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Dell Latitude 5290 (i5-8250U, HD) Laptop Review

Display failure. Dell's Latitude series is mainly targeted towards business customers who have different demands than private consumers. However, does this mean that companies should offer a laptop with a bad display to their employees? This is exactly what they would do, if they purchased the Dell Latitude 5290 that we have tested extensively.

In general, compact 12-inch notebooks are not entrenched in the lower ranges of the market in the business segment. An exception is the Latitude-5000 series from Dell, since Dell also offers the more affordable Latitudes in the smaller form factor. Our current test unit, the Dell Latitude 5290, is the latest sprout of these mid-range Latitudes. We are particularly interested in the question of what comprises the manufacturer had to make compared to the more expensive subnotebooks. We therefore compare the Latitude with the Lenovo ThinkPad X280, the HP EliteBook 830 G5, and the Dell Latitude 7280. Of course the Latitude 5280 predecessor is also included in our comparison. 

Even though it belongs to the 5000 series, the Latitude is not a real bargain. For a sales price of almost 1300 Euros (~$1560, starting at $800 in the US for a simpler configuration), you can get the basic configuration of the Latitude 5290, which is also what we have. Its most important specifications include the Core i5-8250U, a 256-GB SSD, 8 GB of RAM, and an HD display.

Dell Latitude 5290 (Latitude 12 5200 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8250U 4 x 1.6 - 3.4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2400, 1 of 2 SO-DIMM slots occupied, 32 GB max.
Display
12.50 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 176 PPI, AUO B125XW01-V0, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U + iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN, 256 GB 
, M.2 SATA III , 210 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: Audio combo, Card Reader: MicroSD, Noble WedgeLock
Networking
Intel Ethernet Connection I219-LM (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 21.4 x 305.1 x 211.3 ( = 0.84 x 12.01 x 8.32 in)
Battery
51 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: 6-row chiclet keyboard, Keyboard Light: no, Dell SupportAssist, Dell Command, Microsoft Office trial, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.362 kg ( = 48.04 oz / 3 pounds), Power Supply: 300 g ( = 10.58 oz / 0.66 pounds)
Price
1300 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case and Features

The Latitude 5290 is a laptop with a modest black case that fits into its business surroundings just like a black suit.You can recognize it externally as an affordable Latitude by the thickness of its case, and the Latitude 7280 is noticeably and visibly slimmer. The materials are also more affordable, and plastic has been used more generously. At the palm rest and the back of the display lid, the surfaces are lacquered velvety soft, while the display frame and the case bottom are made from unlacquered, rougher plastic. In terms of its stability, the case is not bad at all, and the keyboard can only be pressed down minimally in the center. However, the display lid is slightly weaker. Pressure on the back of the lid is transferred relatively quickly onto the LCD panel. The drop down hinges which hold the display in place do not allow single-handed opening of the display lid. On the other hand, they at least allow opening the display lid up to 180°.

In order to access the components of the Latitude, you need to remove the bottom plate, and to do this, you have to remove the screws and clips. Once you have managed that, you can get access to all the important components. The empty 2.5-inch slot is immediately noticeable. However, you cannot use it easily, since you would need a cable and a frame which are not included in the scope of delivery.

The Latitude still offers a VGA connection - a rarity in the year 2018. But this does not mean that you have to do without the modern standards, since USB Type-C is also there. Even though this connection cannot handle Thunderbolt, at least you can charge the notebook with it and also connect a monitor via the DisplayPort. The Dell Latitude Ultrabook also has a microSD card reader, which is customary for subnotebooks at this point. While this card reader performs at an above-average speed, its position at the back is bad.

