Review Dell's Latitude D410 is based on the latest version of Intel's Centrino notebook platform, 'Sonoma', which brings support for PCI Express, Serial ATA hard disks, DDR 2 memory and the new Express Card format. However, the D410 employs only two of these - PCI Express and DDR 2, writes Benny Har-Even.

The processor is a Pentium M 750 running at 1.86GHz - pretty high for a small notebook and, as we'll see, helps the D410 turn in some pretty impressive benchmark scores. The CPU is backed by 512MB of dual-channel DDR 2 memory configured as two 256MB DIMMs.

But it's not just raw technology that the D410 has going for it. It's also very compact, with its 27.8 x 23.8 x 3.2cm dimensions and 1.72kg weight placing it firmly in the sub-notebook category, though it's some way off the ultra portability of something like Sony's X505, Samsung's Q30 or even Dell's own Latitude X1. Even so, if you need to carry around a notebook all day, every day, this is at the very least the sort of weight you should be looking at. My Apple iBook is fairly compact, but at 2.2kg I frequently wish I had something even lighter.

Inevitably, compromises have had to be made to reach this level of portability. The first of these is the relatively modest, 12.1in screen size set to XGA resolution. I find a 1024 x 768 resolution quite restrictive, so prospective buyers should take into account what sort of tasks this notebook will be used for. If multiple documents need to be viewed at the same time, an ultra-portable with a small display is probably not the best way to go. But for presentations and text work it will suffice. The screen is a conventional 4:3 ratio and lacks the high contrast reflective coating that is all the rage these days in consumer notebooks, but again, this isn't the market this notebook is aimed at. It is, however, a rather dull display, even on full brightness. The contrast is pretty good, though, and the viewing angles are reasonable too. In fact the screen can tilt back until it's virtually flat though try as we might we couldn't find any real benefit for this. Suggestions on a postcard.

The next compromise is the keyboard. Corporate fat cats will certainly have difficulty getting their stubby fingers to type at speed on the keys, which are on the small side. The right-side Shift key has been shrunk, as has the space bar, but once I got used to it, thanks to a pleasing key action I was able to pick up some speed. After a while though, things do feel a little cramped, and I wouldn't want to type on it for extended periods of time. Above the keyboard in the middle is the power key and to the right of this is a rocker switch for the speaker volume and a mute button.

There are no dedicated buttons for enabling or disabling wireless, but this can be done instead by using the function key and pressing F2. To the left of the power switch are two lights that indicate when the integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios are enabled, and in the base of the screen are indicator lights for power, hard disk activity and charging status. The function keys also provide shortcuts for Standby and Hibernate modes. Dell has also done well to supply both a trackpoint and a trackpad so you can choose which control method you prefer. A utility enables you to turn off the track pad if you want to avoid unwanted screen taps.

There's no built-in optical drive - instead, there's an external MediaBase docking station, which Dell supplied with a DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive. This also adds extra Ethernet, modem, USB (two), serial, parallel port and PS/2 ports. There's also a VGA output, a headphone out and an external power connector. Attaching the D410 to the MediaBase was straightforward though I found that it I had to push it down a few times to get it to click into place. Once attached, the MediaBase's connections and the optical drive appear in Windows Device Manager.

Dell has provided a 40GB hard disk, which isn't huge but is reasonable for a machine of this size. Round the back of the notebook is a VGA output, two USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet connection and an analogue modem port. There's also a power socket and the connector attached to the external power block is pleasingly solid, ensuring that it will last the course of a life on the road. Indeed the build quality of the D410 is very good, with no flimsy surfaces or spongy plastics that often afflict cheaper machines.

At the right-hand side of the notebook is a single Type II PC Card slot. There's no Express Card support - something to bear in mind for the future. Next to this are headphone and microphone sockets, so you can use a headset, useful for making Skype calls. On the opposite side is another standard USB 2.0 port and a lanyard security connector. Finally, there's a 'ye olde' infra red port.

Ultimately, what's so impressive about the D410 is the amount of performance that Dell has managed to squeeze into such a small package. True, the 915 chipset's integrated graphics aren't that impressive but no one would think of doing any serious gaming on a notebook like this. More impressive are the CPU and I/O scores. The overall SYSmark 2002 score of 215 is great, and the Dell thoroughly outpaced the Sonoma-based Sony Vaio VGN-FS115B. This includes the battery tests, with the Dell system running for almost three hours.

The biggest criticisms that can be levelled at the Dell is that it lacks style. When you open it, you won't be as impressed as you would as you might be by an IBM ThinkPad or a up-market Sony. But when you're in an airport somewhere, and need to get some work done quickly, this won't matter too much.

Verdict

The D410 is typically Dell. It may not be stylish but it is an impressive business sub-notebook, with a docking station for the hot-desker. Though the screen is average and the keyboard a touch cramped, when you consider the features, performance, build quality and the price, the Dell D410 will win over your mind, if not, perhaps, your heart.

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