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Dell Latitude 13 7370 Ultrabook Review

The sound of silence. With a frameless InfinityEdge display, Core-m processors and passive cooling, the Latitude 13 7370 is Dell's new interpretation of a classic business notebook. A promising concept – but the execution is not flawless.

For the original German review, see here.

Efficient Ultra-Low-Voltage processors have managed an impressive level of performance over the last few years: Even full-fledged multimedia notebooks with 15 and 17-inch screens often use such chips by now to manage a particularly slim construction. Still, extremely slim Ultrabooks or 2-in-1 devices need even more frugal CPUs – this is where Intel's Core-m series comes into play, which can be cooled passively.

Dell's Latitude 7370 is one of the few business notebooks with such a Core-m processor. The fanless 13-inch device does not only aim to impress in terms of mobility and emissions, but also comes with pretty nice features. Our review model is equipped with a Full HD IPS display, 8 GB of RAM as well as a fast PCIe-SSD. The pricing is quite steep: Even the base configuration here in Germany with a Core m5-6Y57 costs a pretty hefty 2200 Euros (RRP: 3400 Euros/~$2468 RRP: ~$3815), while including Core m7 and QHD+ touchscreen raises the price to about 2500 Euros (RRP: 4000 Euros/~$2805 RRP: ~$4488). The optional LTE module is not yet included in these prices.

Rivals for the Latitude 7370 include the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon and the ThinkPad X260, the HP EliteBook 1040 G3 and the Folio G1 as well as the Toshiba Portege Z30-C, although only the HP Folio is also passively cooled.

Dell Latitude 13 7370 (Latitude Series)
Processor
Intel Core m5-6Y57 2 x 1.1 - 2.8 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 515, Core: 900 MHz, Memory: 933 MHz, 20.19.15.4390
Memory
8 GB 
, Dual-Channel LPDDR3-1866, soldered, no slots
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 166 PPI, Sharp LQ133M1, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-Y Premium PCH
Storage
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7, 256 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Skylake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Headset port (3.5 mm stereo jack), Card Reader: microSD, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 14.3 x 305 x 211 ( = 0.56 x 12.01 x 8.31 in)
Battery
34 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 4 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 45-Watt PSU, Windows and driver DVDs, 36 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
1.247 kg ( = 43.99 oz / 2.75 pounds), Power Supply: 271 g ( = 9.56 oz / 0.6 pounds)
Price
2200 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Even at a first glance the Latitude 7370 is already impressive with its extremely slim and compact construction. The height of the case is just 14.3 millimeters (~0.56 in) without the support feet, so it is just one millimeter (~0.04 in) thicker than an Apple MacBook 12. Almost even more impressive: The footprint is almost exactly identical to that of the Lenovo ThinkPad X260, even though the latter has a smaller 12-inch display. This is a result of the extremely slim display frame of the Latitude, which is also called "InfinityEdge" by Dell.

Notwithstanding the quite delicate construction, the chassis is impressive with its excellent stability. A complex mix of materials including carbon fiber and aluminum provides the highest torsion resistance, which is also the case for the very slim lid (in this case with an aluminum cover, touchscreen models get carbon fiber). It is held in place by conveniently taut hinges, which require both hands for opening, but hardly bounce, even with strong vibrations.

Considering the high price, you can expect a flawless build quality, which is – at least in the case of our review sample – delivered by Dell: Careful material transitions and evenly rounded edges confirm good quality control, and gentle soft-touch surfaces create a very sophisticated impression. Unfortunately, the surface is susceptible to dirt and not easy to clean; fine dust in particular sticks to the base unit.

