Dell Latitude E6430S Business Grade Laptop

As you might expect in a business laptop, the Dell Latitude E6430S has no bloatware. In fact, our test system arrived with almost no preinstalled software at all and didn’t even include Dell’s Webcam Central, which should come with the laptop. The system included other preinstalled applications, though, so we’ll give you a quick tour of them.

The Latitude 6430's no-nonsense Desktop.

Dell’s own software includes Dell Backup and Recovery Manager and Dell client System Update. Both of these programs are handy utilities, though the Backup & Recovery manager has a spare, almost ugly interface that would benefit from some aesthetic retooling.

Dell Backup and Recovery Manager helps you make backups of individual files or your entire system. It’s capable of creating a bootable recovery DVD and also supports other external media. The Manager has enough backup options (individual files, OS only, full system) that you could probably get by without the aid of 3rd party backup software.

 
 

Dell Client System Update has a more polished interface than the Backup and Recovery Manager. It connects to Dell’s servers and displays critical, recommended, and optional updates for your laptop, letting you choose the updates that you want downloaded and installed. It saves you the chore of visiting Dell’s website and rustling up the latest downloads on your own. In fact, if you use the scheduling feature to have it automatically look for, download and install updates, you can set it and forget it.

Dell also added a few Intel freebies. Intel WiDi is a tool for presenters that lets you display your laptop’s screen on a nearby HDTV via WiFi. Intel Control Center is a dashboard for some other Intel tools, including Intel Management and Security Status. That feature has an anti-theft utility, but you’ll need to sign up for a paid service to make use of it.

 

Interestingly, the system didn’t include Microsoft Office Starter, which is the trial version of Office that typically accompanies new PCs. You can pick from several versions of Office when you configure the laptop at Dell’s website, however.