Previous models

The previous series is the Latitude D-series, on the Dx30 revision. The models are the D4x0 (12.1" Ultra Mobile), D5x1 (15,4" AMD Processor Value model), D6x0 (14.1" Corporate model) and D8x0 (15.4" high-resolution model) most models are based on the Intel Core 2 Duo and the Intel Santa Rosa chipset, with the exception being the D531. Ever since the D420, D620, and D820, the D-series features wide aspect LCD screens: 12.1", 14.1", and 15.4" respectively.

The Latitude D620 weighs 4.7 lb, and the base model includes a 1.67 GHz Intel Core Duo T2300 processor (667 MHz front-side-bus) and 2 MB (2 MB) of L2 cache. There is an option to upgrade to a Core 2 Duo T7X00 processor (667 MHz font-side-bus) with 4 MB of L2 cache. It comes standard with 512 MB of DDR2 RAM, expandable to 4 GB (4 GB), and four USB ports. For graphics, it offers the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator x3100, and an option to upgrade to NVIDIA discrete graphics at the expense of lower battery life.

[edit] Latitude D6x0 series

The Latitude D6x0 series is the 14"/14.1" corporate model. It aims to combine heavy-duty power with reasonable portability, and differs primarily from the D8x0 series in screen size. All are two spindle designs, with a "D-bay" modular bay which can interchange optical drives, a second hard drive, floppy disk or a second battery. All models have a smart card socket, PCMCIA socket, and 9-pin serial port, a "D-dock" port for docking station or port replicator, and have an internal socket for a 802.11 wireless card.

The D600 and D610 share a common form factor, battery socket, and have a parallel printer port.

The D620 and D630 share a common form factor, battery socket, and do not have a parallel printer port. Both have support for an optional internal Bluetooth module, a socket for an optional mobile broadband card, and have an external switch for disabling any wireless connnections.

[edit] Latitude D600

The D600 (and simultaneously-introduced D800) was Dell's first business-oriented notebook based on the Pentium-M processor; it used the first-generation "Banias" Pentium M chips running on a 400 MT/s FSB on DDR memory. It had a PATA hard drive and a D-series modular bay, and used an ATI GPU Radeon 9000. It had a 14" screen, in regular (non-widescreen) form factor. Unlike later D6x0 series machines, both memory sockets were accessible from a single cover on the bottom of the system.

Many Latitude models had a near-clone Inspiron, in the case of the D600, it was the Inspiron 600M. Differences include that the 600M does not work with the Dell D-Dock, and the case styling is slightly different. The motherboards, screens and hard drive caddies are all physically interchangeable.

[edit] Latitude D610

The D610 was an update of the D600 design; it used the same case design and very similar specs. The chipset was updated (to the "Sonoma" platform) and used DDR2 memory, and it used a second-generation "Dothan" Pentium M chips running on a 533 MT/s FSB (and available in higher speeds.) The location of one memory socket was moved to underneath the keyboard. The D610 was available with either an Ati Mobility Radeon X300 discrete GPU or Intel integrated graphics.

Many Latitude models had a near-clone Inspiron, in the case of the D610, it was the Inspiron 610M.

[edit] Latitude D620

The D620 (and simultaneously-introduced D820) was Dell's first business-oriented notebook with a dual core processor available. Initially available with the interim Core Duo ("Yonah") processors, it was sold with the first-generation mobile Core 2 ("Merom") chips once those became available from Intel in the Fall of 2006; both run on a 667MT/s bus. It was initial sold only with Intel integrated graphics, but an option to upgrade to a discrete NVidia GPU became available after a few months. It replaced the raised pointing stick with a "low profile" model, and introduced the option of 4-cell and 9-cell batteries in addition to the standard 6-cell model. It uses DDR2 memory and is compatible with both PC2-4200 ("533mhz") and PC2-5300 ("667mhz") memory.

Although the D620 is capable of accepting 4gb of physical memory, because of Intel 945 chipset limitations, it makes at most 3.5gb of memory available to the installed operating system. Neither Intel site describe this Intel chipset limitation (it states 4GB supported), nor Dell warns customers before buying or explains why system see only 3.3GB of memory when 4GB is installed.

There was no near-clone Inspiron model for the D620

[edit] Latitude D630

The D630 is an update of the D620 design; while it has been de-emphasized in favor of the E-series, it is the only D-series model still available new as of April 2009. It differed most significantly in being based on the "Santa Rosa" (mobile 965) chipset, which supported the 800MT/s models of the mobile Core 2 Duo (both the Merom 7xx0 series and later the Penryn-based 8x00/9x00 series.) It also had newer versions of the graphics processor options, support for Intel's "Turbo Memory" flash cache (although this uses the same card slot as the mobile broadband card), and support for internal Wireless-N. It also added a 4-pin IEEE1394 port. It uses DDR2 memory and is compatible with both PC2-5300 ("667mhz") and PC2-6400 ("800mhz") memory.

