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Dell Latitude 14 3470 Notebook Review

Penny business. The Dell Latitude 3470 is a device that wants to attract users with its low price. Read our review to find out if this works.

For the original German review, see here.

Bread & butter products of the PC manufacturers – this is a pretty good description for the category of inexpensive business notebooks. While the market for private customers shrunk over the last couple of years, the business segment is running much better. Our review model today is such a "bread & butter" model.

The Dell Latitude 3470 is in a long line of inexpensive business notebooks. Dell called those devices "Vostro" in the past, but the manufacturer decided to use the designation "Latitude" in 2013, which was formerly reserved for the more expensive models. By the way, Lenovo did this a couple of years before as well, because the inexpensive Lenovo 3000 notebooks were renamed to ThinkPad SL (2008-2011), ThinkPad Edge (2010-2012) or ThinkPad E-series (2013), respectively. HP on the other hand did not change anything and still sells the less expensive models under the brand ProBook and not EliteBook. We use the ThinkPad L460 & E460 as well as the HP ProBook 440 G3 as comparison devices.

But back to the Dell: Our review model Latitude 3470 is already the third Latitude 14 3000 model. It represents the least powerful configuration you can get with a Core i3, 500 GB hard drive as well as 4 GB RAM for around 500 Euros (~$562). 100 Euros (~$113) more expensive is the model with a Core i5, but the 500 GB HDD and 4 GB RAM are standard for all configurations in Germany.

Dell Latitude 14 3470 (Latitude 14 3400 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i3-6100U 2 x 2.3 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 520, Core: 1000 MHz, Memory: 800 MHz
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3L-1600, 1 of 2 slots occupied
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 112 PPI, No, Innolux N140BGE, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
Storage
Toshiba MQ01ACF050, 500 GB 
, 7200 rpm
Soundcard
Intel Skylake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm stereo jack, Card Reader: SD-card reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Atheros AR5BWB222 Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/)
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 23 x 342 x 243 ( = 0.91 x 13.46 x 9.57 in)
Battery
41 Wh Lithium-Ion, removeable
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD Webcam
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo speakers, Keyboard: 6 row chiclet keyboard, Keyboard Light: no, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.81 kg ( = 63.85 oz / 3.99 pounds), Power Supply: 375 g ( = 13.23 oz / 0.83 pounds)
Price
498 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Latitude 3470
Latitude 3470

Understated is a good summary for the design of the 3470. There are basically no visual highlights, and the whole chassis is matte black except for the glossy Dell logo on the lid. The design language follows the previous Latitude 3450 with some small changes like the smaller angle of the side panels as well as the changed hinge design: Instead of a single large drop-down hinge, we now get two smaller hinges and the battery sits between them. The battery tray creates a bulge in the keyboard frame, which is a common trick to save some space.

The case is completely made of plastic, but we did not expect anything else for a notebook in this price range. Only the slightly more expensive HP ProBook 440 G3 has some aluminum parts. At least the palm rest and the lid of the Latitude are slightly rubberized, so the haptics are good. This obviously does not improve the stability, because both the lid and the base unit can be twisted quite easily, and you can dent the center of the palm rest. Pressure on the lid will also result in ripples on the screen. There is some creaking when you open the lid, but the build quality is good and we could not find any large gaps or sharp edges.

The maximum opening angle...
The maximum opening angle...
...is 130°
14-inch HD display
Bottom of the Latitude 3470
The 41-Wh battery
The inside of the maintenance hatch

The maximum opening angle of the screen is about 130 degrees, but you need both hands to open it. Vibrations will result in some bouncing of the display, probably because the hinges have slightly too much play.

At 1.86 kg (~4 lb), the Latitude is a bit heavier than the ProBook 440 G3 and the E460, but a bit lighter than the L460. All comparison devices are slightly more compact than the Latitude, but the differences can be neglected.

