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Dell Latitude 5500 Review: A business laptop with many options

Matte touchscreen optional. Buyers of the Latitude 5500 have the choice among numerous equipment configurations that offer suitable elements for almost any demand in the business sector. In addition to various security features, there is optional LTE, as well as support for the coming Wi-Fi 6 standard. Our test shows what else buyers of the business notebook from Dell can expect.
Dell Latitude 5500

In our previous tests, the laptops of Dell's Latitude series often produced mixed results. For example, while the Dell Latitude 3590 was targeted towards small and growing companies as an affordable business notebook, it was marred by an insufficient display and annoying fan noises. The Latitude 5591 gave a similar impression. However, what both of these laptops had in common was that they offered very good workmanship and convincing input devices and security equipment.

At first glance, the latter qualities can also be seen in our current test unit, the Dell Latitude 5500. With an Intel Core i7-8665U and integrated UHD Graphics 620 graphics unit, a look at the datasheet also shows a good business performance. In addition, there is the maximum amount of working memory with 32 GB and a 1 TB SSD.

For a price of about 2200 Euros (~$2413; simpler configurations start from $978 in the US) - with the storage equipment of 32 GB of RAM and the 1 TB SSD increasing the price of our test unit significantly - buyers can also find good business notebooks from the competitors. In this test, we therefore compare the Latitude 5500 with HP's EliteBook 755 G5, the Lenovo ThinkPad T580, and Acer's Swift 5. For the benchmarks, we also include the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, because it uses the same CPU as our test model. At the bottom of each chart, you can also include additional notebooks from our database for comparison.

Dell Latitude 5500 (Latitude 15 5500 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8665U 4 x 1.9 - 4.8 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
Memory
32 GB 
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, capacitive, LGD05FF 156WFD, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Cannon Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02, 1024 GB 
, 879 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-LP - cAVS
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combined 3.5 mm audio port, Card Reader: microSD, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Intel Ethernet Connection I219-V (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 22 x 359 x 236 ( = 0.87 x 14.13 x 9.29 in)
Battery
68 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 MP, 16:9 (1280x720)
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.936 kg ( = 68.29 oz / 4.27 pounds), Power Supply: 293 g ( = 10.34 oz / 0.65 pounds)
Price
2200 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case and Equipment - A business notebook with many options

Maintenance options
Maintenance options

The plastic case of the Dell Latitude 5500 shows high-quality workmanship and offers comfortable haptics. The smooth surface does not show fingerprints, and all the gaps are even. However, due to the low weight of the base unit, the display lid can only be opened when holding down the base with your other hand. The opening angle is 180 degrees, and the display lid is stable enough that it can be moved with one hand without getting warped.

The bottom of the case of the Latitude 5500 can be removed fairly easily, after all the corresponding screws on the bottom have been removed. You then get access to the insides, allowing you to expand the working memory or replace the SSD, for example. The latter is built into our test model in the M.2 format and can also be replaced by a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive. However, you cannot use both, since the M.2 SSD has to be placed across the free SATA slot.

You can find the most necessary connections on the sides of the Dell notebook, with the Thunderbolt-3 port in particular warranting some mention. However, you need to preconfigure this, since Dell also offers a USB-3.1 Gen2 connection in Type-C format as well. For business users, the optional smartcard reader might also be interesting. Not only is the card reader itself present with its slot for insertion of the corresponding card, but if necessary, the Latitude 5500 can also be equipped with a wireless contact area and an NFC sensor below that. In addition, the webcam has a mechanical cover to protect you from unwanted eyes. 

Since the Latitude 5500 is also available with an optional LTE module, underneath the storage card reader is a place for the SIM card slot. The card reader itself can only accept microSD cards and offers very good speeds with 181 MB/s while reading and 195.2 MB/s while writing data. The WLAN module built into our test unit supports wireless networks in the 802.11ac standard and offers 2x2-MIMO antenna technology. This allows the business notebook to also achieve very good speeds in our tests, with 624 Mb/s while receiving and 634 Mb/s while transferring data. Optionally, the Dell Latitude 5500 is also available with a WLAN module that supports the coming 802.11ax standard with Wi-Fi 6.