337 mm / 13.3 inch 234.5 mm / 9.23 inch 15.8 mm / 0.622 inch 1.4 kg3.19 lbs333 mm / 13.1 inch 229 mm / 9.02 inch 16.5 mm / 0.65 inch 1.2 kg2.64 lbs316 mm / 12.4 inch 227 mm / 8.94 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.2 kg2.69 lbs306 mm / 12 inch 209 mm / 8.23 inch 20.3 mm / 0.799 inch 1.5 kg3.32 lbs305 mm / 12 inch 211 mm / 8.31 inch 14.3 mm / 0.563 inch 1.2 kg2.75 lbs280.5 mm / 11 inch 196.5 mm / 7.74 inch 13.1 mm / 0.516 inch 927 g2.04 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

While comparable modern ThinkPads do not offer even one USB Type-C port, Dell goes a step further and has equipped the Latitude 7370 with two Thunderbolt 3 ports. With 40 Gbps each, they are not only a lot faster (USB 3.1 Gen. 2: 10 Gbps), but also much more versatile: They support not only USB devices with the corresponding Type-C jack, but also DisplayPort (two 4K monitors at 60 Hz per port, up to three monitors in total), DVI, HDMI, VGA or external PCIe-devices via adapter. You just have to remember that one of the two might be blocked by the power adapter. The Ultrabook is also equipped with a standard USB 3.0 port (Type A), microHDMI port as well as the mandatory headset jack.

Overall, the port selection is very comprehensive and future-proof, but you will most probably require several adapter cables along the way – there are just (still) too many peripherals with a USB Type-A connector right now.

2x Thunderbolt 3, Micro-HDMI, SIM-Slot, SmartCard reader
2x Thunderbolt 3, Micro-HDMI, SIM-Slot, SmartCard reader
microSD reader, headset port, USB 3.0, Kensington Lock
microSD reader, headset port, USB 3.0, Kensington Lock

Communication

fast WLAN module
fast WLAN module

We are already familiar with Intel's Wireless-AC 8260 from many other modern notebooks, were the module provides impressive Wi-Fi transfer rate thanks to 802.11ac support and dual-stream technology (up to 866 Mbps gross). We also managed excellent 77 MB/s with our test router (Linksys EA8500, short distance and direct sight), so the missing Gigabit-Ethernet jack is not that big of a deal. Range and signal quality do not cause any criticism, either, and Bluetooth 4.2 is supported as well.

The Latitude 7370 can also be equipped with an optional Tri-Band module Wireless-AC 18260 (incl. WiGig) as well as an LTE modem from Qualcomm (Snapdragon X7).

Webcam and Microphone

As usual, you should not expect a lot from the integrated HD webcam in terms of picture quality – the pale and noisy pictures from a slightly unusual position (the sensor is not above, but below the display) are only sufficient for simple video chats. At least, users get a very decent array microphone, which can also replace a headset if necessary.

Security 

The Latitude 13 is a full-fledged business device  equipped with all the security features you would need in professional environments. Among others, it includes a TPM, a fast touch fingerprint scanner, NFC as well as a SmartCard reader. The 7370 is also prepared for Computrace, a technology to prevent thefts and remote control for stolen laptops.

Accessories

Except for the usual brochures and the corresponding 45-watt power adapter, Dell ships its notebook with Windows and driver DVDs for a fresh installation of the operating system. A small USB flash drive would have been a better solution due to the lack of an optical drive. There are also some software additions such as the "Dell Command Power Manager", which can be used to configure the charging settings for the battery.

Maintenance

limited upgradeability
limited upgradeability

The screwed bottom cover of the Latitude can be removed in a few steps and reveals the hardware. CPU and memory are soldered and there is no fan, so the maintenance and upgrade works are limited to the WLAN and M.2 module as well as the optional implementation of an LTE module (antenna cables already integrated).

Warranty

One reason for the high retail price is the included On-Site service, which includes a 3-year "ProSupport" on the next business day. You can also switch to a 5-year "BasicSupport" for free or pay around 180 Euros (~$202) for an upgrade to the 5-year "ProSupport".

Input Devices

Keyboard

The chiclet keyboard (review unit with U.S. layout) has a white illumination and is well-integrated into the matte-gray chassis. The letter keys are 14 x 14 millimeters (~0.55 x ~0.55 in) and can be comfortably used with 10 fingers. The travel is comparatively generous for a subnotebook, which results in a great feedback and a fast typing speed in combination with the firm stroke. The quality of the keyboard leaves a great impression in general, which is supported by the restrained noise development as well as perfect stability, even in the center area.