Size Comparison

310 mm / 12.2 inch 229 mm / 9.02 inch 17.7 mm / 0.697 inch 1.3 kg2.93 lbs305.2 mm / 12 inch 211.3 mm / 8.32 inch 21.4 mm / 0.843 inch 1.4 kg3 lbs305.1 mm / 12 inch 211.3 mm / 8.32 inch 21.4 mm / 0.843 inch 1.4 kg3 lbs307.7 mm / 12.1 inch 209.8 mm / 8.26 inch 17.4 mm / 0.685 inch 1.1 kg2.51 lbs305 mm / 12 inch 209 mm / 8.23 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 1.3 kg2.87 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connection Equipment

Left: power connection, USB 3.1 Gen1 Type C, HDMI, USB 3.0 Type A
Left: power connection, USB 3.1 Gen1 Type C, HDMI, USB 3.0 Type A
Right: audio combo, USB 3.0 Type A, VGA, RJ45 Ethernet, Noble lock
Right: audio combo, USB 3.0 Type A, VGA, RJ45 Ethernet, Noble lock
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell Latitude 5290
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
136 MB/s
Dell Latitude 7280
  (Toshiba THN-M401S0640E2)
77 MB/s -43%
Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
  (Toshiba Excerie Pro M501)
76.8 MB/s -44%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (19.5 - 193.9, n=16, last 2 years)
69.6 MB/s -49%
Dell Latitude 5280
  (Toshiba THN-M401S0640E2)
45.51 MB/s -67%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell Latitude 5290
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
193.5 MB/s
Dell Latitude 5280
  (Toshiba THN-M401S0640E2)
92 MB/s -52%
Dell Latitude 7280
  (Toshiba THN-M401S0640E2)
90.9 MB/s -53%
Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
  (Toshiba Excerie Pro M501)
86.1 MB/s -56%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (23.6 - 239, n=16, last 2 years)
84.3 MB/s -56%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Dell Latitude 7280
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
530 MBit/s +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
525 MBit/s +1%
Dell Latitude 5290
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
521 MBit/s
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
512 MBit/s -2%
Dell Latitude 5280
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
497 MBit/s -5%
iperf3 receive AX12
Dell Latitude 5280
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
650 MBit/s +6%
Dell Latitude 7280
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
641 MBit/s +5%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
639 MBit/s +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
634 MBit/s +4%
Dell Latitude 5290
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
611 MBit/s

Input Devices

The only colored accents in the design of the Latitude are the blue FN markings on the chiclet keyboard. The keyboard has six rows, and a variant without a backlight is built into our Dell Latitude 12 5290 test unit. Even though there would still be some more space on the left and right of the keyboard, Dell still uses a keyboard with slightly smaller keys. For example, you can see this looking at the Enter key which is less wide. The typing experience on the slightly roughened keys is pleasant. The stroke is generous for current standards, and the pressure point is neither too soft, nor too tight. You might need some time to get used to the smaller layout, but Dell has created a smaller layout that is very usable overall.

Dell is using a traditional touchpad with dedicated mouse keys below a fixed touch area. While this reminds us of the last decade, using it is not uncomfortable at all. Even though the plastic surface does not have a high-quality feel and the sliding characteristics are not ideal, the touchpad is not really bad either. At least, it is also a Microsoft-Precision TrackPad. A TrackPoint equivalent is not available in the 12-inch Latitudes.

Keyboard area of the Dell Latitude 5290
Keyboard area of the Dell Latitude 5290

Display

Pixel grid Dell Latitude 5290
Pixel grid Dell Latitude 5290
TN display without backlight bleeding
TN display without backlight bleeding

The earlier Latitude 5280 already had a bad HD TN display (1366x768) and the AUO panel that Dell uses in the Latitude 5290 is even worse. It is even darker, among other things. On average, the display achieves only 218 cd/m². We would normally recommend purchasing the test unit with another display option. But the problem is that there is no other display option, neither currently on the German market, nor according to the data sheet.

So naturally, the Latitude 5290 is defeated by the competitors in every respect, since they are all equipped with Full HD IPS displays (1920x1080). Not only do these screens have a higher contrast, but also a higher brightness of more than 300 cd/m². The inadequate stability of the viewing angles which is typical for TN LCDs naturally adds to the problem. On the other hand, the display has no backlight bleeding, but considering the terrible black value and the bad contrast, this does not matter anymore.