Dell Latitude 5500
Dell Latitude 5500
Dell Latitude 5500
Dell Latitude 5500
Dell Latitude 5500
Dell Latitude 5500

Size Comparison

370 mm / 14.6 inch 252 mm / 9.92 inch 18.3 mm / 0.72 inch 1.8 kg3.92 lbs365.8 mm / 14.4 inch 252.8 mm / 9.95 inch 20.2 mm / 0.795 inch 2 kg4.32 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 236 mm / 9.29 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 1.9 kg4.27 lbs358 mm / 14.1 inch 230 mm / 9.06 inch 15.9 mm / 0.626 inch 999 g2.2 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connection Equipment

Left side: power, 1x Thunderbolt 3, 1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A, smartcard reader
Left side: power, 1x Thunderbolt 3, 1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A, smartcard reader
Right side: microSD card reader (top), microSIM card slot (bottom), audio combo, 2x USB, HDMI 1.4, GigabitLAN, Noble lock
Right side: microSD card reader (top), microSIM card slot (bottom), audio combo, 2x USB, HDMI 1.4, GigabitLAN, Noble lock
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell Latitude 5500
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
181 MB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
75.1 MB/s -59%
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=50, last 2 years)
55.6 MB/s -69%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell Latitude 5500
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
195.2 MB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
84.5 MB/s -57%
Average of class Office
  (26.4 - 173.2, n=44, last 2 years)
65.2 MB/s -67%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
638 (582min - 695max) MBit/s +1%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
634 MBit/s
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
564 MBit/s -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
124 MBit/s -80%
iperf3 receive AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
664 MBit/s +6%
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
647 (493min - 679max) MBit/s +4%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
624 MBit/s
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
355 MBit/s -43%

Input Devices - The Dell laptop offers a touchpad and TrackPoint

The keyboard of the Dell Latitude 5500 offers a full-sized number block and sufficiently large keys. All the keys can be reached easily, and only the Enter key turns out slightly small. The typing experience is slightly soft, but the pressure point is still clear. After a short period to get accustomed, longer typing tasks can also be performed easily. In addition, our test model can be equipped with an optional two-step keyboard illumination. Its brightness is distributed very evenly and ensures that the keyboard lettering can be easily recognized even in the dark.

As mouse replacement, there are a touchpad with separate mouse keys, and a TrackPoint, which also offers two separate mouse keys below the Space key. While the keys of the touchpad offer a low pressure point and soft feedback, the two keys of the TrackPoint are significantly harder to press. The TrackPoint is rubberized, which prevents slipping of the fingertip. The touchpad, on the other hand, is very smooth and offers a comfortable resistance to the fingers, allowing very precise navigation with the mouse pointer.

Dell Latitude 5500 - Input devices
Dell Latitude 5500 - Input devices

Display - An anti-glare touchscreen in the Latitude 5500

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid

The display in our test unit is a 15.6-inch IPS panel that supports touch and has a matte surface and resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The brightness of this display is 228 cd/m² on average and thus the lowest in our test field. On the other hand, at 93% the brightness distribution is the highest among our selected comparison devices. During our measurements, we also determined that PWM is not used for brightness control.

Interested buyers can choose among various display options. Besides the touchscreen we mentioned above, you can also choose a non-touch version that supposedly offers a brightness of 300 cd/m² and a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, according to the manufacturer. There is also a panel with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels that has a maximum brightness of about 220 cd/m².