Touchpad

It is rather unusual for a business notebook, but the Latitude 13 does not have a TrackPoint, so you can only use the touchpad. We do not think that this is a problem, because it offers ample space for multi-touch gestures (up to four fingers) at 10 x 4.8 centimeters (~3.9 x 1.89 in) and navigating the cursor is very precise. The gliding capabilities are also impressive.

Fortunately, Dell has dispensed with the integrated mouse buttons and implemented two dedicated buttons underneath the pad. Drag & Drop inputs in particular are therefore much more reliable compared to some competitors, and ClickPads usually do not have such soft and well-defined pressure point, either.

Keyboard
Keyboard
LED illumination
LED illumination
Touchpad
Touchpad

Display

Subpixel arrangement
Subpixel arrangement

The appealing InfinityEdge display of the Latitude 7370 has either 1920x1080 (FHD) or 3200x1800 pixels (QHD+). The latter is exclusively available with a touchscreen and should be glossier than the matte in our review unit, despite the anti-reflective Gorilla Glass surface. The maximum luminance of up to 400 cd/m² is another advantage for the lower resolution, whereas the touch panel is only supposed to reach 350 cd/m². The enormous pixel density of the QHD+ version – 276 instead of 166 PPI – also requires scaling of the picture by Windows, which can still be a problem with older software.

Our review unit misses the advertised luminance by almost 160 cd/m², because we can only measure 241 cd/m². How is such a big difference possible? It seems that Dell is using an automatic brightness and contrast adjustment based on the picture content to reduce the power consumption. Sudden changes, such as the switch from a very dark to a very bright picture, for example, result in a stepwise adjustment of the luminance within 5 to 10 seconds, which is also visible with the naked eye. This is hardly an issue in practice, but we strongly request an option to disable this behavior. At least, the 7370 does not use PWM to control the panel brightness.

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.

241
cd/m²
234
cd/m²
240
cd/m²
247
cd/m²
261
cd/m²
253
cd/m²
223
cd/m²
236
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Sharp LQ133M1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 261 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 240.6 cd/m² Minimum: 13 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 261 cd/m²
Contrast: 1004:1 (Black: 0.26 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.3 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.82 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
77.84% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
49.18% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
53.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
78.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
52.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.44
Dell Latitude 13 7370
1920x1080, IPS
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
2560x1440, IPS
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
2560x1440, IPS
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-138
1920x1080, IPS
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
2304x1440, IPS
Display
25%
28%
28%
25%
Display P3 Coverage
52.2
66.7
28%
67.9
30%
67.9
30%
66.8
28%
sRGB Coverage
78.3
94.7
21%
96.8
24%
98
25%
95.4
22%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
53.9
68.4
27%
70
30%
69.8
29%
68
26%
Response Times
21%
15%
17%
14%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
50.4 ?(20.4, 30)
44 ?(17, 27)
13%
46.4 ?(16.4, 30)
8%
42 ?(18, 24)
17%
41.2 ?(15.6, 25.6)
18%
Response Time Black / White *
33.6 ?(13.2, 20.4)
24 ?(5.2, 18.8)
29%
26.4 ?(6.8, 19.6)
21%
28 ?(7, 21)
17%
30.4 ?(6.8, 23.6)
10%
PWM Frequency
220 ?(90)
217 ?(40)
Screen
15%
10%
3%
23%
Brightness middle
261
272
4%
327
25%
300
15%
387
48%
Brightness
241
268
11%
316
31%
280
16%
358
49%
Brightness Distribution
85
95
12%
87
2%
87
2%
88
4%
Black Level *
0.26
0.32
-23%
0.35
-35%
0.31
-19%
0.47
-81%
Contrast
1004
850
-15%
934
-7%
968
-4%
823
-18%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.3
2.61
39%
4.39
-2%
4.9
-14%
1.6
63%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.66
6.43
26%
7.27
16%
8.91
-3%
4
54%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.82
3.31
43%
4.69
19%
6.69
-15%
1
83%
Gamma
2.44 90%
2.35 94%
2.15 102%
2.33 94%
2.26 97%
CCT
6771 96%
6360 102%
7101 92%
6487 100%
6680 97%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
49.18
63
28%
62.52
27%
63
28%
61.6
25%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
77.84
95
22%
96.71
24%
98
26%
82.2
6%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
20% / 18%
18% / 14%
16% / 10%
21% / 22%

