DELL Latitude 5520 (2021)

DELL Latitude 5520 (2021)

From the moment it debuted, the Dell Latitude 5520 made a strong impression on tech enthusiasts with the sleek, thin and light build of a modern Ultrabook, paired with the powerhouse performance of a workstation. It stands out as one of the best buys of 2021. Join Hung Phat Laptop as we take a closer look at this premium laptop in the review below.

Dell Latitude 5520 Features a Sleek, Thin and Light Design

The Dell Latitude 5520 sports a slim, lightweight, and elegant design reminiscent of its sibling, the Dell XPS 15. The chassis combines carbon fiber with premium aluminum, providing a solid build that handles daily impacts with ease.

A sophisticated gray finish covers the entire machine. Centered on the lid, the black Dell logo makes a bold statement and enhances the laptop's premium look. Softly rounded corners evoke the aesthetic of a high-end MacBook.

Weighing just 1.59 kg and measuring 19.87 mm x 14.09 mm x 9.19 mm, the 2021 Dell Latitude 5520 offers a compact footprint, making it easy to carry along for classes, work, business trips, or meetings.

Large Full HD Display

The screen on the Dell Latitude 5520 features InfinityEdge technology with ultra-slim bezels. Its 15.6-inch Full HD (1920x1080) panel and 16:9 aspect ratio deliver a crisp, immersive viewing experience.

The display provides sharp image clarity, accurate color reproduction, and solid contrast. Rated at 400 nits of brightness, it easily outperforms the ThinkPad P50 at 276 nits and sits just behind the MacBook Pro at 429 nits. This brightness level preserves viewing-angle accuracy whether you look 45 degrees to the left or right, or view the screen off-center.

Equipped with a bright IPS LCD panel, the Dell Latitude 5520 lets you work comfortably across diverse lighting environments, especially outdoors.

The screen is also shielded by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 6, providing added durability, peace of mind, and a more natural touch feel.

The 2021 Dell Latitude 5520 also integrates Intel® facial recognition sensor technology, allowing you to log in instantly via the IR camera and Windows Hello. When you step away, the system locks automatically to safeguard your sensitive data from prying eyes.

Dell Latitude 5520 Audio

The Dell Latitude 5520 features a quad-speaker system powered by Waves MaxxAudio® Pro with 2W x 2W output, delivering rich sound reproduction and lifelike 3D audio, solidifying its place as one of the best Ultrabooks to buy in 2021.

Full Array of Connectivity Ports on the Dell 5520

Despite its thin and light profile, the Dell Latitude 5520 provides a full suite of connectivity ports to meet every workflow demand: 1 USD 4.0 card reader, 1 3.5 mm headphone jack, 2 USB 3.2 ports, 1 HDMI port, 1 RJ45 Ethernet port, 1 wedge lock slot, 2 Thunderbolt™ 4 ports, 1 SmartCard reader, and 1 external eSIM slot to help users stay connected across multiple cellular carriers while traveling.

Notably, the dual Type-C™ Thunderbolt™ 4 ports can power two 4K monitors or a single 8K display with high-speed data throughput, providing an outstanding visual experience for media and entertainment.

Alongside physical connectivity, the 2021 Latitude 5520 supports Wi-Fi 6 on the 6 GHz band, ensuring faster and smoother wireless speeds, particularly in congested network environments.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The 2021 Dell Latitude 5520 features generously sized keycaps with uniform spacing, satisfying tactile feedback, quick response, and quiet keystrokes, ensuring a comfortable typing experience throughout the day.

Thanks to the 15.6-inch chassis, the Dell 5520 also incorporates a numeric keypad on the left, making number entry and data processing noticeably faster.

As for the touchpad, it is spacious and slightly offset to the left, allowing users to navigate the full screen effortlessly without running up against the edges. It also handles multitasking gestures with ease.

Dell Latitude 5520 Delivers Powerful Performance

When it comes to raw performance, the Dell 5520 punches well above its weight. While styled like a sleek, premium Ultrabook, it delivers capability on par with professional workstations.

Under the hood lies an 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor featuring 4 cores and 12 threads, with clock speeds running from 3.0 GHz up to 4.8 GHz. Paired with 8 GB of powerful RAM, it handles every office task with ease.

In drive speed benchmarks, the 2021 Dell Latitude 5520 impresses with a 256 GB M.2 PCIe SSD, providing dependable high-speed performance and plenty of room to store critical documents. Boot times are also notably fast.

On the graphics front, the Dell Latitude 5520 features Intel Iris Xe Graphics. Although an integrated graphics processor, it delivers standout power compared to standard integrated chips. Iris Xe Graphics can drive crisp visuals for entertainment at 1080p resolution and 60 FPS for smoother gaming. As a result, creative software like Photoshop and Illustrator, video rendering workflows, and online games all run smoothly.

Battery Life

According to manufacturer specifications, the Dell Latitude 5520 houses a 4-cell battery. In testing with the 63 Whr battery at 200 nits of brightness under light office workflows, the machine delivers up to 10 - 12 hours of runtime. Heavier gaming or intensive graphic workloads will naturally reduce battery endurance.

The laptop also supports ExpressCharge Boost fast charging, reaching up to 35% capacity in about 20 minutes or 80% within 1 hour. That means you can easily work all day without constantly searching for a power outlet.
Related models are collected in the Dell laptops category. Two other models worth a look: the DELL Latitude 7320 (2021) and the DELL Latitude 5420 (2021).

Verdict

Taken together, the Dell Latitude 5520 proves to be an exceptional premium Ultrabook well worth considering in 2021. Beyond its thin and light design, strong specs, and high-level performance, it comes packed with smart features that few laptops in its class can match.