227
cd/m²
231
cd/m²
231
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
234
cd/m²
235
cd/m²
221
cd/m²
219
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LGD05FF 156WFD tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 235 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 228.6 cd/m² Minimum: 12.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 233 cd/m²
Contrast: 1017:1 (Black: 0.23 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.6
ΔE Greyscale 2.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
57% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
36.2% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.33% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
57.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
38.07% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.44
Dell Latitude 5500
LGD05FF 156WFD, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
B156HAK02.0, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
LG Philips LP156WFA-SPG2, , 1920x1080, 15.60
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
BOE074E, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
-3%
73%
67%
Display P3 Coverage
38.07
36.94
-3%
66.8
75%
66.9
76%
sRGB Coverage
57.3
55.3
-3%
98
71%
90.2
57%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
39.33
38.16
-3%
67.8
72%
66.1
68%
Response Times
8%
6%
-9%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
37.6 ?(19.6, 18)
33.2 ?(15.6, 17.6)
12%
38 ?(19, 19)
-1%
39 ?(20, 19)
-4%
Response Time Black / White *
28.4 ?(17.2, 11.2)
27.6 ?(14.8, 12.8)
3%
25 ?(14, 11)
12%
32 ?(18, 14)
-13%
PWM Frequency
21000 ?(90)
Screen
-5%
38%
-20%
Brightness middle
234
254.5
9%
341
46%
456
95%
Brightness
229
238
4%
319
39%
410
79%
Brightness Distribution
93
87
-6%
87
-6%
84
-10%
Black Level *
0.23
0.27
-17%
0.31
-35%
0.62
-170%
Contrast
1017
943
-7%
1100
8%
735
-28%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.2
4.58
12%
2.01
61%
7.09
-36%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
14.7
17.99
-22%
4.74
68%
12.64
14%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.6
4.34
6%
1.11
76%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.5
3.3
-32%
2.01
20%
9.15
-266%
Gamma
2.44 90%
2.403 92%
2.52 87%
2.31 95%
CCT
6649 98%
6355 102%
6704 97%
7195 90%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
36.2
35
-3%
63
74%
59
63%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
57
55
-4%
98
72%
90
58%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
0% / -3%
39% / 41%
13% / -1%

* ... 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
28.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17.2 ms rise
↘ 11.2 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. » 71 % 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
37.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19.6 ms rise
↘ 18 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. » 48 % 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-space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 36%
Color-space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 36%
Color-space coverage (sRGB) - 57%
Color-space coverage (sRGB) - 57%
CalMAN - Color Accuracy
CalMAN - Color Accuracy
CalMAN - Color Accuracy (calibrated)
CalMAN - Color Accuracy (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscales
CalMAN - Grayscales
CalMAN - Grayscales (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscales (calibrated)

Our measurements attest the Dell Latitude 5500 with a good contrast ratio of 1017:1 and an also good black value of 0.28 cd/m². This causes the colors to appear well delineated and black tones are displayed relatively saturated. On the other hand, at 57% of the sRGB and 36% of the AdobeRGB color spaces, the coverage is only mediocre.

The CalMAN analysis also shows that the display reproduces the colors fairly balanced already in the state of delivery. With calibration, this low deviation can even be reduced further. You can find the link to the corresponding ICC file in the box above on the right, next to the graphic with the brightness distribution.

Viewing-angle stability
Viewing-angle stability
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Screen-bleeding
Screen-bleeding

Performance - Good system performance for the Dell Latitude 5500

LatencyMon
LatencyMon

The Dell Latitude 5500 is targeted towards business users who need a good system performance but do not have many demands on the graphics performance. As CPU options, you can choose among Intel's Core i3, i5, and i7 processors of the 8th generation, which are all equipped with an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics unit. If you do need a dedicated GPU, there is also an option for the AMD Radeon 540X.

Processor

Our test unit of the Latitude 5500 is equipped with an Intel Core i7-8665U. At the time of our test, this represents the most powerful CPU option and is based on Intel's Whiskey Lake architecture. Compared to Intel's Core i7-8550U, the i7-8665U offers a higher Turbo speed that, due to Intel's Thermal Velocity Boost, can even be maintained for longer, as long as the core temperatures remain within a low range. The basic clock speed of the quad-core processor is 1.9 GHz and the Turbo speed is 4.8 GHz. How long the latter can be maintained depends mainly on the cooling system that is used.

In our Cinebench R15 constant load test, the performance of the Dell Latitude 5500 soon drops after a short time by about 18%. This lower value can then be maintained fairly evenly until the end of the test, without fluctuating as much as, for example, is the case with the i7-8665U in the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon.