* ... smaller is better

AdobeRGB coverage (49.18%)
AdobeRGB coverage (49.18%)
sRGB coverage (77.84%)
sRGB coverage (77.84%)

Apart from the automatic picture adjustment, the measurement results of the IPS panel from Sharp are decent. The rich presentation of black contents results in a contrast ratio of 1004:1, which is quite sufficient to compete with the rivals or even beat them. Subjectively, the picture looks very rich and vivid.

The accuracy of the colors and the grayscale is already pretty decent ex-works. We can measure DeltaE deviations of 4.3 (colors) and 5.8 (grayscale), but these results can be improved significantly to 2.1 each by a calibration. Only the color space coverage is comparatively small with just 78% sRGB and 50% of the wider AdobeRGB standard. However, the Ultrabook would not be suitable for professional picture editing because of its dynamic contrast control.

Grayscale (pre-calibration)
Grayscale (pre-calibration)
ColorChecker (pre-calibration)
ColorChecker (pre-calibration)
Saturation Sweeps (pre-calibration)
Saturation Sweeps (pre-calibration)
Grayscale (post calibration)
Grayscale (post calibration)
ColorChecker (post calibration)
ColorChecker (post calibration)
Saturation Sweeps (post calibration)
Saturation Sweeps (post calibration)

Due to the content-sensitive maximum luminance, it is not easy to evaluate the outdoor capabilities of the device. The brightness will sometimes climb above 300 cd/m² on bright websites, but drops to much lower values in other cases. The display content is still visible thanks to the matte surface, but competitors with a steady luminance clearly have an advantage here.

Outdoor use (sunshine)

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
33.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 13.2 ms rise
↘ 20.4 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 89 % 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
50.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.4 ms rise
↘ 30 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. » 85 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

As expected, the 7370 does not show any problems in terms of the viewing angle stability. Thanks to the IPS technology, the picture hardly changes when you look at it from the side, so even several users can look at the screen simultaneously. Only extreme viewing angles will result in a paler picture, but it does not affect the visibility.

Viewing angles Dell Latitude 13 7370
Viewing angles Dell Latitude 13 7370

Performance

2.8 GHz maximum Turbo Boost
2.8 GHz maximum Turbo Boost

The German online shop lists only two processors for the Latitude 7370: the Intel Core m5-6Y57 (1.1 to 2.8 GHz) in our review unit and the slightly higher clocked Core m7-6Y75 (1.2 to 3.1 GHz). Both are based on the 14 nm Skylake architecture, have two cores including Hyperthreading support and are specified with a 4.5-watt TDP (configurable between 3.5 and 7 watts).

The corresponding graphics unit, HD Graphics 515,  is equipped with 24 Execution Units (GT2). The technology is exactly identical to the HD Graphics 520 of the 15-watt chips, but the clock range – in this case 300 up to 900 MHz – is more limited by the low TDP. Therefore, the GPU is hardly suitable for modern games, despite the DirectX 12 support, but instead it convinces with low power consumption and comprehensive multimedia capabilities.

Due to the lack of a dedicated memory slot, users will have to live with the soldered 8 GB LPDDR3-1866 (dual-channel). Furthermore, there is no slot for a standard 2.5-inch drive; the storage solution is a 256 GB M.2-SSD with the PCIe interface.

Processor

Even though by default the TDP of the Core-m-series is 4.5 watts, notebook manufacturers can actually adjust the parameters for the permissible power consumption and the behavior of the Turbo Boost. Dell has increased the permanent maximum consumption to 5.5 watts in this case, but pretty much deactivated the short-time TDP exceedances in return ("Turbo Boost Power Time Window" = 1 second), which are usually possible.