Size Comparison

342 mm / 13.5 inch 243 mm / 9.57 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 1.8 kg3.99 lbs339 mm / 13.3 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 24.3 mm / 0.957 inch 1.9 kg4.25 lbs339 mm / 13.3 inch 239 mm / 9.41 inch 24 mm / 0.945 inch 1.8 kg4.01 lbs339 mm / 13.3 inch 244 mm / 9.61 inch 21 mm / 0.827 inch 1.7 kg3.68 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The ports are perfectly located for right-handers as there are no ports at the right front and most of the connectors are at the left side. The situation is obviously worse for left-handers where the HDMI output and the stereo jack will be problem when you use an external mouse.

You can usually solve this problem when you use a docking station for a business notebook. Dell unfortunately decided to waive a dedicated port for the 3470, which means you are limited to USB docking solutions. USB Type-C is not available, either, which is common in this range.

Left: AC power, Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0, combo audio
Left: AC power, Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0, combo audio
Right: SD-card reader, USB 2.0, VGA, Kensington Lock
Right: SD-card reader, USB 2.0, VGA, Kensington Lock

SD Card Reader

We check the performance of the SD card reader with our reference card Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II and the results for the 3470 are bad compared to the immediate rivals. The notebooks from HP and Lenovo are more than twice as fast, and it looks like Dell uses a very cheap card reader to save money. That Dell can implement much faster modules is shown by the much more expensive sibling the E7270, which also beats the rivals of the 3470.

You should also know that the card reader cannot take the full card and a part will stick out of the case, so it is not really designed to enable permanent storage expansions.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell Latitude 12 E7270
 
130.5 MB/s +455%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
 
73.2 MB/s +211%
HP ProBook 440 G3
 
72.3 MB/s +208%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
 
61.7 MB/s +163%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
 
23.5 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell Latitude 12 E7270
 
202.6 MB/s +634%
HP ProBook 440 G3
 
86.4 MB/s +213%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
 
85.1 MB/s +208%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
 
82.4 MB/s +199%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
 
27.6 MB/s

Communication

While expensive business notebooks are often equipped with communication modules from Intel, Dell uses cards from Realtek and Atheros for the Latitude 3470. Intel’s WLAN modules are available as options though (8260AC dual-band 2x2 or 3165AC 1x1). Our model is equipped with the Atheros 2x2 a/g/n card, so the Latitude falls behind devices with more expensive AC modules. At least the signal quality was okay and we did not encounter any problems. The same applies for the Gigabit LAN module from Realtek, which does its job.

Networking
iperf Server (receive) TCP 1 m
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Atheros AR5BWB222 Wireless Network Adapter
165 MBit/s
iperf Client (transmit) TCP 1 m
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Atheros AR5BWB222 Wireless Network Adapter
143 MBit/s

Security

A business model like the 3470 offers a variety of security features. Dell implements a slot for a Kensington Lock and the 3470 also comes with TPM 1.2 as well as Computrace. Our model did not have a fingerprint scanner, but this is optional according to the spec sheet. It is surprising that Dell does not offer a SmartCard reader, not even as an option. It is reserved for the more expensive devices from the 5000 and 7000 series.

Accessories

Dell is fortunately generous with CDs and USB drives, because you not only get a Windows 8.1 recovery stick, but also a CD with all necessary drivers. Otherwise, you obviously get the power adapter and the battery.

We already mentioned that the Latitude does not have a dedicated docking port, so you can only use USB solutions. Dell offers a corresponding model for about 150 Euros (~$169).

Maintenance

Contrary to many modern Ultrabooks, the Latitude 3470 offers a maintenance hatch, so you do not have to remove the whole bottom panel to access the components. Underneath the hatch, which occupies about one third of the bottom, you will find the memory, which is easy to upgrade thanks to one free slot, as well as the 2.5-inch hard drive. You can also access the WLAN card. You should, however, be careful when you want to access the mentioned components. The hatch is not only secured by screws, but also by plastic clips. It is important not to use too much force, otherwise they could break.

The battery is also accessible on the 3470 and you do not have to open the device. Not accessible on the other hand is the fan, at least not without further disassembly.

Bottom panel Latitude 3470 with open service hatch
Bottom panel Latitude 3470 with open service hatch

Warranty

The standard warranty period is one year, which is also normal for the segment of inexpensive business devices. It is possible to extend the warranty period up to five years for an additional charge.