212
cd/m²
199
cd/m²
209
cd/m²
224
cd/m²
232
cd/m²
218
cd/m²
219
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
222
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AUO B125XW01-V0 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 232 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 218.2 cd/m² Minimum: 14.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 232 cd/m²
Contrast: 430:1 (Black: 0.54 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 11.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.9
ΔE Greyscale 13.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
59.2% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
37.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.56% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
59% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.22% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.13
Dell Latitude 5290
AUO B125XW01-V0, , 1366x768, 12.50
Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
B125HAN02.2, , 1920x1080, 12.50
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
IVO M133NVF3-R0, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Dell Latitude 7280
AUO236D , , 1920x1080, 12.50
Dell Latitude 5280
1366x768, 12.50
Display
11%
59%
12%
0%
Display P3 Coverage
39.22
44
12%
64.2
64%
44.41
13%
39.34
0%
sRGB Coverage
59
64.5
9%
89.2
51%
65.4
11%
59.2
0%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
40.56
45.45
12%
65.2
61%
45.9
13%
40.67
0%
Response Times
-58%
-36%
-57%
-36%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
46.8 ?(26.8, 20)
40 ?(22, 18)
15%
36 ?(18.8, 17.2)
23%
32.4 ?(12.4, 20)
31%
42 ?(21.2, 20.8)
10%
Response Time Black / White *
12.8 ?(7.6, 5.2)
29.6 ?(16.4, 13.2)
-131%
24.8 ?(14, 10.8)
-94%
31.2 ?(9.2, 22)
-144%
23.2 ?(17.2, 6)
-81%
PWM Frequency
1020 ?(99)
Screen
54%
67%
39%
-3%
Brightness middle
232
344
48%
316
36%
310.4
34%
251.8
9%
Brightness
218
313
44%
326
50%
301
38%
246
13%
Brightness Distribution
86
82
-5%
85
-1%
88
2%
90
5%
Black Level *
0.54
0.25
54%
0.19
65%
0.32
41%
0.75
-39%
Contrast
430
1376
220%
1663
287%
970
126%
336
-22%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
11.8
4.7
60%
4.5
62%
5.9
50%
11.3
4%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
23.2
19.4
16%
12.1
48%
21
9%
23.1
-0%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.9
2.9
26%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
13.9
2.2
84%
5
64%
5.1
63%
13.2
5%
Gamma
2.13 103%
2.16 102%
2.22 99%
2.33 94%
2.05 107%
CCT
16629 39%
6252 104%
6018 108%
6816 95%
14912 44%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
37.6
41.2
10%
57.9
54%
42
12%
37.6
0%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
59.2
64.1
8%
87.3
47%
65
10%
59.2
0%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
2% / 30%
30% / 53%
-2% / 21%
-13% / -6%

* ... smaller is better

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
12.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7.6 ms rise
↘ 5.2 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 28 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
46.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 26.8 ms rise
↘ 20 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.

Color values
Color values
Saturation
Saturation
Grayscales
Grayscales
Color values (calibrated)
Color values (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)
Grayscales (calibrated)
Grayscales (calibrated)

We do not need to waste many words on the color space coverage, since at 59.2% of the sRGB color space, it is inadequate. Considering the cheap HD TN display, a different result would have really surprised us. The display is not suited for any kind of work on colors.

Despite the rather low display brightness, you can still use it outdoors, thanks to the matte display surface. However, you always have to stay in the shade, since barely 220 cd/m² does not begin to be enough to fight against the sun. Even indirect sunlight is a problem with this display.

sRGB: 59.2%
sRGB: 59.2%
AdobeRGB: 37.6%
AdobeRGB: 37.6%
Outdoors (cloudy)
Outdoors (cloudy)
TN displays...
TN displays...
...hava a very bad...
...hava a very bad...
...viewing angle stability.
...viewing angle stability.

Performance

The number of configuration options is not really ample in the Dell 5290. Currently, you can get two different models from various traders in Germany. The only difference between these models is the built-in processor: one model uses the Intel Core i5-8250U, while the other uses the Core i7-8650U vPro processor. Both models use a 256-GB SSD and 8 GB of DDR4-2400 RAM (expandable to a maximum of 32 GB). If you order directly from the Dell shop, you will have only a few options more in the laptop configurator: The most affordable model has the Core i5-8350U, and in addition you can configure the Latitude with a WWAN card and a backlit keyboard.

