among other ultrabooks and two-in-ones that we’ve tested, the Dell Latitude 13 7370 proved to be competitive, but not (in most cases) the category leader. The Dell Latitude 13 didn’t wow us with its performance, especially considering the price of the configuration we tested, but it is still a good performing machine that was pleasurable to use.



We suspect that many business travelers will like the Latitude 13 7370. The machine has enough power to handle typical business tasks, it is extremely portable, good looking, and it has the security features to meet the IT department’s requirements.

The ultrabook’s chassis is a homerun too. It’s surprisingly sturdy, both when flat and when the lid is open. The keyboard and touchpad are comfortable and the display is excellent. And the entire package weighs less than 2.5 pounds. If you like your notebooks in the 13" range, you'll probably love the Latitude 13's form factor.

There are some business users who won’t get what they need from an ultrabook. If you use your laptop’s optical drive, for example, an ultrabook clearly isn’t for you. But users who put a premium on aesthetics and thin and light designs should have the Latitude 13 7370 on their short lists.