Input Devices

Keyboard

Dell uses a chiclet keyboard with six button rows, and our test model was equipped with the UK QWERTY layout. It is not illuminated, which is also one of the differences to the more expensive Latitude models: Dell uses a completely different keyboard than in the Latitude E7270, for example. The layout is pretty similar, but still a bit different. The directional keys, for example, are more cramped and do not stand out at the bottom. There are no dedicated page up/down keys, either. As per usual for Dell, the Return key is a bit smaller and squeezed together.

The keys themselves differ from the more expensive models quite significantly as well. They are not slightly concave, but flat, and the surface is rough instead of smooth. The typing experience of the keyboard is good, but cannot keep up with its more expensive siblings or ThinkPads. The stroke is a bit too soft and dull; the travel is better compared to devices like the MacBook, but still a bit short within the comparison. Contrary to many less expensive notebooks, however, the typing experience is not affected by excessive bouncing. We can flex the numpad slightly at the Return key, but this should hardly be an issue in practice.

Touchpad

Contrary to the more expensive Latitude models, Dell implements a clickpad without dedicated buttons. The pad is made of plastic and has a rather roughened surface. The gliding capabilities are actually okay, but they cannot keep up with glass track pads. Scrolling with two fingers is often tricky or it does not work at all, and the same applies for pinch-to-zoom. Dell should rework the driver a bit.

The clicking mechanics of the touch pad is decent, but cannot keep up with dedicated buttons. Clicks are rather loud and therefore sound a bit cheap.

The 3470 is not equipped with a track point, which is also the case for HP, while Lenovo equips ThinkPad with them almost all the time.

Input devices Latitude 3470
Input devices Latitude 3470

Display

Subpixel array Latitude 3470
Subpixel array Latitude 3470
No backlight bleeding
No backlight bleeding

The display of the 3470 meets the entry-level standard. The 14-inch matte display therefore only features the HD resolution (1366x768) and is based on the TN technology. Dell also offers two optional panels, but they do not seem to be available for private users in Germany. There is an optional matte FHD screen (1920x1080), although it is not clear whether it is a TN or IPS display, as well as a glossy HD touch display.

The luminance of the HD display is on the expected level: We can measure up to 206 cd/m² and 192 cd/m² on average. At 87 percent, the brightness distribution is decent and we cannot see any backlight bleeding on a dark picture. The comparison with the rivals is pretty sobering for the Dell though. However, the fight is not completely fair since the rivals were more expensive and equipped with FHD displays, and the Lenovo even with a FHD-IPS screen. We expect that those models with TN screens will not be better than the 3470.

In addition to the three rivals, we also use the HP EliteBook 1040 G3 as a reference system for a good 14-inch display.

204
cd/m²
200
cd/m²
190
cd/m²
200
cd/m²
206
cd/m²
187
cd/m²
185
cd/m²
180
cd/m²
183
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Innolux N140BGE tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 206 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 192.8 cd/m² Minimum: 25 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 206 cd/m²
Contrast: 429:1 (Black: 0.48 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 11 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 11.51 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
60.61% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38.46% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.55% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.21% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.23
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Innolux N140BGE, TN LED, 1366x768, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Lenovo N140HCE-EAA, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
LG LP140WF6-SPB2, IPS-Panel, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP ProBook 440 G3
Chi Mei CMN14A7, TN, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
AUO1136, IPS, 2560x1440, 14.00
Display
4%
-3%
-2%
66%
Display P3 Coverage
40.21
42.2
5%
39.1
-3%
39.6
-2%
67.9
69%
sRGB Coverage
60.5
62.3
3%
58.8
-3%
59.1
-2%
96.8
60%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.55
43.72
5%
40.41
-3%
40.94
-1%
70
68%
Response Times
-4%
13%
-2%
-1%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
47 ?(25, 22)
44.4 ?(20.4, 24)
6%
40 ?(17, 23)
15%
46 ?(24, 22)
2%
46.4 ?(16.4, 30)
1%
Response Time Black / White *
26 ?(18, 8)
29.6 ?(17.2, 12.4)
-14%
23.2 ?(6.8, 16.4)
11%
27.6 ?(11.2, 16.4)
-6%
26.4 ?(6.8, 19.6)
-2%
PWM Frequency
Screen
32%
30%
8%
57%
Brightness middle
206
245
19%
233
13%
246
19%
327
59%
Brightness
193
225
17%
221
15%
215
11%
316
64%
Brightness Distribution
87
83
-5%
88
1%
84
-3%
87
0%
Black Level *
0.48
0.24
50%
0.3
37%
0.5
-4%
0.35
27%
Contrast
429
1021
138%
777
81%
492
15%
934
118%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
11
6.89
37%
4.43
60%
8.6
22%
4.39
60%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
19.57
17.62
10%
7.27
63%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
11.51
6.45
44%
3.78
67%
9.36
19%
4.69
59%
Gamma
2.23 99%
2.46 89%
2.31 95%
2.39 92%
2.15 102%
CCT
13671 48%
6857 95%
7171 91%
11226 58%
7101 92%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38.46
40.1
4%
37.3
-3%
37.8
-2%
62.52
63%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
60.61
61.8
2%
58.7
-3%
59.1
-2%
96.71
60%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
11% / 21%
13% / 20%
1% / 5%
41% / 51%

