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Dell Latitude 7300 Laptop Review: business subnotebook falls short of its performance goals

Small business professional with exceptional battery life. Intel's Whiskey Lake CPUs found their way into Dell's Latitude series. The redesigned Latitude 7300 features one as well, and it surprised us with its decent upgradeability (RAM) and long battery life. Unfortunately, not all that glitters is gold, and the laptop's CPU performance was the fly in the ointment.

The Latitude-series is one of Dell’s most important brands. Among consumers, it may not be as widely known as the XPS-series. However, that is not the market segment Dell is aiming for. Latitudes are made for the business-to-business market – think big corporations.

Today’s review unit is a very typical Latitude business laptop. The Latitude 7300 is a traditional subnotebook for business road warriors, and it is also the successor to two separate Latitude models: the Latitude 7290 and the Dell Latitude 7390. Basically, Dell has cancelled its 12.5-inch series and decided to focus all of its business subnotebook attention on the 13.3-inch Latitude 7300 instead. The name is a bit of a quirk, too. Instead of introducing a new scheme Dell decided to simply push the reset button and start from scratch. The fact that the 7300 is the successor to the Dell Latitude 7390 might not be particularly intuitive; however, it allowed Dell to keep its well-known and established numbering scheme alive.

Dell’s largest competitors in this market segment are without a doubt Lenovo’s ThinkPads and HP’s EliteBooks. Accordingly, with the Lenovo ThinkPad X390 and the EliteBook 830 G5 we chose two similar subnotebooks made by these OEMs to compare Dell’s latest Latitude to. In addition, we also included Dell’s popular XPS 13 9380, a 13.3-inch consumer-level notebook.

Our review model is not available everywhere. Our particular SKU came with carbon-fiber lid, Intel Core i7-8665U, 32 GB of RAM, 512 GB SSD, and an FHD touchscreen. The most powerful Latitude 7300 available in Europe at the time of writing featured the same CPU and the same SSD but only half the amount of RAM, an aluminum case, and a non-touch LCD display. In return, the aluminum case was not available at all in the US and Canada at the time of writing, and all 7300 SKUs sold in the US and Canada were equipped with the carbon-fiber lid instead.

Dell Latitude 7300-P99G (Latitude 13 7300 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8665U 4 x 1.9 - 4.8 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
Memory
32 GB 
, DDR4-2400, 2 of 2 slots populated
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 166 PPI, 10-point touchscreen, B133HAK, IPS LED, semi-matte surface, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Cannon Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, 512 GB 
, M.2 2280, PCIe NVMe, 411 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: combo audio, Card Reader: microSD, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Noble Lock
Networking
Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 18.45 x 306.5 x 206.95 ( = 0.73 x 12.07 x 8.15 in)
Battery
60 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p with infrared and privacy cover
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: 6-row chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Microsoft Office Trial, Dell Command, Dell Power Manager, Dell Digital Delivery, 36 Months Warranty
Weight
1.362 kg ( = 48.04 oz / 3 pounds), Power Supply: 320 g ( = 11.29 oz / 0.71 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Dell Latitude 7300
Dell Latitude 7300

Reflecting the rebooted number pattern Dell redesigned its Latitudes noticeably. For starters, Latitudes are now available in two colors: silver and dark gray. The latter very closely resembles the previously only available color, black, and was also the color our review unit was clad in. Other design changes include the coloring of the secondary key assignment that can be reached via FN key. Instead of blue those are now printed in white. Other features, such as overall shape and proportions, remained largely unchanged, and the Latitude 7300 is easily recognizable as the Dell Latitude 7390’s successor.

The silver and the dark gray SKU differ in more than just color. While the silver Latitude 7300 is made of 100% aluminum with a brushed finish on the lid cover and palm rests the dark-gray SKU is coated with a matte rubberized finish, and it features a carbon-fiber pattern on the lid emphasizing the fact that the lid is in fact made of said material while the base unit is made mostly of magnesium.