This configuration does not only reduce the power consumption and the temperature development, but also the performance. Instead of a healthy 2.8 GHz, the Core m5-6Y57 only reaches a meager 2.3 GHz in the Cinebench single thread test, and only 1.6 instead of 2.4 GHz in the Multithread test. This results in a curious situation, because both the MacBook 12 as well as the Surface Pro 4 often perform better, despite the less expensive Core-m3 chip. If the Core-m7 models of the Latitude 7370 behave like this as well, the performance will not be higher – so the additional charge for the high-end CPU seems hardly worth it.

The TDP is reduced to 4.5 watts on battery power, which will reduce the real-world clocks by about another 200 MHz.

Update: After talking to Dell, the manufacturer provided a new BIOS version, which sets the "Turbo Boost Power Time Window" to 28 seconds. Short peak load is therefore handled with the highest possible Turbo clocks, which improves the responsiveness of the whole device significantly. After 28 seconds, the processor is again throttled to 5.5 watts and the previously mentioned clocks. We performed all benchmarks with the new BIOS.

Cinebench R15: 2.3 GHz Single-Test, ...
Cinebench R15: 2.3 GHz Single-Test, ...
...1.6 GHz Multi-Test.
...1.6 GHz Multi-Test.
5.5-watt TDP (permanent)
5.5-watt TDP (permanent)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
Intel Core i7-6500U
128 Points +27%
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
Intel Core i5-6300U
124 Points +23%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
112 Points +11%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
Intel Core m5-6Y57
101 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31
98 Points -3%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31
98 Points -3%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
91 Points -10%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
90 Points -11%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
88 Points -13%
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-138
Intel Core i7-6500U
84 Points -17%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
Intel Core i7-6500U
310 Points +72%
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
Intel Core i5-6300U
303 Points +68%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
289 Points +61%
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-138
Intel Core i7-6500U
288 Points +60%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
218 Points +21%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31
211 Points +17%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31
205 Points +14%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
206 Points +14%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
Intel Core m5-6Y57
180 Points
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
Intel Core i7-6500U
1.47 Points +27%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
1.32 Points +14%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
Intel Core m5-6Y57
1.16 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31
1.15 Points -1%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31
1.02 Points -12%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
1 Points -14%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
0.95 Points -18%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
0.98 Points -16%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
Intel Core i7-6500U
3.46 Points +70%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
3.19 Points +57%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
2.35 Points +16%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
2.29 Points +13%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31
2.3 Points +13%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31
2.09 Points +3%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
2.27 Points +12%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
Intel Core m5-6Y57
2.03 Points
X264 HD Benchmark 4.0
Pass 1
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
Intel Core i7-6500U
108.6 fps +17%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
Intel Core m5-6Y57
92.6 fps
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
76.8 fps -17%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31
72 fps -22%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
69 (61.3min - 76.8max) fps -25%
Pass 2
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
Intel Core i7-6500U
20.31 fps +73%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
14.15 fps +21%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
13 (11.7min - 14.2max) fps +11%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
Intel Core m5-6Y57
11.72 fps
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31
9.52 fps -19%
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
5591
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
6652
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
3889
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.03 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
22.14 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.16 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
180 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
101 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
26.81 fps
Help

Storage Devices

AS SSD benchmark
AS SSD benchmark

Depending on the model, the M.2-SSDs are attached via either SATA 6 Gb/s or PCIe interface; the latter supports much higher transfer rates. This is also the reason why more and more manufacturers use fast PCIe modules for their premium systems, often in combination with the modern NVMe protocol – which is also the case for the Latitude 13.

More specifically: Our review unit is equipped with a Toshiba XG3 THNSN5256GPU7 with a capacity of 256 GB (19 nm, MLC-NAND). With sequential transfer rates of around 1.4 GB/s read and 0.9 GB/S write as well as excellent results in the 4K tests, the drive outclasses SATA drives, although the Samsung SM951 inside the EliteBook Folio 1040 G3 is consistently faster in all tests. These differences are, however, hardly noticeable, and the less powerful Core-m processor of the 7370 might have influenced the results as well.

