Dell Latitude E7450 Review – Core i5 5th Gen, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
I tested the Dell Latitude E7450 to find out how a business-class ultrabook from the 5th-Gen era performs in modern workflows. Below I cover design, performance, ports, battery life, and why this model still makes sense for many buyers.
Introduction
The Dell Latitude E7450 is one of those laptops I recommend when someone asks for a compact, rugged, and dependable business notebook at a reasonable price. It combines a 14-inch display with a professional carbon-fiber and magnesium-alloy build, a 5th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a fast 256GB SSD. In day-to-day use it aims to deliver the core essentials: responsive performance, lots of connectivity, and reliable battery life.
Design, Build Quality & Portability
The first thing I noticed about the E7450 was how solid it feels for its size. Dell used carbon-fiber on the lid and magnesium-alloy for the chassis, which gives the laptop a premium feel while keeping weight down to about 1.63 kg (3.6 lbs). The millimeter-perfect construction and matte finish resist fingerprints and scuffs better than many consumer laptops.
Dell also designed the E7450 with travel in mind: the slim 0.8-inch profile and compact 13.3 × 9.1-inch footprint make it easy to slide into a backpack. If you’re frequently moving between meetings, classrooms, or client sites, this laptop is comfortable to carry all day.
Display Options
My review unit had the 14-inch HD panel (1366 × 768) which offers acceptable clarity for documents, web browsing, and video conferencing. For buyers who want sharper visuals, later configurations of the E7450 are available with a Full HD (1920 × 1080) IPS panel — if you do a lot of spreadsheet work or photo review the FHD upgrade is worth considering.
The anti-glare coating helps in bright rooms and near windows. Color accuracy is fine for everyday tasks; it’s not a creative workstation panel, but it’s perfectly suited for business and productivity work.
Performance — Core i5 5200U, 8GB RAM & 256GB SSD
Under the hood the E7450 runs an Intel Core i5-5200U (dual-core, 2.2 GHz base, Turbo up to 2.7 GHz). Paired with 8GB DDR3 and a 256GB SSD, the system is responsive. I found boot times to be near-instant and everyday apps — Office suites, web browsers with many tabs, email, and video calls — ran smoothly.
The SSD makes a huge difference versus older HDD Latitudes: application launches, file saves, and system updates feel snappy. The integrated Intel HD Graphics 5500 handles playback and light editing well, but this is not a laptop for serious 3D work or modern gaming.
Ports & Connectivity — What I Use Daily
One of the E7450’s strengths is its comprehensive I/O — something I appreciate coming from ultra-slim laptops that rely on dongles. The available ports make the E7450 a practical office machine:
- 3 × USB 3.0 Type-A ports (one with PowerShare)
- 1 × HDMI port
- 1 × Mini DisplayPort
- 1 × Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45)
- 1 × Headphone/microphone combo jack (3.5mm)
- Docking connector (for Latitude docking stations)
- SD card reader
For me, the presence of both HDMI and Mini DisplayPort is convenient — I can connect to conference-room projectors and a second monitor without juggling adapters. The docking connector is useful if you set up a fixed desktop workspace.
Keyboard, Trackpad & Ergonomics
The E7450 has a comfortable, slightly concave key design with decent travel — I can type for long sessions without fatigue. The backlit option is helpful for low-light work. The precision-style trackpad is accurate and the optional pointing stick (on some configs) still has fans in finance and enterprise setups.
Durability & Security
Dell rated the E7450 to MIL-STD-810G standards. In practical terms that means the laptop is built to tolerate the bumps and stresses that come with comm