Build quality is immaculate, and we found neither gaps nor crevices anywhere on the case. Rigidity is also superb, and we were unable to warp the base or depress the keyboard area. The thin display was somewhat bendier but nothing to be worried about. The display panel is well protected against external forces, and we only noticed minor distortions when force was applied along the edges. Touch and feel are very premium and, thanks to the matte rubberized coating, also very business-like. Those who prefer metal are obviously better off with the silver SKU.

The single wide hinge is very firm and causes almost no teetering whatsoever. It allows for an opening angle of 180 degrees and one-handed operation of the display lid.

While the Latitude 7300’s footprint remained practically identical to the Latitude 7390 the new model is both thicker and heavier. Compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad X390 and HP EliteBook 830 G5 Dell’s contender is significantly smaller but also thicker and heavier in return. The only device even smaller than the Latitude 7300 is Dell’s own XPS 13.

Size Comparison

311.9 mm / 12.3 inch 217.2 mm / 8.55 inch 16.9 mm / 0.665 inch 1.3 kg2.83 lbs310 mm / 12.2 inch 229 mm / 9.02 inch 17.7 mm / 0.697 inch 1.3 kg2.93 lbs306.5 mm / 12.1 inch 206.95 mm / 8.15 inch 18.45 mm / 0.726 inch 1.4 kg3 lbs305 mm / 12 inch 208 mm / 8.19 inch 16.5 mm / 0.65 inch 1.3 kg2.88 lbs302 mm / 11.9 inch 199 mm / 7.83 inch 11.6 mm / 0.4567 inch 1.2 kg2.7 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Despite the major redesign, connectivity remained largely unchanged, which even includes the positioning of the ports. This means that unlike the Dell XPS 13 the Latitude 7300 continues to feature legacy ports such as USB-A and HDMI. Unfortunately, it lost its folding Ethernet port, which was eliminated without replacement.

The one thing we found irritating was the fact that Dell continues to include a proprietary charging port instead of an additional USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 Port for charging.

Left: charging port, Thunderbolt 3, HDMI, USB 3.0 Type-A
Left: charging port, Thunderbolt 3, HDMI, USB 3.0 Type-A
Right: audio combo, microSD, SIM slot, USB 3.0 Type-A, Noble lock
Right: audio combo, microSD, SIM slot, USB 3.0 Type-A, Noble lock

SD Card Reader

Like its predecessor the Latitude 7300 features a microSD card reader on the right-hand side (unlike the Lenovo ThinkPad X390). The HP EliteBook 830 G5 has no card reader at all. The 7300’s card reader turned out to be blazingly fast, and it outperformed the Lenovo ThinkPad X390’s in our tests by a factor of 2x.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
178.8 MB/s
Dell Latitude 7390
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
154 MB/s -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
79.1 MB/s -56%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (19.5 - 193.9, n=16, last 2 years)
69.6 MB/s -61%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell Latitude 7390
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
211.1 MB/s +14%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
184.4 MB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
86.5 MB/s -53%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (23.6 - 239, n=16, last 2 years)
84.3 MB/s -54%

Communication

Intel’s 2x2 Wireless-AC 9560 Wi-Fi modem is the 7300’s primary choice of communication. While its performance was decent, we ran into some stability issues. The 7300 is WWAN-ready by default and can be equipped with a WWAN modem either ex-factory or retroactively. An Ethernet module is not available at all and cannot be retrofitted either. Alternatives to Intel’s Wireless-AC 9560 include a Wi-Fi modem by Qualcomm and Intel’s Wireless AX200 with support for Wi-Fi 6.

Webcam and microphones follow the traditional layout: Microphone audio quality is okay; the webcam is anything but. Nevertheless, both are perfectly suitable for video calls.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Subnotebook
  (606 - 1339, n=3, last 2 years)
1056 MBit/s +68%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
681 MBit/s +9%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
627 (602min - 637max) MBit/s
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
594 (579min - 616max) MBit/s -5%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
512 MBit/s -18%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Subnotebook
  (623 - 1690, n=3, last 2 years)
1258 MBit/s +98%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
646 MBit/s +2%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
639 MBit/s +1%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
635 (563min - 673max) MBit/s
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
524 (459min - 576max) MBit/s -17%
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø635 (563-673)
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø627 (602-637)

Security

Security is one of the Latitude 7300’s highlights as Dell packs an enormous amount of security features into its business series. Among other things this includes a smart card reader located on the left-hand side as well as a fingerprint reader located inside the power button with support for Windows Hello. Speaking of Windows Hello, the Latitude 7300 also includes a Hello-compatible infrared camera located right next to the 720p webcam with physical privacy slider to completely cover the camera. Last but not least the laptop also features a Noble lock, Dell’s alternative of choice to the more widely used Kensington lock.