Dell Latitude 13 7370
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN256HCHP
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-138
Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ512G8NY
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Apple SSD AP0256
AS SSD
-40%
75%
-52%
-30%
Seq Read
1425
499.1
-65%
1839
29%
494.9
-65%
1056
-26%
Seq Write
889
294
-67%
1190
34%
431.9
-51%
651
-27%
4K Read
35.72
30.43
-15%
47.72
34%
16.97
-52%
16.4
-54%
4K Write
97.9
74.6
-24%
126.6
29%
65.6
-33%
22.1
-77%
4K-64 Read
450.6
370.4
-18%
1858
312%
217.9
-52%
509
13%
4K-64 Write
347.2
253.4
-27%
344.3
-1%
147.9
-57%
283
-18%
Copy ISO MB/s
704
236.2
-66%
1313
87%
545
-23%
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7
Transfer Rate Minimum: 386.9 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 879 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 754 MB/s
Access Time: 0.1 ms
Burst Rate: 275.2 MB/s
CPU Usage: 4.8 %

System Performance

CPU clock and temperature in PCMark 8 Work
CPU clock and temperature in PCMark 8 Work

Our CPU benchmarks already indicate that a common 15-watt Core i5-6200U is about 10 to 40% faster than the Core m5-6Y57. Therefore, the system performance of our Latitude cannot keep up with the actively-cooled competitors, which is also clearly shown by the synthetic PCMark results. However, we would not call the device slow: Common office, Internet and multimedia applications as well as light multi-tasking are handled without any problem. The loading times of Windows and applications are conveniently short.

That we are still missing the last bit of responsiveness is mainly due to the mediocre Turbo Boost utilization. Short peak load in particular, which is a common scenario in practice, would be handled better with the full 2.4 (Multi) and 2.8 GHz (Single), respectively.

Update: We have already mentioned that the Turbo Boost utilization of the CPU is much better after the BIOS update. This does not only improve the subjective system performance, but also the PCMark score – the Latitude is now pretty close to other Ultrabooks with normal ULV processors.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN256HCHP
3385 Points +11%
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
3305 Points +8%
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-138
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ512G8NY
3271 Points +7%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
HD Graphics 515, 6Y57, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7
3048 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 5300, 5Y31, Apple SSD AP0256
2671 Points -12%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
2550 Points -16%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
2426 Points -20%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN256HCHP
4150 Points +18%
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
4058 Points +15%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
HD Graphics 515, 6Y57, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7
3528 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 5300, 5Y31, Apple SSD AP0256
3276 Points -7%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
2968 Points -16%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN256HCHP
4342 Points +2%
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
4241 Points 0%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
HD Graphics 515, 6Y57, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7
4238 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
3550 Points -16%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 5300, 5Y31, Apple SSD AP0256
3488 Points -18%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
3186 Points -25%
PCMark 7 - Score
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN256HCHP
5350 Points +28%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
4274 Points +3%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
HD Graphics 515, 6Y57, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7
4165 Points
PCMark 7 Score
4165 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3048 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
3528 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4238 points
Help

GPU Performance

Hardware-accelerated HEVC playback
Hardware-accelerated HEVC playback

Just like the CPU performance, the GPU performance of the HD Graphics 515 is also primarily determined by the TDP. Even the Core-m3 models of the Surface Pro 4 and MacBook 12 manage a lead of about 25% over the Latitude in 3DMark 11, and the deficit is even bigger compared to the HD Graphics 520 from the common Core-i processors. Nevertheless, we do not think this is a big problem for a business device.

The headroom is definitely sufficient for smooth playback of high-resolution videos: Even our 4K sample video with the HEVC codec (Big Buck Bunny, 60 fps, 6.1 Mbps) does not result in a CPU load of 10%. Only the HEVC profile "Main 10" with a 10-bit color-depth is not fully accelerated by the Skylake hardware, so there can be stutters in extreme scenarios (Samsung UHD trailer "lovely Swiss" at 60 fps and 51.5 Mbps).