* ... smaller is better

Latitude vs. sRGB (transparent)
Latitude vs. sRGB (transparent)
Latitude vs. AdobeRGB (transparent)
Latitude vs. AdobeRGB (transparent)

With a contrast ratio of 429:1, it is not the worst TN display, but we are far away from a very good performance. Subjectively, the picture is okay, and relatively good for an inexpensive panel. The low resolution is also noticeable, and it is a bit coarse for a modern device.

Typical for an inexpensive display: sRGB and AdobeRGB coverages are very limited, so the panel is not suited for picture editing. However, we do not expect that someone will use the notebook for this, at least not without an external monitor. We can also see the typical TN blue cast ex-works, but you can at least calibrate the panel pretty well.

Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps
ColorChecker
ColorChecker
Grayscale
Grayscale
Saturation (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)
ColorChecker (calibrated)
ColorChecker (calibrated)
Grayscale (calibrated)
Grayscale (calibrated)

Thanks to the matte surface, the 200 nits panel is enough, if you are in the shade, but the panel does not stand a chance against the sun.

Still usable in the shade, ...
Still usable in the shade, ...
...but no chance against the sun.
...but no chance against the sun.

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
26 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18 ms rise
↘ 8 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 57 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
47 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 25 ms rise
↘ 22 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 78 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The Innolux panel offers the typical viewing angles for a TN display. Colors start to invert even with small shifts, and the panel looks very washed-out from the side. The notebook clearly falls behind IPS based devices in this respect, but this was expected.

Performance

We already mentioned our test model represents the entry-level configuration of the Latitude 3470. The selection is very limited for private users in Germany, and you are basically limited to two models: One with an i3 CPU, which is our model, as well as a device equipped with the i5. The spec sheet also lists i7 CPUs, Celeron and Pentium processors, but they are probably reserved for business customers. The same most likely applies for the dedicated Nvidia GeForce 920M GPU. The 3470 is still a typical office notebook in all configurations.

The system comes with 4 GB DDR3L-RAM by default. It runs in a single-channel configuration and one slot is still free, so you can easily expand the memory. According to Dell, you can equip up to 16 GB, but 32 GB should be possible in theory as well.

HWInfo
HWInfo
CPUZ
CPUZ
GPUZ
GPUZ
DPC Latency Monitor
DPC Latency Monitor

Processor

The Core i3-6100U is an ultra-low voltage (ULV) dual-core CPU and specified with a TDP of 15 watts, so it is perfect for Ultrabooks and frugal office notebooks. It is an i3 and therefore one of the least powerful CPUs in its series when you ignore the Celeron and Pentium CPUs. The i3-6100U supports Hyperthreading, but there is no Turbo Boost and the maximum CPU clock is 2.3 GHz.

This clock can be maintained in the Cinebench benchmark, both in the single and the multi test. You can see the limited performance in the results pretty well. The CPU will suffice in simple office scenarios, but if you plan to execute tasks that are more demanding or use the system for a couple of years, the model with the i5 will be the better choice.