HWiNFO
HWiNFO
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z caches
CPU-Z caches
CPU-Z mainboard
CPU-Z mainboard
CPU-Z memory
CPU-Z memory
CPU-Z SPD
CPU-Z SPD
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
LatencyMon
LatencyMon

Processor

The Intel Core i5-8250U is the most affordable quad-core processor of the U series from Intel. The U series is an "ultra-low Voltage" series, whose processors also have a TDP of 15 watts in general. The basic clock speed of the Core i5-8250U is 1.6 GHz and the Turbo speed of 3.4 GHz. Our CPU benchmark list offers further benchmarks on this processor.

Dell has provided the processor with a wide range, with the TDP of 25 watts instead of 15 watts. The processor is even enabled to use up to 44 watts for up to 28 seconds. Thus, it reaches a very good result of more than 700 points in the first iteration of the Cinebench loop, which is close to the maximum for this processor. However, in the second run the maximum boost performance is not available anymore, so that the performance drops from 3.4 to 3 GHz accordingly. Continuing the test, the performance then drops slightly further, fluctuating while doing this. The reason for this lies in a temperature limit, which Dell has set to about 90 °C (194 °F). If this limit is reached, the clock speed drops down to 2.7 GHz temporarily, until the temperatures have gone down a bit. 

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590600610620630640650660670680690700710720Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

The multicore boost performance of the Core i5-8250U in the Latitude is excellent, almost at the same level as the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s, which has achieved the best performance with this processor up until now. The performance during continuous load is not quite as excellent, but still significantly above average.

The CPU performance is not throttled in battery operation.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (91.8 - 280, n=62, last 2 years)
234 Points +59%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
169 Points +15%
Dell Latitude 7280
Intel Core i7-7600U
164 Points +12%
Dell Latitude 5290
Intel Core i5-8250U
147 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (81 - 147, n=97)
141.1 Points -4%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel Core i5-7200U
129 Points -12%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (514 - 2581, n=70, last 2 years)
1705 Points +136%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel Core i5-8250U
724 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02D00
Intel Core i5-8250U
716 Points -1%
Dell Latitude 5290
Intel Core i5-8250U
721 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
Intel Core i5-8250U
684 Points -5%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (320 - 730, n=101)
570 Points -21%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
566 (526min - 566max) Points -21%
Dell Latitude 7280
Intel Core i7-7600U
351 Points -51%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel Core i5-7200U
328 Points -55%
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
46.74 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
721 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
147 Points
Help

System Performance

In the PCMark8 benchmark, the Latitude is at the top of the field, which is not surprising considering the good CPU performance and the low display resolution. During everyday use, the Latitude similarly runs very fast.

PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4730 - 5285, n=3, last 2 years)
5030 Points +25%
Dell Latitude 5290
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
4019 Points
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
3948 Points -2%
Dell Latitude 7280
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, SanDisk X400 M.2 2280 256GB
3667 Points -9%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2986 - 4458, n=69)
3584 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3574 Points -11%
Dell Latitude 5280
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba MQ01ACF050
3409 Points -15%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4019 points
PCMark 10 Score
3741 points
Help

Storage Solution

A 256-GB M.2 SSD from Micron with the model number MTFDDAV256TBN serves as the single storage unit of the Dell Latitude 5290 business notebook. This is a SATA-III SSD as you can find it nowadays only in budget PCs. The SSD achieves a performance suitable for everyday work, but if you need to copy larger amounts of data, you could notice the difference to a faster PCIe-NVMe SSD. All the comparison devices are better, and only the Dell Latitude 5280 predecessor was even worse, since it used an HDD.