There was no near-clone Inspiron model for the D630.

[edit] Latitude D630c

The D630c was a slight variant model of the D630; it featured a "manageable" version of the motherboard chipset, and base configuration was slightly more powerful. Except for the chipset management, all of those "base features" were available as options on the regular D630.

[edit] Latitude D8x0 series

The Latitude D8x0 series is the 15.4" corporate model; unlike the D6x0 series, all feature a widescreen form factor. All are two spindle designs, with a "D-bay" modular bay which can interchange optical drives, a second hard drive, or a second battery. All models have a smart card socket, PCMCIA socket, and 9-pin serial port, a "D-dock" port for docking station or port replicator, and have an internal socket for a 802.11 wireless card.

The D800 was Dell's first widescreen Latitude model.

The D8x0 series models roughly parallel the technology in the D6x0 models, other than for screen size; they do not share a battery form factor with the D6x0 series. The D820 and D830 add an ExpressCard socket, not available in the D6x0 series.

The near-clone Inspirons for the D800 and D810 were the Inspiron 8500 and 8600; there were no near-clones of the D820/D830

[edit] Latitude D5x0 series

The Latitude D500 series is a set of "entry level" business models; they are built on a 15" non-widescreen form factor, although models before the D530 were sold with both 14.1" and 15" screens (the 14.1" having a wider bezel.) They are fixed-optical-drive, 2-spindle devices, and roughly follow the technical generations (chipset and processor-wise) of the D6x0 and D8x0 series. The D530 was Dell's last non-widescreen Latitude model.

The D531 was an AMD-based model, and less closely related to the other Dx30-series models.

[edit] Latitude D4x0 series

The D400 and D410 were 12" non-widescreen ultra-portable notebooks, roughly following the technology of the comparable generations of the series. The D400 came with a ULV Pentium M (Banias). The D410 came with a ULV Pentium M (Dothan).

The D420 and D430 are 12.1" widescreen ultra-portable notebooks. The D420 came with either an Intel Core Solo U1300 ULV 1.06GHz or Intel Core Duo U2500 ULV 1.2GHz. The D430 came with either an Intel Core Solo U1400 ULV 1.2GHz or Intel Core Duo U7600 1.2Ghz; the U7700 Processor (1.33GHz) was later made available as an option.

While the D8x0, D6x0 and D5x0 models were all introduced simultaneously with each generation, the D4x0 series were generally introduced a couple of months after their counterparts. Also, since they use ULV (ultra-low-voltage) processors and chipsets, and are generally less powerful, the technology does not correspond as closely as it does between other models in each generation - for example, the D420 uses the parallel ATA hard drive (1.8") rather than the SATA (2.5") interface in the D520/620/820.

[edit] Other models

The Latitude ATG is a highly-toughened version of the D630, and is Dell's only semi-rugged offering, while their fully-rugged offering consists of the XFR. The Latitude XT is a touch-screen convertible-tablet computer. These models still maintain high compatibility with the rest of the Latitude family.

[edit] Latitude XT problems

In July 2008, Dell released multi-touch touch-screen drivers for the Latitude XT Tablet, claiming the "industry’s first convertible tablet with multi-touch capabilities."[11] Dell has partnered with N-trig, providers of DuoSenseTM technology, combining pen, capacitive touch and multi-touch in a single device. N-trig’s DuoSense dual-mode digitizer uses both pen and zero-pressure capacitive touch to provide a true Hands-onTM computing experience for mobile computers and other digital input products over a single device.

A large number of user reports suggest that the Dell Latitude XT suffers from a major problem..^[1] The N-Trig digitizer interfaces to the XT by an internal USB port. .^[2] Users report that any other USB device which is plugged in may, and usually does, prevent the N-Trig applet (program which controls the features) from identifying the N-Trig hardware. In addition, there have been reports that certain other drivers, such as iTunes Helper, may cause this or a similar problem. Other users report no problems from iTunes.^[3] According to the reports, this still leaves the dual sense but without Multi-Touch and other advanced features, "which render the auto and dual mode useless. The digitizer will only start working again after consecutive reboots.".^[4] There have also been reports that the driver may crash, catastrophically or non-catastrophically, leaving no screen input at all. A re-boot may solve the problem, but often users found that the driver installation is damaged, requiring a re-installation of the drivers. But the install program will not un-install if it doesn't recognize the N-Trig hardware. In this case, the alternatives are (1) restore the entire operating system from backup, (2) manually un-install by erasing all N-Trig programs and drivers then editing the registry to remove all references to N-Trig, then re-install the N-Trig software, or (3) do a complete re-install of Windows.^[5]

These problems have been reported both with XP and Vista, 32 and 64 bit. In addition, Dell sells a MediaBase with an internal DVD drive. The drive also interfaces by way of a USB connection inside the MediaBase. Most, but not all, users of the MediaBase report that it prevents the drivers from loading.