04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680720Tooltip
Dell Latitude 5500 Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel Core i7-8665U: Ø611 (599.53-729.94)
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel Core i7-8650U: Ø482 (448.21-590.42)
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6 Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel Core i7-8565U: Ø441 (424.51-542.46)
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Ryzen 7 2700U: Ø529 (517.48-625.79)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel Core i7-8665U: Ø632 (574.56-701.36)

In the Cinebench R15 single tests, the Latitude 5500 achieves very good values. In the single-core test, the business notebook from Dell is able to leave our selected competitors behind. The result in the multi-core test is still sufficient for second place in our test field. However, in battery operation, the available performance drops significantly, and only 324 points is scored in the multi-core test.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +8%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U
199 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U
180 Points -10%
Average Intel Core i7-8665U
  (143 - 199, n=7)
174 Points -13%
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
Intel Core i7-8565U
173 Points -13%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Intel Core i7-8650U
166 Points -17%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
134 Points -33%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +101%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U
701 (574.56min - 701.36max) Points +2%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U
688 (599.53min - 729.94max) Points
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
626 Points -9%
Average Intel Core i7-8665U
  (458 - 701, n=7)
612 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Intel Core i7-8650U
605 Points -12%
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
Intel Core i7-8565U
543 Points -21%
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
688 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
61 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
199 Points
Help

System Performance

In the PCMark tests on the system performance, the Dell Latitude 5500 also achieves very good values. While the business notebook is able to lead our test field in any of the disciplines of the PCMark 10 benchmark, it has to be content with second place in PCMark 8. During our testing period, the Dell laptop showed a smooth system operation and fast data access. We did not notice any micro stutters or anything similar.

On the other hand, at the beginning of our tests, the system froze up one time each during the PCMark 8 and the PCMark 10 benchmarks and could only be used again after a hard reboot. However, we were unable to reproduce this error and there were no further limitations in our remaining testing period.

You can find out about the performance of other notebooks compared to the Dell Latitude 5500 in our tests on our CPU benchmark page.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years)
5312 Points +18%
Dell Latitude 5500
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
4515 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3763 - 4515, n=7)
4070 Points -10%
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
4006 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
4005 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3933 Points -13%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
3087 Points -32%
Essentials
Dell Latitude 5500
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
9790 Points
Average of class Office
  (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years)
9781 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8071 - 9790, n=7)
8758 Points -11%
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
8493 Points -13%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
8199 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7951 Points -19%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
6278 Points -36%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years)
7439 Points +2%
Dell Latitude 5500
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
7281 Points
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
7050 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6506 - 7281, n=7)
6946 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
6870 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6809 Points -6%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
4325 Points -41%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years)
5732 Points +63%
Dell Latitude 5500
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
3506 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
3111 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3050 Points -13%
Average Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2677 - 3506, n=7)
3016 Points -14%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
2941 Points -16%
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
2915 Points -17%
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (2304 - 4830, n=12, last 2 years)
4261 Points +8%
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
4093 Points +3%
Dell Latitude 5500
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
3959 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
3823 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3547 - 4211, n=6)
3799 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3728 Points -6%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
3186 Points -20%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3959 points
PCMark 10 Score
4515 points
Help

Storage Solution

Dell has equipped our Latitude 5500 test unit with a 1 TB SSD from Toshiba. As typical for SSDs, this offers very fast read and write rates, leaving common HDDs significantly behind. In the comparison with the selected competing devices, the SSD in the Latitude 5500 is able to surpass most of the other storage solutions.

You can find out about the values achieved by other storage solutions in our tests on our HDD/SSD benchmark page.

Dell Latitude 5500
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
Average Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
 