Accessories

No accessories other than the 65 W power supply are included in the box. Optional accessories include various USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 docks. Keep in mind though that any USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 docking station can be used instead. Mechanical docking stations that the laptop is installed into have not been available for Dell’s Latitude series for several generations.

Maintenance

Opening the Latitude 7300 is very simple. All it takes is removing eight Philips screws and undoing a few plastic clips along the back side after which the bottom cover can be easily removed. Underneath you get access to all internal components. The Latitude 7300 is even more upgradeable than the Lenovo ThinkPad X390 as it features two RAM slots and a swappable Wi-Fi modem instead of soldered RAM and Wi-Fi module. Naturally, you can also upgrade the SSD, swap the battery, and clean the fan.

The one thing that cannot be swapped is the keyboard. Unlike on the Lenovo ThinkPad X390 it is an integral part of the top case.

Internal hardware
Internal hardware

Warranty

As is quite common in the business segment the Latitude 7300 ships with a three-year warranty with onsite/in-home service after remote diagnosis. Optional warranty extensions of up to five years are available, as is Dell’s pro-support.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The differences between the current keyboard and the Dell Latitude 7390’s keyboard are very obvious at first glance. For one, the keyboard labels are now all white instead of white for main and blue for secondary assignment. The keyboard layout is also completely different, although we should add that our review unit was equipped with a US keyboard with QWERTY layout and small return key instead of the default German QWERTZ layout with big return key. We are going to assume that devices sold in countries with differing keyboard layouts are going to feature a localized keyboard design and layout.

Overall, the keyboard was pretty decent and featured a two-stage white backlight. The key caps are slightly concave and feature a well-defined accentuation point and feedback. In other words: They feel firm and not at all mushy. All things considered the Latitude 7300’s keyboard is still not fit to hold a candle to the Lenovo ThinkPad X390’s but should be able to take on the HP EliteBook 830 G5’s. Key travel is much longer when compared to the Dell XPS 13. As with all subnotebook keyboards you have to keep in mind that the 7300’s keyboard is not as wide as a standard desktop keyboard, and it might take some getting used to.

Dell Latitude 7300 keyboard
Dell Latitude 7300 keyboard

Touchpad

While the 7300’s keyboard is befitting the Latitude’s rank as business laptop the touchpad is definitely not. Using the touchpad turned out to be much more tedious than on other notebooks. For one, we found the size to be problematic. At just 10 x 5 cm the touchpad is fairly small, which is in part due to the dedicated buttons at the bottom. More importantly we found the touchpad’s slightly roughened plastic surface much worse than anticipated. It does not feel particularly premium, and it is definitely not as smooth as we would have expected. All things considered the Latitude cannot keep up with HP’s high-quality glass surface (HP EliteBook 830 G5) or Lenovo’s smooth plastic surface (Lenovo ThinkPad X390). Thanks to support for Microsoft’s Precision standard at least software support is good.

It is a complete mystery to us why Dell decided to do away with the pointing stick. Considering the touchpad’s poor performance, an additional pointer input device would have been more than useful.