The processor performance is not reduced on battery power.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T460p-20FXS05500
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
147 Points +52%
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
Intel Core i7-6600U
141 Points +45%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Intel Core i7-6500U
127 Points +31%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Intel Core i5-6200U
114 Points +18%
HP ProBook 440 G3
Intel Core i5-6200U
114 Points +18%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Intel Core i3-6100U
97 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T460p-20FXS05500
Intel Core i7-6700HQ
662 Points +165%
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
Intel Core i7-6600U
347 Points +39%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Intel Core i7-6500U
303 Points +21%
HP ProBook 440 G3
Intel Core i5-6200U
294 Points +18%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Intel Core i5-6200U
290 Points +16%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Intel Core i3-6100U
250 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
24.3 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.75 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.11 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
30.69 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
250 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
97 Points
Help

System Performance

PCMark ranks the Latitude roughly on par with the HP ProBook 440 G3, which also comes with a hard drive. The two ThinkPads on the other hand perform a bit better because they are more expensive and equipped with SSDs. They also have more RAM and in the case of the L460 also a faster processor.

The subjective system performance is okay in practice, but cannot keep up with SSD based systems. We recommend installing such a drive.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
3415 Points +11%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
3092 Points +1%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Toshiba MQ01ACF050
3074 Points
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2871 Points -7%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
4591 Points +15%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
4415 Points +11%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Toshiba MQ01ACF050
3982 Points
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3840 Points -4%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3074 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
3982 points
Help

Storage Devices

The 7200-rpm drive from Toshiba can obviously not keep up with SSDs, but the HDD also comes up short compared to the hard drive in the HP ProBook 440 G3. As mentioned before, the best system upgrade would be an SSD.

Dell Latitude 14 3470
Toshiba MQ01ACF050
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
HP ProBook 440 G3
Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
12972%
4431%
39%
Read Seq
108.9
480.9
342%
497.6
357%
124.8
15%
Write Seq
103.2
426.4
313%
180
74%
123.6
20%
Read 4k
0.362
21.51
5842%
18.91
5124%
0.559
54%
Write 4k
0.946
71.5
7458%
37.13
3825%
1.277
35%
Read 4k QD32
0.721
277.6
38402%
95.7
13173%
1.179
64%
Write 4k QD32
0.901
230.4
25472%
37.26
4035%
1.304
45%
Toshiba MQ01ACF050
Transfer Rate Minimum: 61.5 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 108.8 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 96.2 MB/s
Access Time: 15.3 ms
Burst Rate: 92.6 MB/s
CPU Usage: 1 %

Graphics Card

We do not have to talk a lot about the graphics adapter of the 3470, since the Intel HD 520 is probably the most common GPU in notebooks from the Skylake generation. In short: The HD 520 is an integrated graphics processor, in this case the GT2 version with 24 Execution Units (EUs). The maximum Turbo clock is 1000 MHz and since it is an integrated GPU, it does not have its own memory and shares the memory with the processor instead.

During the Cinebench OpenGL test, the CPU ran with a steady clock of 950 MHz, so the maximum Turbo is not completely reached. The benchmark results in 3DMark pretty much meet the expectations. The ThinkPads with AMD Radeon GPUs are much faster than the Latitude and the HP ProBook 440 G3, and the deficit of the HD 520 in the Latitude is also increased by the single-channel memory configuration, which limits the potential of the GPU.

We also ran the test on battery power, but the performance is not reduced.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
AMD Radeon R7 M360, Intel Core i5-6200U
1989 Points +87%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
AMD Radeon R5 M330, Intel Core i7-6500U
1736 Points +63%
HP ProBook 440 G3
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1143 Points +8%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6100U
1063 Points
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
HP ProBook 440 G3
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
5600 Points +7%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
AMD Radeon R7 M360, Intel Core i5-6200U
5330 Points +2%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6100U
5238 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
AMD Radeon R5 M330, Intel Core i7-6500U
5210 Points -1%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
AMD Radeon R7 M360, Intel Core i5-6200U
1109 Points +95%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
AMD Radeon R5 M330, Intel Core i7-6500U
984 Points +73%
HP ProBook 440 G3
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
625 Points +10%
Dell Latitude 14 3470
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6100U
569 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
1135 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
4181 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
536 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The Dell Latitude 3470 is an office notebook and not designed for gaming. The tested games support this, only Dirt Rally was really playable at minimum settings.