Average of class Office
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-21%
-25%
-14%
37%
23%
49%
Write 4K
149
122.1
-18%
109.6
-26%
119.9
-20%
196.9
32%
136.3 ?(104.3 - 181.6, n=8)
-9%
156.6 ?(50.1 - 291, n=69, last 2 years)
5%
Read 4K
48.26
44.61
-8%
41.15
-15%
30.39
-37%
51.3
6%
50.7 ?(45.2 - 57.4, n=8)
5%
61 ?(20.6 - 90.2, n=69, last 2 years)
26%
Write Seq
1772
826
-53%
747
-58%
558
-69%
1715
-3%
1869 ?(1729 - 1986, n=7)
5%
2378 ?(315 - 5030, n=53, last 2 years)
34%
Read Seq
1200
811
-32%
1134
-5%
1689
41%
2464
105%
1984 ?(1200 - 2359, n=7)
65%
2593 ?(507 - 5559, n=53, last 2 years)
116%
Write 4K Q32T1
414.5
293.9
-29%
321.5
-22%
265.9
-36%
429.1
4%
435 ?(356 - 509, n=8)
5%
400 ?(162.5 - 809, n=69, last 2 years)
-3%
Read 4K Q32T1
393
374.8
-5%
354
-10%
329.5
-16%
542
38%
439 ?(389 - 545, n=8)
12%
511 ?(184.2 - 899, n=69, last 2 years)
30%
Write Seq Q32T1
2941
1714
-42%
872
-70%
710
-76%
2521
-14%
3019 ?(2813 - 3074, n=8)
3%
3018 ?(259 - 6207, n=69, last 2 years)
3%
Read Seq Q32T1
1510
1772
17%
1639
9%
2984
98%
3481
131%
3016 ?(1510 - 3297, n=8)
100%
4226 ?(454 - 7123, n=69, last 2 years)
180%
AS SSD
-6%
-26%
-328%
26%
4%
0%
Seq Read
1287
1454
13%
1446
12%
1810
41%
2978
131%
2385 ?(1287 - 2762, n=8)
85%
3122 ?(508 - 5796, n=102, last 2 years)
143%
Seq Write
1280
1324
3%
708
-45%
261.4
-80%
2287
79%
1491 ?(1257 - 2493, n=8)
16%
2036 ?(304 - 5880, n=102, last 2 years)
59%
4K Read
49.57
50.8
2%
44.27
-11%
24.38
-51%
47.39
-4%
47.9 ?(42.6 - 52.1, n=8)
-3%
56.1 ?(18.7 - 91.1, n=102, last 2 years)
13%
4K Write
158
106.2
-33%
124.8
-21%
5.77
-96%
175.6
11%
129.5 ?(98.3 - 158, n=8)
-18%
156.7 ?(35.4 - 350, n=102, last 2 years)
-1%
4K-64 Read
1043
1140
9%
788
-24%
528
-49%
1209
16%
1099 ?(896 - 1473, n=8)
5%
1044 ?(182.3 - 2713, n=102, last 2 years)
0%
4K-64 Write
1415
1325
-6%
737
-48%
90.7
-94%
1148
-19%
1440 ?(1142 - 1609, n=8)
2%
1458 ?(132.3 - 3394, n=102, last 2 years)
3%
Access Time Read *
0.039
0.047
-21%
0.2
-413%
0.05788 ?(0.039 - 0.094, n=8)
-48%
0.08214 ?(0.022 - 0.295, n=102, last 2 years)
-111%
Access Time Write *
0.027
0.035
-30%
0.033
-22%
0.748
-2670%
0.023
15%
0.03213 ?(0.027 - 0.039, n=8)
-19%
0.06413 ?(0.017 - 0.619, n=102, last 2 years)
-138%
Score Read
1221
1336
9%
977
-20%
733
-40%
1554
27%
1386 ?(1210 - 1801, n=8)
14%
1413 ?(252 - 3364, n=102, last 2 years)
16%
Score Write
1701
1564
-8%
932
-45%
123
-93%
1553
-9%
1718 ?(1406 - 1869, n=8)
1%
1818 ?(320 - 4111, n=102, last 2 years)
7%
Score Total
3558
3587
1%
2384
-33%
1157
-67%
3874
9%
3776 ?(3297 - 4568, n=8)
6%
3911 ?(704 - 9204, n=102, last 2 years)
10%
Copy ISO MB/s
955
1986 ?(790 - 3182, n=2)
1642 ?(230 - 3489, n=89, last 2 years)
Copy Program MB/s
327.1
564 ?(143.3 - 984, n=2)
504 ?(80.4 - 1049, n=89, last 2 years)
Copy Game MB/s
700
1110 ?(397 - 1824, n=2)
1156 ?(142.7 - 2780, n=89, last 2 years)
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-14% / -12%
-26% / -25%
-171% / -196%
32% / 31%
14% / 12%
25% / 21%