Touchpad with two dedicated buttons
Touchpad with two dedicated buttons

Display

Dell Latitude 7300 subpixel array
Dell Latitude 7300 subpixel array
Minor backlight bleeding (emphasized for better visibility)
Minor backlight bleeding (emphasized for better visibility)

Every Latitude 7300 SKU is equipped with a matte 13.3-inch display. However, depending on country of purchase up to four different display options are available:

  • HD (1366x768), TN, 220 nits
  • FHD (1920x1080), IPS, 255 nits
  • FHD, IPS, 300 nits, touch
  • FHD, IPS, 300 nits, privacy display

Our review unit was equipped with the FHD touchscreen LCD, which topped out at 306 nits on average. As such, the display is slightly brighter than the Latitude 7390’s but not as bright as the HP EliteBook 830 G5’s or Lenovo ThinkPad X390’s. Dell’s XPS 13 9380’s FHD display is even brighter still. Unfortunately, displays brighter than 300 nits are not available for the Latitude 7300.

Overall brightness decreased significantly towards the right side resulting in an average brightness distribution of just 79%. Fortunately, it was not visible to the naked eye. We also found no evidence of PWM, and backlight bleeding was minimal at best.

The display is a so-called on-cell touchscreen, which means the touch functionality is integrated into the display itself. This in turn allows Dell to forgo the otherwise required glass layer atop the LCD panel, which not only reduces overall weight but also minimizes reflections.

303
cd/m²
330
cd/m²
279
cd/m²
308
cd/m²
341
cd/m²
271
cd/m²
299
cd/m²
335
cd/m²
287
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
B133HAK tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 341 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 305.9 cd/m² Minimum: 19 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 79 %
Center on Battery: 341 cd/m²
Contrast: 1100:1 (Black: 0.31 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.43 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 2.36
ΔE Greyscale 6.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
91% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
91.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.23
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
B133HAK, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Dell Latitude 7390
LGD059B, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
LP133WF7-SPB1, , 1920x1080, 13.30
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
IVO M133NVF3-R0, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019 FHD
AUO5B2D B133HAN Dell P/N: 06VG6 , , 1920x1080, 13.30
Display
4%
3%
-1%
9%
Display P3 Coverage
64.6
67.8
5%
65.3
1%
64.2
-1%
69.7
8%
sRGB Coverage
91.5
95.1
4%
95.9
5%
89.2
-3%
99.4
9%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
65.5
67.8
4%
66.6
2%
65.2
0%
71.1
9%
Response Times
-4%
-37%
8%
-30%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
39 ?(18, 21)
36.8 ?(18, 18.8)
6%
57.6 ?(28.4, 29.2)
-48%
36 ?(18.8, 17.2)
8%
54 ?(26, 28)
-38%
Response Time Black / White *
27 ?(14, 13)
30.4 ?(18.8, 11.6)
-13%
34 ?(18.4, 15.6)
-26%
24.8 ?(14, 10.8)
8%
33 ?(17, 16)
-22%
PWM Frequency
1020 ?(99)
Screen
15%
33%
10%
41%
Brightness middle
341
303.8
-11%
356
4%
316
-7%
428
26%
Brightness
306
289
-6%
336
10%
326
7%
408
33%
Brightness Distribution
79
86
9%
88
11%
85
8%
84
6%
Black Level *
0.31
0.31
-0%
0.16
48%
0.19
39%
0.26
16%
Contrast
1100
980
-11%
2225
102%
1663
51%
1646
50%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.43
2.9
55%
3.6
44%
4.5
30%
1.16
82%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.33
5.79
44%
5.5
47%
12.1
-17%
2.19
79%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
2.36
1.72
27%
1.1
53%
2.9
-23%
0.9
62%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.9
3.7
46%
4.7
32%
5
28%
1.23
82%
Gamma
2.23 99%
2.118 104%
2.48 89%
2.22 99%
2.46 89%
CCT
8338 78%
6323 103%
6374 102%
6018 108%
6648 98%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
59
63
7%
61.3
4%
57.9
-2%
65
10%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
91
95
4%
95.7
5%
87.3
-4%
99
9%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
5% / 11%
-0% / 18%
6% / 8%
7% / 26%

* ... smaller is better

Colors
Colors
Grayscale
Grayscale
Saturation
Saturation
Colors (calibrated)
Colors (calibrated)
Grayscale (calibrated)
Grayscale (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)

By default, the display had a minor blue tint that we were able to eliminate all but completely through calibration. As always, the resulting ICC profile can be found for download in the box above. Once calibrated the display was almost perfect. Image quality was superb, among other things due to the high contrast ratio of 1,100:1. Nevertheless, both HP’s and Lenovo’s competitors were slightly better.