Should you plan to play some games, you should definitely integrate an additional RAM module, which should improve the performance a bit. Older games run well at low details, but you need another notebook if you want more.

low med. high ultra
Total War: Rome II (2013) 25.4 18.6
Dirt Rally (2015) 62.3 13.25
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 7

Emissions

System Noise

Fan characteristics (idle, maximum load)
Fan characteristics (idle, maximum load)

The fan runs almost all the time, albeit quietly, so you can hear a constant noise. Then there is also the HDD, which is not silent like an SSD. It is interesting that the system does not get much louder under load.

As a user, you can at least do something against the noise of the hard drive by replacing it with flash storage, but Dell will have to provide a BIOS update for the fan control.

Noise Level

Idle
32.3 / 32.3 / 32.3 dB(A)
HDD
32.9 dB(A)
Load
33.3 / 33.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   ECM8000 + Voltcraft SL-451 (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.2 dB(A)

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

The case of the Latitude can actually get warm in practice. The cooling system does not seem to have a lot of headroom since the idle temperatures are already somewhat high. At least they are not much higher under load, which is probably a result of the i3 processor, so there is no Turbo.

The processor can maintain its maximum clock of 2.3 GHz for about 30 seconds in the stress test with Prime95 and FurMark before it drops and levels off at 1.4 GHz. The GPU clock drops a bit as well from 950 to 800 MHz. A Cinebench run immediately after the stress test results in lower scores, but they are back to normal after a few minutes. The throttling is likely due to the TDP, not a result of the thermals, since the temperatures never surpass 73 °C (163.4 °F).

Max. Load
 38.2 °C
101 F
34.6 °C
94 F
28 °C
82 F
 
 38.9 °C
102 F
35.7 °C
96 F
28.5 °C
83 F
 
 34.4 °C
94 F
32.5 °C
91 F
29.5 °C
85 F
 
Maximum: 38.9 °C = 102 F
Average: 33.4 °C = 92 F
27.2 °C
81 F
28.5 °C
83 F
32.3 °C
90 F
27.5 °C
82 F
33.6 °C
92 F
36.3 °C
97 F
31.2 °C
88 F
33.6 °C
92 F
37.7 °C
100 F
Maximum: 37.7 °C = 100 F
Average: 32 °C = 90 F
Power Supply (max.)  36.8 °C = 98 F | Room Temperature 22.7 °C = 73 F | Fluke 62 Max
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.4 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.9 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37.7 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 32.1 °C / 90 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (34.4 °C / 93.9 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-6.7 °C / -12 F).

Speakers

The stereo speakers are located at the front of the notebook. They produce a fairly loud sound, but there is too much emphasis on the high tones and low tones are almost completely lacking. Our Pink Noise diagram shows the speakers cannot keep up with the MacBook, which has good modules for a notebook. If you want good sound, you should use the stereo jack. It works well and delivers a noise-free signal.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.139.52534.738.63135.438.44039.137.3503337.66334.536.78035.23610038.139.712536.745.816030.549.820028.350.825028.355.33152760.640026.259.750025.565.463025.270.180024.674.4100024.475.212502476.1160023.774.8200023.576.9250023.772.6315023.471.7400023.363.6500022.961.6630023.763.680002561.51000022.563.11250022.466.7160002260.5SPL36.484.4N2.855.9median 24.4median 63.6Delta1.78.135.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseDell Latitude 14 3470Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz

Frequency Comparison (Checkboxes select/deselectable!)
Graph 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Graph 2: Audio off 

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Our consumption measurements do not reveal any big surprises. The idle value at 5 watts is a bit higher compared to the ThinkPads, but roughly on par with the ProBook. The situation does change, however, under load, which is obviously a result of the more powerful components inside the ThinkPad, which just need more power.