* ... smaller is better

Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
Sequential Read: 1188 MB/s
Sequential Write: 1765 MB/s
512K Read: 982 MB/s
512K Write: 1392 MB/s
4K Read: 38.42 MB/s
4K Write: 151.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 392.4 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 444.2 MB/s

Graphics Card

The Intel UHD Graphics 620 that is integrated into the Latitude 5500 benefits strongly from the built-in working memory. At 32 GB, not only is this abundant in Dell's business notebook, but it also operates in dual-channel mode. This leads to slightly better results in the 3DMark 11 benchmarks than for other notebooks that use this GPU. In our test field, only the HP EliteBook 755 G5 with AMD's integrated Radeon RX Vega 10 is able to do better.

You can find out about the performance users can expect from other GPUs on our GPU benchmark list.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points +193%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
2728 Points +36%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8665U
2006 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8665U
1983 Points -1%
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8565U
1866 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8650U
1802 Points -10%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points -13%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Office
  (712 - 8815, n=117, last 2 years)
4072 Points
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
1713 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8665U
1357 Points
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8565U
1323 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (557 - 2608, n=213)
1161 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8650U
1118 Points
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Office
  (5681 - 58068, n=98, last 2 years)
23871 Points
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8565U
10795 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8665U
10656 Points
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
10578 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6205 - 16400, n=225)
9262 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8650U
8948 Points
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Office
  (242 - 3186, n=113, last 2 years)
1323 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8665U
431 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (299 - 797, n=88)
389 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
2277 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The increased performance of the UHD Graphics 620 due to the large amount of working memory also becomes noticeable in the gaming tests. While Full HD gaming is still not possible even with older games, you can get quite smooth frame rates at a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. However, you should not even think about trying demanding or current games here, as only casual or older games can be played.

You can find out in our GPU games list what gaming performances to expect with Intel's UHD Graphics 620.

BioShock Infinite
1280x720 Very Low Preset
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
90.2 fps
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
86 fps -5%
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
76.5 fps -15%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (18.3 - 90.2, n=187)
60.7 fps -33%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
60 fps -33%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
57.1 fps -37%
1366x768 Medium Preset
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
42.62 fps
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
39.9 fps -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
36.9 fps -13%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (11.5 - 45.5, n=187)
32.8 fps -23%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
27 fps -37%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
fps -100%
1366x768 High Preset
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
35.9 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
35.5 fps -1%
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
33.5 fps -7%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8.1 - 35.9, n=187)
27.5 fps -23%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
22 fps -39%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
fps -100%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
14 fps +20%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
11.69 fps
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
9.4 fps -20%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (4.5 - 17, n=176)
9.2 fps -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
8.7 fps -26%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
8 fps -32%
Dota 2 Reborn
1280x720 min (0/3) fastest
Average of class Office
  (14.8 - 154.1, n=124, last 2 years)
100.4 fps +21%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
85 (76min) fps +2%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
83 (73.1min) fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (42.4 - 90, n=92)
71.9 fps -13%
1366x768 med (1/3)
Average of class Office
  (10.9 - 127, n=124, last 2 years)
75.8 fps +38%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
54.8 (48.3min) fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8.6 - 57.1, n=92)
43.5 fps -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
35.2 (27.4min) fps -36%
1920x1080 high (2/3)
Average of class Office
  (8.9 - 110.4, n=124, last 2 years)
49.6 fps +114%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
23.2 (21.6min) fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5.6 - 23.8, n=92)
19.7 fps -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
18.3 (15.3min) fps -21%
X-Plane 11.11
1280x720 low (fps_test=1)
Average of class Office
  (9.12 - 109.9, n=124, last 2 years)
39.9 fps +124%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
18.3 fps +3%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8.45 - 31.1, n=83)
18.3 fps +3%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
17.8 fps
1920x1080 med (fps_test=2)
Average of class Office
  (6.45 - 95.2, n=123, last 2 years)
31.5 fps +154%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (7.45 - 22.7, n=82)
13.5 fps +9%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
12.4 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
12 fps -3%
1920x1080 high (fps_test=3)
Average of class Office
  (5.55 - 73.4, n=124, last 2 years)
27.5 fps +157%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (7.91 - 19.1, n=79)
12.4 fps +16%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
12.1 fps +13%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
10.7 fps
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 90.2 42.62 35.9 11.69
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 83 54.8 23.2 20.2
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 17.8 12.4 10.7