Dell Latitude 5290
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
Dell Latitude 7280
SanDisk X400 M.2 2280 256GB
Dell Latitude 5280
Toshiba MQ01ACF050
Average Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
 
Average of class Subnotebook
 
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
409%
278%
55%
-85%
40%
660%
Read Seq
472.8
2535
436%
2331
393%
470.8
0%
107.5
-77%
465 ?(413 - 490, n=22)
-2%
2558 ?(last 2 years)
441%
Write Seq
164.5
1236
651%
1114
577%
477.4
190%
95.3
-42%
379 ?(164.5 - 471, n=22)
130%
3865 ?(last 2 years)
2250%
Read 512
310.1
1751
465%
1219
293%
370.1
19%
31.13
-90%
315 ?(249 - 360, n=22)
2%
1549 ?(last 2 years)
400%
Write 512
163.4
1864
1041%
1058
547%
323.2
98%
45.49
-72%
315 ?(157 - 447, n=22)
93%
1763 ?(last 2 years)
979%
Read 4k
19.71
59.3
201%
49.4
151%
30.23
53%
0.357
-98%
24.6 ?(14 - 29, n=22)
25%
55 ?(last 2 years)
179%
Write 4k
83.5
129.4
55%
113.9
36%
59.5
-29%
0.827
-99%
80.8 ?(62.4 - 101.9, n=22)
-3%
326 ?(last 2 years)
290%
Read 4k QD32
173.4
387.9
124%
305
76%
344.4
99%
0.737
-100%
227 ?(148.7 - 248, n=22)
31%
958 ?(last 2 years)
452%
Write 4k QD32
163.5
646
295%
412.8
152%
183
12%
0.795
-100%
233 ?(123 - 300, n=22)
43%
641 ?(last 2 years)
292%
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Sequential Read: 472.8 MB/s
Sequential Write: 164.5 MB/s
512K Read: 310.1 MB/s
512K Write: 163.4 MB/s
4K Read: 19.71 MB/s
4K Write: 83.5 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 173.4 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 163.5 MB/s

Graphics Card

The Intel UHD Graphics 620, which is included in all the Kaby Lake Refresh CPUs, is an integrated graphics card with 24 execution units. Since it does not have its own storage, it has to use the main storage. Correspondingly, the GPU performance is dependent on whether the storage runs in single or dual-channel mode. Since it operates in single-channel mode in our test unit, the potential of the graphics chip is not fully used. You can change this easily by adding a second storage module. 

There is no limitation of the GPU performance in battery operation.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2979 - 16904, n=55, last 2 years)
8016 Points +396%
Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1821 Points +13%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points +8%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1728 Points +7%
Dell Latitude 5290
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1616 Points
Dell Latitude 7280
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7600U
1442 Points -11%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1309 Points -19%
3DMark 11 Performance
1770 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
7862 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
904 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The Dell Latitude 5290 is not a gaming system, and the built-in iGPU is too weak for almost all the newer games. If you want to play games, you should look for a different PC.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 51.8 29.6 24.2

Emissions and Power Management

Noise Emissions

During idle operation and low loads, the fan of the Latitude 12 5290 hardly ever starts, so Dell has optimized the fan control well. Under load, on the other hand, the running fan can easily be heard, but this might be necessary to provide decent cooling to the powerful processor. We do not notice any coil whining which afflicted other Dell systems such as the older XPS 13.

Noise Level

Idle
29.3 / 29.3 / 29.3 dB(A)
Load
34.3 / 39.1 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.3 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.13331.732.531.12529.232.230.327.429.23129.83232.131.329.84032.12931.930.332.15028.127.727.829.128.16325.526.826.524.725.58027.325.126.825.327.310029.224.926.425.229.212525.124.524.423.825.116024.324.22423.324.320024.423.122.822.524.425023.622.121.621.223.631523.221.319.52023.240024.621.319.619.424.650027.122.719.718.727.163026.922.618.117.426.980026.522.619.216.826.5100028.424.619.716.628.412502923.918.416.62916003024.918.816.230200029.824.417.81629.8250028.724.316.916.328.7315027.419.91716.827.4400023.618.717.116.923.6500023.218.917.51723.2630021.418.317.817.221.4800020.117.817.817.620.11000018.217.717.617.718.21250017.717.517.617.617.71600017.517.417.517.817.5SPL39.134.330.329.339.1N321.41.23median 24.6median 22.6median 18.4median 17.6median 24.6Delta3.43.21.41.43.43232.332.132.132.533.63029.730.233.735.633.933.533.933.432.531.434.13133.229.428.127.82930.228.725.926.626.626.224.725.125.325.426.825.923.923.924.525.924.123.122.623.82522.721.822.422.824.822.12222.321.721.320.822.221.121.121.12120.120.320.421.622.421.320.218.720.423.121.720.818.320.222.620.519.617.62124.221.720.21720.125.523.421.817.420.927.324.521.316.321.127.124.321.31621.629.526.523.41622.229.726.723.91623.129.727.223.716.422.429.32727.416.72329.928.723.91720.727.122.519.517.118.923.921.419.217.618.622.72018.317.717.920.218.518.217.817.618.717.917.717.517.639.737.234.829.233.43.12.521.21.9median 24.1median 22.2median 21.3median 17.6median 21.13.11.81.61.61.4hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseDell Latitude 5290Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00

