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Mobility innovations have inspired devices, including notebooks, tablets and smartphones for more than a decade. However, while easy portability and long battery life were once-all/end-all must-haves, modern organizations and users need something more when it comes to supporting secure use cases, modern communications, remote management and reliable performance.
Flexibility now defines the leading edge of personal computing, especially in the case of commercial business solutions. That is a key factor Dell has addressed in its new Latitude 7320 Detachable which the company introduced in January at CES 2021. Let’s consider how this new solution reflects Dell’s approach to modern business computing.
Latitude 7320 Detachable: Under the hood
At one level, it’s fair to call the newest Latitude an updated version of the Latitude 7210 2-in-1 Laptop Dell launched in 2020. The new Latitude 7320 Detachable incorporates Intel’s latest 11th Gen Intel Core i7 vPro processors and the built-in security and manageability features that Intel vPro enables. Like the 7210 2-in-1, the Latitude 7320 Detachable also offers a range of SSD storage options, including self-encrypting drives.
Some have noted similarities between the Latitude Detachable and Microsoft’s Surface devices, including the built-in kickstand and slot for a digital stylus. However, those are common in some other detachable products. Plus, the incorporation of Intel vPro chips and Dell’s homegrown Express Sign-In (which uses Windows Hello technology to quickly wake the system and log on approved users) clearly make Dell’s Latitude 7320 Detachable a workplace-class solution.
The Latitude 7320 Detachable also includes some notable upgrades, including a larger, 13.3-inch 1080 x 1920 touch display (in contrast to the 12.3-inch display on the 7210 2-in-1), advanced 5MP front-facing and 8MP rear-facing cameras with Temporal Noise Reduction (TNR) and a new Dell stylus pen that can charge to 100% within 30 seconds and last for up to 90 minutes of continuous usage. The new solution also offers up to 16GB of DDR4 memory in contrast to the DDR3 memory included in the Latitude 7210 2-in-1.
Additionally, Dell claims that its new offering is the first Intel EVO-verified detachable device to come to market, meeting Intel’s requirements for real-world battery life requirements, instant wake from sleep, fast charging and modern connectivity options. In the Latitude 7320 Detachable connectivity technologies include Intel Wi-Fi 6, 4G LTE and eSIM capability with an integrated WWAN.
Living and working in a ‘do from anywhere’ world
Dell says that the Latitude 7320 Detachable is designed to address changes in user and business behavior that have evolved during the Covid-19 pandemic. Those include elemental shifts from formal office environments to working from home (WFH). However, the company also notes that WFH extends beyond the concept of “work” to a “do-from-anywhere” world, where activities are not tied to specific locations or times.
This harkens back to a point that Dell founder and CEO Michael Dell regularly underscores—that “work is something you do, not a place.” Companies, including Dell, that have actively adapted to and supported that shift will likely recall the challenges of the past year as opportunities to successfully evolve their organizations.
How does the Latitude 7320 Detachable address these issues? Dell points out the device’s flexibility and its ability to support a range of applications and use cases common among businesspeople–including executives, sales reps, business consultants and real estate agents. Its advanced cameras and connectivity technologies mean that Dell’s new device is ideal for video calls from nearly anywhere. Plus, Intel’s latest 11th Gen Intel Core i7 vPro chips help make the Latitude 7320 Detachable highly secure, manageable and serviceable while users are on the go.
Final analysis
Overall, Dell’s new Latitude 7320 Detachable serves as an excellent example of how innovative vendors can take a good product and substantially improve it. In some regards, that simply requires updating past components with the latest technologies. However, more important are new features and capabilities that vendors add to support fundamental changes in the ways that people and organizations work.
While mobility once defined modern personal computing, flexibility stands at that leading edge today. Dell’s new Latitude 7320 Detachable proves that you can take the best aspects of both of those worlds and make an even better solution for the needs of modern businesses.