Emissions and Power Management - A Dell notebook with a long battery life

Noise Emissions

During idle operation, the fans of the Dell Latitude 5500 remain turned off. Only under moderate load do they start revving up with a very quiet whir. The sound is very even and can be ignored easily while you work. This makes the business notebook also suitable for very quiet surroundings. We did not notice any other noises in our test unit such as coil whine.

Noise Level

Idle
28.8 / 28.8 / 28.8 dB(A)
Load
30.3 / 32.6 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: 28.8 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.330.33029.431.32527.52624.828.427.5312825.725.128.428402927.126.726.8295024.826.523.525.124.86322.52323.522.122.58024.12221.622.824.110023.222.421.223.623.212521.821.621.321.821.816021.721.121.522.221.720022.221.622.322.222.225021.621.121.620.321.631520.720.120.820.420.740020.219.719.419.920.250020.319.319.619.720.363020.318.819.218.820.38002118.918.418.321100021.319.418.117.121.312502220.218.117.122160021.819.717.316.421.8200023.419.916.415.723.4250021.117.215.815.521.1315020.41715.815.320.440002016.815.715.320500017.815.915.415.317.8630017.315.715.415.317.3800015.915.715.71515.91000015.215.715.614.915.21250015.115.115.214.815.11600014.715.215.414.814.7SPL32.630.329.228.832.6N1.71.31.21.21.7median 20.7median 19.3median 18.1median 17.1median 20.7Delta1.82.22.42.71.8hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseDell Latitude 5500

Temperature

Our measurements attest the Latitude 5500 with surface temperatures of up to 24.6 °C (76 °F) during idle operation and a maximum of 46.4 °C (115.5 °F) under load. The warmest spot is in the center back at the bottom. Our stress test also shows that the core temperatures increase to more than 95 °C (203 °F) just before the fans turn on. This might also be the reason for the crashes in our benchmark tests, since the system froze during the first attempt to start the test. Apparently the fans turn on slightly too late, causing the CPU to be cooled insufficiently and not in time.

After the restart, the Dell notebook was only able to last for 25 minutes of the hour-long test, before it simply turned itself off. According to our last look at HWInfo, the core temperatures were about 70 °C (158 °F) on average. In the beginning, the clock speeds dropped significantly below the basic clock speed of 1.9 GHz and then leveled out at about 1.8 GHz. Users should therefore expect some limitations when using the Dell Latitude 5500 due to the temperatures being too high, since not only did the problems occur during our stress test scenario, which is almost impossible to duplicate in real life, but also during the PCMark benchmarks.

Max. Load
 39.6 °C
103 F
38.2 °C
101 F
29.9 °C
86 F
 
 41 °C
106 F
35.5 °C
96 F
28.6 °C
83 F
 
 29.2 °C
85 F
28.6 °C
83 F
24.1 °C
75 F
 
Maximum: 41 °C = 106 F
Average: 32.7 °C = 91 F
32.9 °C
91 F
46.4 °C
116 F
40.2 °C
104 F
30.9 °C
88 F
43.8 °C
111 F
38.6 °C
101 F
23 °C
73 F
25.5 °C
78 F
24.8 °C
77 F
Maximum: 46.4 °C = 116 F
Average: 34 °C = 93 F
Power Supply (max.)  45 °C = 113 F | Room Temperature 20.6 °C = 69 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.7 °C / 91 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 41 °C / 106 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 46.4 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.2 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 29.2 °C / 84.6 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-1.5 °C / -2.7 F).
Heat map - top
Heat map - top
Heat map - bottom
Heat map - bottom