Temperatures

Under load, the case heats up noticeably,  particularly at the bottom. In the center, a maximum of 51 °C (124 °F) is possible, which does give some reason for concern, since during long work sessions, using it on your lap can become uncomfortable.

In the stress test with Prime95 and FurMark, the processor starts operating at 3 GHz, and after 28 seconds the speed drops to about 2.6 GHz. This is because the CPU cores have to share the TDP of 25 watts with the iGPU. After about 10 minutes, the CPU speed stabilizes at 1.8 GHz, which is due to a temperature limit that the manufacturer has set at about 80 °C (176 °F) for simultaneous CPU and GPU load. During the course of the test, the speed continues to drop slightly more, down to the basic clock speed of 1.6 GHz. Since the speed never drops below the basic clock speed, thermal throttling does not occur.

A 3DMark11 that we ran right after the stress test showed normal results.

Stress test (Prime95 and FurMark) after 10 minutes
Stress test (Prime95 and FurMark) after 10 minutes
Stress test (Prime95 and FurMark) after 51 minutes
Stress test (Prime95 and FurMark) after 51 minutes
Max. Load
 41.2 °C
106 F
41.1 °C
106 F
37.2 °C
99 F
 
 39.7 °C
103 F
39.2 °C
103 F
36.1 °C
97 F
 
 30.3 °C
87 F
28.3 °C
83 F
26.2 °C
79 F
 
Maximum: 41.2 °C = 106 F
Average: 35.5 °C = 96 F
41.6 °C
107 F
48.6 °C
119 F
49 °C
120 F
32.6 °C
91 F
51 °C
124 F
48.8 °C
120 F
23.8 °C
75 F
29.9 °C
86 F
30.5 °C
87 F
Maximum: 51 °C = 124 F
Average: 39.5 °C = 103 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.8 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 21.2 °C = 70 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.5 °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 41.2 °C / 106 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 51 °C / 124 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.3 °C / 76 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 30.3 °C / 86.5 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 (-2 °C / -3.6 F).
Stress test (top)
Stress test (top)
Stress test (bottom)
Stress test (bottom)

Speakers

For a subnotebook of the business realm, the speakers of the Dell Latitude 5290 are quite good. In comparison, the speakers of the Lenovo ThinkPad X280 are considerably quieter and less balanced. The Latitude speakers only lack bass completely, but this is almost always the case for notebooks. You get an even better sound experience, if you use external speakers or headphones, which can be connected to the audio port.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.535.42527.432.63131.333.24030.334.85029.132.86324.732.68025.337.110025.243.512523.843.816023.346.120022.550.725021.250.93152052.440019.461.750018.767.163017.474.180016.878.1100016.675.1125016.671160016.272.920001675.1250016.374.3315016.875.6400016.977.250001775.9630017.270.1800017.669.51000017.777.41250017.676.51600017.867.1SPL29.386.7N1.269.8median 17.6median 71Delta1.48.627.735.928.53231.136.929.132.531.627.725.82624.525.624.127.422.232.522.842.721.750.220.854.819.756.618.6581864.217.262.316.870.11871.316.263.815.958.71662.415.961.816.161.816.461.116.966.81764.417.362.117.459.417.356.717.257.329.176.81.239.4median 17.3median 61.11.74.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseDell Latitude 5290Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Dell Latitude 5290 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.1% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (4.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.2% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 37% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 25% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 68% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (76.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.1% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 43% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 49% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 30% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Consumption

Under low load, laptops with ULV processors often run very efficiently, and this is also the case for the Latitude 5290. The maximum idle usage of 5.2 watts is a very good result.