The 65-watt power adapter is more than sufficient for the consumption of the 3470.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.28 / 0.68 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5 / 6.8 / 8.9 Watt
Load midlight 26.2 / 31.8 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Dell Latitude 14 3470
6100U, HD Graphics 520, Toshiba MQ01ACF050, TN LED, 1366x768, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
6500U, Radeon R5 M330, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
6200U, Radeon R7 M360, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS, IPS-Panel, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP ProBook 440 G3
6200U, HD Graphics 520, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630, TN, 1920x1080, 14.00
Power Consumption
-7%
-23%
-9%
Idle Minimum *
5
3.1
38%
4.1
18%
5.2
-4%
Idle Average *
6.8
6.3
7%
8
-18%
8.2
-21%
Idle Maximum *
8.9
7.9
11%
8.9
-0%
9
-1%
Load Average *
26.2
29.5
-13%
39.3
-50%
28.8
-10%
Load Maximum *
31.8
57.3
-80%
52.2
-64%
34
-7%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

Dell equips the Latitude 3470 with a 41-Wh lithium-ion battery, so the capacity is a bit lower than the rivals at 44-48 Wh.

Due to the lower capacity and the similar power consumption, the battery runtimes are also lower. Our load test is the only scenario where the Latitude can beat the ThinkPads in particular. It falls behind all the rivals in the practical WLAN test though, especially the ThinkPad L460. Contrary to Lenovo, Dell does not offer a bigger battery for the Latitude. You can at least buy an additional battery and just replace it. This kind of runtime enhancement is not possible on the ThinkPad E460 due to its integrated battery, but is available on the L460 and ProBook 440 G3.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
11h 08min
WiFi Websurfing (IE 11)
4h 38min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 20min
Dell Latitude 14 3470
6100U, HD Graphics 520, 41 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
6500U, Radeon R5 M330, 48 Wh
HP ProBook 440 G3
6200U, HD Graphics 520, 44 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
6200U, Radeon R7 M360, 47 Wh
Battery Runtime
32%
-14%
-2%
Reader / Idle
668
1153
73%
537
-20%
736
10%
WiFi v1.3
278
425
53%
293
5%
292
5%
Load
140
97
-31%
101
-28%
112
-20%
H.264
431
321
425

Pros

+ low price
+ matte display
+ convenient haptics

Cons

- weak cooling system
- slow card reader
- small number of business features

Verdict

In review: Dell Latitude 14 3470. Test model courtesy of Dell Germany.
In review: Dell Latitude 14 3470. Test model courtesy of Dell Germany.

We want to start with some positive aspects: The display of the Latitude 3470 is matte, the battery can be replaced and the port selection is appropriate for its size. The keyboard, even though far away from the more expensive Latitudes, is better compared to devices for private users in this price range. Finally, the lid and the palm rest have a soft rubberized surface that provide comfortable haptics.

That is unfortunately about it, especially since these positive attributes are already very detailed. If you look at the whole system, Dell wants to attract customers with one feature in particular: the price. Dell saves money in many areas to manage that: The cooling system is not powerful enough, because the fan tends to run all the time and the device still gets warm. Dell also implements a very slow card reader where the slot is too small for permanent storage expansions. The display is matte, but leaves a lot to be desired in the other aspects. The business features are not very convincing, either: You do not get a TrackPoint, which is usually common for business devices, a docking port or a SmartCard reader.

The Dell Latitude 3470 convinces... with what actually? Mainly the price. Otherwise, the Latitude does not offer the same features as the rivals from HP and Lenovo, and the choice of components is very limited for private users in Germany.

In the end, we cannot fully recommend the 3470, except if you really want a business system for such a low price. The features of the test model cannot keep up with the comparison devices, but they are also more expensive than the test model.

Dell Latitude 14 3470 - 09/13/2016 v5.1(old)
Benjamin Herzig

Chassis
75 / 98 → 76%
Keyboard
77%
Pointing Device
77%
Connectivity
41 / 80 → 51%
Weight
65 / 20-67 → 96%
Battery
79%
Display
74%
Games Performance
55 / 68 → 80%
Application Performance
68 / 92 → 74%
Temperature
88%
Noise
87%
Audio
56%
Camera
45 / 85 → 53%
Average
68%
77%
Office - Weighted Average

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Benjamin Herzig, 2016-09-26 (Update: 2016-10- 2)