Speakers

The speakers of the Dell Latitude 5500 produce a mediocre volume and a sound spectrum that emphasizes the highs and mids. Lower tones drop strongly, causing a slightly weak sound impression. While the speakers are suitable for the occasional reproduction of media content, for more frequent usage, external speakers or headphones are recommended. They can be connected to the business laptop via the 3.5-mm audio combo port, which accepts the corresponding plugs tightly and has no negative impact on the sound quality.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2029.428.12528.426.23128.426.94026.8295025.1266322.124.28022.824.410023.628.912521.834.716022.240.920022.245.725020.345.631520.444.940019.951.550019.758.163018.864.580018.366.6100017.166.9125017.166.4160016.464.9200015.768.8250015.568.9315015.369.4400015.371.8500015.370.2630015.368.380001567.81000014.969.51250014.865.91600014.858.5SPL28.880.3N1.246.5median 17.1median 65.9Delta2.79.935.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseDell Latitude 5500Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Dell Latitude 5500 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.7% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 39% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 50% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 49% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 43% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Consumption

Our measurements attest the Latitude 5500 with a power consumption of at least 4.4 watts during idle operation and up to 69.1 watts under load. However, this value is only reached for a short time. During the course of the stress test, the consumption levels out at about 39 watts.

The included power supply offers a nominal performance of 65 watts and is thus sufficiently sized to provide the Latitude 5500 with power.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.29 / 0.82 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.4 / 6.9 / 7.7 Watt
Load midlight 43.6 / 69.1 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

The Latitude 5500 is able to last in our realistic WLAN test for slightly longer than 12 hours before it has to be reconnected to the charger. While this result clearly surpasses those of our selected competitors, the Dell notebook also has the battery with the largest capacity.

Using the included charger, the 68 Wh battery can be completely recharged within about two-and-a-half hours.

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Dell Latitude 5500
i7-8665U, UHD Graphics 620, 68 Wh
736 min
Average of class Office
  (272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
589 min -20%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
R7 2700U, Vega 10, 56 Wh
499 min -32%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
i7-8665U, UHD Graphics 620, 51 Wh
493 min -33%
Acer Swift 5 SF515-51T-76B6
i7-8565U, UHD Graphics 620, 53.9 Wh
430 min -42%
Lenovo ThinkPad T580-20L9001AUS
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620, 56 Wh
252 min -66%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
12h 16min

Pros

+ good system performance
+ wide choice of equipment configurations
+ numerous optional security features
+ fast WLAN
+ matte touchscreen
+ long battery life

Cons

- insufficient fan control
- mediocre speakers
- microSD card reader only

Verdict - The Latitude 5500 has heat problems

In review: Dell Latitude 5500. Test unit provided by Dell Germany.
In review: Dell Latitude 5500. Test unit provided by Dell Germany.

In our tests, the Dell Latitude 5500 presents itself as a solid business notebook with many features and good connectivity. From a fingerprint reader up to a smartcard reader and NFC, many options that ensure a lot of security even beyond TPM 2.0 are available. Those who want to be prepared for Wi-Fi 6 or use mobile Internet on the road will also find suitable equipment with the corresponding WLAN card and LTE. The hardware is up-to-date and can also be expanded easily. In addition, the battery life is also very good.

Business users will have a multitude of options with the Dell Latitude 5500, but they also have to live with a cooling system that is unable to cope with a very heavy load.

However, all the advantages are negated by a critical problem. The fan control is unable to handle sudden heavy system loads. It might happen sometimes that a notebook capitulates during our stress test, but it should not freeze up during the PCMark benchmarks. We cannot say at this time whether Dell will still fix this, but perhaps the fast processor with its high Turbo speed is simply too much for the cooling system. When in doubt, a "smaller" Core i5 might be the better choice.

Dell Latitude 5500 - 09/02/2019 v7
Mike Wobker

Chassis
79 / 98 → 81%
Keyboard
81%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
60 / 80 → 75%
Weight
64 / 20-75 → 80%
Battery
89%
Display
82%
Games Performance
52 / 78 → 67%
Application Performance
86 / 95 → 90%
Temperature
92%
Noise
98%
Audio
50%
Camera
45 / 85 → 53%
Add Points
-1%
Average
69%
83%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Dell Latitude 5500 Review: A business laptop with many options
Mike Wobker, 2019-09- 3 (Update: 2019-09- 4)