The included power supply provides 65 watts to the Dell Laptop. Although the Latitude 5290 uses slightly more under load, since the consumption is lowered during the stress test anyway, the power supply does provide sufficient power.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.28 / 0.47 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.68 / 4.3 / 5.2 Watt
Load midlight 40.3 / 68 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 Life

Charging time: 150 minutes
Charging time: 150 minutes

The specifications of the Latitude 5290 lists a total of three different battery options: a 42-Wh battery, a 51-Wh battery, and a battery with 68-Wh. All the configurations available in Germany have the medium 51-Wh battery, which is built into the case. With this battery, Dell achieves a very decent Wi-Fi battery life of 10 hours and 6 minutes. For example, the Latitude 5280 predecessor only lasted less than 8 hours. The Lenovo ThinkPad X280 also did not fare quite as well in the WLAN test, with the lesser power consumption due to the display having a lower resolution likely providing an advantage for the Latitude in this respect.

It takes 150 minutes to charge the battery.

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Dell Latitude 7280
i7-7600U, HD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
682 min +13%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (303 - 1144, n=64, last 2 years)
623 min +3%
Dell Latitude 5290
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 51 Wh
606 min
Lenovo ThinkPad X280-20KES01S00
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 50 Wh
531 min -12%
Dell Latitude 5280
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 51 Wh
470 min -22%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 49 Wh
424 min -30%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge)
10h 06min

Pros

+ robust case
+ VGA available
+ above-average CPU performance
+ good battery life
+ relatively good speakers
+ two RAM slots

Cons

- abysmal HD TN display
- no pointing stick
- lack of keyboard illumination
- bad positioning of the microSD card reader
- only 12 months of warranty
- only a SATA-III SSD

Verdict

Testing the Dell Latitude 5290, provided by cyberport
Testing the Dell Latitude 5290, provided by cyberport

The Latitude 5290 is a compact laptop that Dell has optimized through and through for use in business - with all the advantages and disadvantages that are accompanying such an orientation towards specific target groups.

The advantages include for example, the good keyboard and the robust case. The Latitude also has VGA, a connection that is probably still appreciated by some users in the business sector, since there are probably still many VGA projectors around. Furthermore, the Latitude always runs very quietly during idle, while still offering an above-average CPU performance. The battery life is good, and the speakers are also not bad for a small business device. With two RAM slots and up to 32 GB of working memory, the Latitude is also expandable.

The greatest problem of the Latitude 5290 which casts a cloud over everything else is the LCD panel. Dell uses an absolutely inferior HD TN display, as you can still find it today in many business laptops. That is why most of them are still belonging to the below-1000-Euro price range (~$1200). But in terms of its price, the Latitude 5290 plays in a higher league. So this display is just completely out of place. Compared to this, the other problems of the Latitude such as the lack of a TrackPoint or a keyboard illumination, the bad positioning of the microSD card slot, the short warranty, or the SATA-III SSD are rather minor blemishes.

Even though the Dell Latitude 5290 can score in many respects, it does not earn our recommendation. Businesses should not mistreat the eyes of their employees with such a bad display.

Naturally, the Dell Latitude 5290 does not receive a recommendation, since the display is simply too abysmal for a device of this price range. If Dell would only offer a better display, it could have been an interesting device. Business customers who care about the eyes of their employees should look for others models such as the Lenovo ThinkPad X280 or the HP EliteBook 830 G5 (to be tested soon). The Dell Latitude 7290 we have not tested yet might also be a better option.

Dell Latitude 5290 - 04/30/2018 v6(old)
Benjamin Herzig

Chassis
85 /  98 → 87%
Keyboard
75%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
58 / 80 → 72%
Weight
71 / 35-78 → 83%
Battery
93%
Display
74%
Games Performance
58 / 68 → 85%
Application Performance
85 / 87 → 97%
Temperature
90 / 91 → 99%
Noise
96%
Audio
56 / 91 → 62%
Camera
38 / 85 → 44%
Average
74%
84%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Dell Latitude 5290 (i5-8250U, HD) Laptop Review
Benjamin Herzig, 2018-05- 2 (Update: 2018-05- 3)