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
Intel Core i7-6500U, Intel HD Graphics 520
1386 Points +40%
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
Intel Core i5-6300U, Intel HD Graphics 520
1377 Points +39%
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-138
Intel Core i7-6500U, Intel HD Graphics 520
1377 Points +39%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30, Intel HD Graphics 515
1206 Points +22%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30, Intel HD Graphics 515
1186 Points +20%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
Intel Core m5-6Y57, Intel HD Graphics 515
992 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31, Intel HD Graphics 5300
859 Points -13%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
Intel Core i7-6500U, Intel HD Graphics 520
7516 Points +61%
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
Intel Core i5-6300U, Intel HD Graphics 520
6708 Points +44%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30, Intel HD Graphics 515
6597 Points +42%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30, Intel HD Graphics 515
6078 Points +30%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31, Intel HD Graphics 5300
5512 Points +18%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
Intel Core m5-6Y57, Intel HD Graphics 515
4658 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
Intel Core i7-6500U, Intel HD Graphics 520
959 Points +70%
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
Intel Core i5-6300U, Intel HD Graphics 520
900 Points +59%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30, Intel HD Graphics 515
810 Points +43%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30, Intel HD Graphics 515
735 Points +30%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2015) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core M-5Y31, Intel HD Graphics 5300
671 Points +19%
Dell Latitude 13 7370
Intel Core m5-6Y57, Intel HD Graphics 515
565 Points
3DMark 06 Standard Score
6244 points
3DMark 11 Performance
1094 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
38931 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
3481 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
509 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Modern games will not be very enjoyable on the Latitude. Games such as “Rise of the Tomb Raider”, “Just Cause 3” or “Anno 2205” are far from 30 fps, even at the lowest settings. The situation is better with classics like “Diablo 3” or “Counter Strike: Global Offensive”, which are at least playable in the WXGA resolution and medium details. Many more benchmarks with the HD Graphics 515 are available in our database.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 38 20.3 17.6 5.3
Metro: Last Light (2013) 16.4 13.5 8.7
Battlefield 4 (2013) 24.6 18.2 12.8

Emissions

System Noise

Due to the lack of a fan and a mechanical hard drive, the Latitude 13 is almost silent. Almost, because we can sometimes hear a very quiet electronic humming, but it is not audible from a normal viewing distance.

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test
Prime95
Prime95

The chassis barely warms up in practice despite the passive cooling solution, so you can easily use the Ultrabook on the lap. We would only describe the temperature development as moderate at most. One reason is the soft-touch surface, which is subjectively cooler compared to a metal construction. Only the center at the bottom of the device can be an inconvenient hot spot at around 50 °C (~122 °F) – after over an hour sustained load with Prime95 and FurMark, which is not very practical.

At just 65 °C (~149 °F), the Core-m5 is still quite cool and even beats some actively-cooled competitors. Maybe Dell should have allowed a higher TDP than 5.5 watts to increase the performance, at least in the High Performance mode: More than 800 MHz CPU and 300 MHZ GPU clock are not possible in the permissible consumption range, but we can at least see a core clock of 1.3 GHz when we only stress the processor.

 29 °C
84 F
30.5 °C
87 F
29.6 °C
85 F
 
 27.8 °C
82 F
30 °C
86 F
28.6 °C
83 F
 
 26.4 °C
80 F
26.3 °C
79 F
26.5 °C
80 F
 
Maximum: 30.5 °C = 87 F
Average: 28.3 °C = 83 F
29.3 °C
85 F
30.1 °C
86 F
28.3 °C
83 F
30.5 °C
87 F
31.2 °C
88 F
29.6 °C
85 F
27.1 °C
81 F
26.9 °C
80 F
26.1 °C
79 F
Maximum: 31.2 °C = 88 F
Average: 28.8 °C = 84 F
Power Supply (max.)  30.5 °C = 87 F | Room Temperature 21.4 °C = 71 F | Fluke 62 Max
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.7 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 43.2 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 50.8 °C / 123 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.3 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 29.8 °C / 85.6 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-1.5 °C / -2.7 F).

Speakers

Frequency response speakers (off, 50% volume, maximum volume)
Frequency response speakers (off, 50% volume, maximum volume)

Dell calls the stereo speakers "High Quality Speakers" and they actually do not only surprise with a remarkably high stability level, but also an unexpectedly balanced and rich sound. Even some signs of bass are perceptible, so the speakers work well for music and movie playback in medium-sized rooms. Headphones or external sound systems can either be attached via stereo jack (analogue) or via HDMI and Thunderbolt (digital), respectively (adapter might be required).

