DELL Latitude 5300 (2 in 1)

DELL Latitude 5300 (2 in 1)

Who is the Dell Latitude 5300 (2 in 1) designed for?

As the first 13-inch Latitude in the 5000 series, this machine is suitable for office workers or those who travel frequently.

The first 13-inch version of the Latitude 5000 series

Dell seems to have phased out the 12.5-inch Latitudes in this Latitude 5000 lineup, replacing them with the 5300 featuring a 13.3-inch display. Overall, the machine maintains the design style of the previous Latitude 5290 with a reinforced plastic chassis; however, it does not feature the soft-touch coating found on earlier versions.

The bezels have been slimmed down, allowing the machine to maintain a footprint similar to the previous 12.5-inch models. The hinges are designed on both sides, are sturdy, and can open up to 180 degrees.

Excellent display quality

Despite using a WVA panel, the device is equipped with a 250 nits brightness display with high color coverage, significantly better than its predecessors, the Latitude 5400 and 5500. This screen is suitable for photo editing as well as light design work. Additionally, there is a touchscreen option for those who need direct presentation capabilities or on-screen drawing.

Besides, the machine is also available with an HD TN screen option for those who want a high-performance machine at a reasonable price.

Stable performance on a 13-inch laptop

The machine is equipped with the 8th Generation Whiskey Lake processor series for stable performance, featuring 4 cores and 8 threads, helping users run CPU-intensive applications smoothly and operate stably over long periods. Additionally, a Core i3 8145U option with 2 cores and 4 threads is available, suitable for light office tasks.

Excellent keyboard and touchpad

As the first 13.3-inch machine in the Latitude 5000 series, Dell Latitude 5300 (2 in 1) inherits the new generation keyboard from the Latitude line. The key system is more curved and smooth, providing a more ergonomic feel and minimizing typing errors. The key travel is deep and tactile, even deeper than the previous Latitude 7390.

The touchpad has a textured surface with excellent tracking, providing fast and extremely precise responses to swipes and gestures. Below are two left-right mouse buttons with accurate and quick feedback. The only downside is that the touchpad is quite small, likely to make room for the two mouse buttons at the bottom.

Being a 13.3-inch model, the Latitude 5300 (2 in 1) has completely removed the Point Stick to allow for wider key spacing.

Connectivity

Despite being a 13-inch Ultrabook, the machine is fully equipped with modern connectivity ports. It features 2 USB Type A 3.1 Gen 1 ports, one RJ-45 port, one HDMI 1.4b port, 1 3.5mm headphone jack, one microSD slot, and 1 USB Type C 3.1 Gen 2 port that supports video output and charging; however, Dell still supports the option to integrate the Thunderbolt 3 protocol into this USB-C port.

Security capabilities

The machine is equipped with a fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button. Additionally, Dell has deeply embedded the TPM 2.0 chip, enhancing security for unencrypted passwords. Furthermore, Dell provides this Latitude with a software suite to protect against cyber attacks: Dell Endpoint Security Suite Enterprise and Data Guard.

So, is the DELL Latitude 5300 (2 in 1) worth buying?

With a screen that has good color coverage and a full set of connectivity ports, this machine is a perfect choice for those who want a high-performance machine but need to travel frequently. It is a bit unfortunate that the machine does not use premium materials, making it appear somewhat less luxurious.