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Despite the Core-m platform, the Latitude 13 has an idle consumption between 5.0 and 8.0 watts, which is on par with a comparable Core-i Ultrabook. We can only see the results of the lower processor TDP under load: The 7370 consumes between 15 and 16 watts in 3DMark 06 and our stress test, respectively – roughly half of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon in this scenario. Short-time load (temporarily exceeded TDP at the start of the stress test) can increase the consumption to almost 27 watts, but the provided 45-watt power adapter does not have a problem with this value.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.35 / 0.5 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5 / 7.5 / 8 Watt
Load midlight 15.3 / 26.8 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.

Battery Runtime

Dell is not very generous in terms of the battery and has equippedped its notebook with a meager 34-Wh module by default; only the more expensive Core m7 configuration gets a larger 43-Wh battery. By the way, the latter is screwed inside the case and cannot be replaced without tools.

Thanks to the efficient hardware, even the small 34-Wh battery provides decent runtimes. Realistic runtimes for web browsing and video playback at medium brightness settings are about 6 hours, and it will always last almost 3 hours even under load. A completely discharged battery takes only about 60 minutes (notebook turned off) until it hits a capacity of 80% thanks to ExpressCharge.

Reader's Test
Reader's Test
WLAN test
WLAN test
H.264 test
H.264 test
Classic Test
Classic Test
Charging
Charging
Dell Latitude 13 7370
34 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 20FB003RGE
52 Wh
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3
45.6 Wh
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-138
52 Wh
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
41.4 Wh
Battery Runtime
18%
-16%
-6%
33%
Reader / Idle
588
942
60%
530
-10%
H.264
391
510
30%
339
-13%
512
31%
WiFi v1.3
367
429
17%
309
-16%
345
-6%
501
37%
Load
176
115
-35%
131
-26%
231
31%
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
9h 48min
WiFi Websurfing
6h 07min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
6h 31min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 56min

Pros

+ sophisticated and sturdy chassis
+ future-proof ports
+ fast wireless connections
+ precise input devices
+ solid application performance
+ low temperature development
+ fanless
+ 3 years warranty

Cons

- only 1x USB Type-A
- automatic brightness and contrast control
- limited upgradeability
- very high price

Verdict

Dell Latitude 13 7370, courtesy of Dell Germany
Dell Latitude 13 7370, courtesy of Dell Germany

An almost bezel-free display, passive cooling and Thunderbolt 3 ports – the Dell Latitude 13 7370 definitely stands out from the boring mainstream business notebooks. The Ultrabook does not have to fear many competitors in terms of mobility and quality and convinces with flawless build quality, excellent stability and firm input devices. The performance of the Core-m platform is also pretty good: Short peak load is – at least after the BIOS update – handled almost as good as by the actively-cooled rivals. The clocks and the performance will only take a noticeable hit under sustained load, but this should not be a common issue during your typical office tasks.

That the 7370 still just misses a very good rating is mainly a result of the display. Dell has implemented a very decent panel with a powerful background illumination, but you cannot always use it due to the automatic brightness and contrast adjustments. An annoying issue, but we still hope that another BIOS update will solve it. Should this be the case, only the extremely high price would prevent an unqualified purchase recommendation: Currently priced at around 2200 Euros (~$2468), the Latitude 13 is certainly no bargain – even an (admittedly rather consumer-oriented) Apple MacBook 12 is a few hundred Euros less expensive.

Dell Latitude 13 7370 - 05/12/2016 v5.1(old)
Till Schönborn

Chassis
90 /  98 → 91%
Keyboard
90%
Pointing Device
93%
Connectivity
67 / 80 → 84%
Weight
72 / 35-78 → 86%
Battery
88%
Display
80%
Games Performance
52 / 68 → 77%
Application Performance
77 / 87 → 89%
Temperature
88 / 91 → 97%
Noise
100%
Audio
70 / 91 → 77%
Camera
45 / 85 → 53%
Average
78%
87%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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Till Schönborn, 2016-05-18 (Update: 2018-05-15)