At 91% sRGB color-space coverage was decent albeit far from perfect. The 7300’s predecessor, the Dell Latitude 7390, had higher color-space coverage and so does the Lenovo ThinkPad X390. The 7300 should still be usable enough for simple photo-editing purposes.

sRGB: 91%
sRGB: 91%
AdobeRGB: 59%
AdobeRGB: 59%
Outdoors in the shade
Outdoors in the shade

While Dell refers to the display as matte, we would rather consider it to be a semi-matte, or semi-glossy, display. Accordingly, it suffers from some unnerving diffuse reflections, which would have been a non-issue with a brighter backlight. All things considered the Dell Latitude 7300’s display is usable outdoors albeit hampered by its semi-glossy slightly reflective panel.

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
27 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 13 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. » 63 % 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
39 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18 ms rise
↘ 21 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. » 53 % 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.

As expected of an IPS panel, viewing angles are superb. While brightness decreased at extreme angles we found this to be irrelevant in everyday use.

Dell Latitude 7300 viewing angles
Dell Latitude 7300 viewing angles

Performance

Three different CPUs are available for the Dell Latitude 7300: Core i5-8250U, Core i5-8350U, and Core i7-8665U, all of which feature an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU with shared VRAM. RAM is not soldered but socketed, and the two slots are specified to hold up to 64 GB of DDR4-2400 RAM each. Depending on country of purchase, Dell sells the Latitude 7300 with up to 32 GB installed. The only available storage device is a single M.2-2280 SSD.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z SPD
CPU-Z SPD
HWiNFO
HWiNFO
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
LatencyMon
LatencyMon
 

Processor

The Intel Core i7-8665U is the fastest currently available Whiskey Lake-U CPU with a TDP of 15 W. Its four cores run at a base clock speed of 1.9 GHz and can turbo boost up to 4.8 GHz. See our list of CPUs for further details and comparisons.

In CineBench R15 Multi the CPU peaked at 50 W for a few seconds, which subsequently decreased to 30 W, then 20 W, and eventually settled at 15 W. Temperatures rose to 98 °C and eventually settled at 80 °C. Clock speeds started out at 3.7 GHz and were subsequently reduced to 2.3 GHz once the TDP settled at 15 W.

All things considered the Latitude 7300’s CPU performance is not bad. Unfortunately, it is worse than its Dell Latitude 7390 predecessor’s or the Lenovo ThinkPad X390’s. Since both feature slower CPUs than the 7300 on paper this shows that Dell is incapable of squeezing maximum performance out of Intel’s Core i7-8665U.

CPU performance is not throttled on battery.

03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel Core i7-8665U: Ø531 (513-670)
Dell Latitude 7390 Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel Core i7-8650U: Ø611 (578.18-626.37)
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00 Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel Core i5-8265U: Ø569 (552-686)
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø530 (526-566)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (91.8 - 280, n=62, last 2 years)
234 Points +26%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
Intel Core i7-8665U
185 Points
Dell Latitude 7390
Intel Core i7-8650U
176 Points -5%
Average Intel Core i7-8665U
  (143 - 199, n=7)
174 Points -6%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
169 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
Intel Core i5-8265U
158 Points -15%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (514 - 2581, n=70, last 2 years)
1705 Points +154%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
Intel Core i5-8265U
686 (552min - 686max) Points +2%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
Intel Core i7-8665U
670 (513min - 682max) Points
Dell Latitude 7390
Intel Core i7-8650U
626 (578min - 626max) Points -7%
Average Intel Core i7-8665U
  (458 - 701, n=7)
612 Points -9%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
566 (526min - 566max) Points -16%
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
61.1 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
670 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
185 Points
Help

System Performance

The Latitude 7300 did very well overall in PCMark. Subjectively, system performance was excellent during everyday use.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4384 - 7428, n=56, last 2 years)
5810 Points +38%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4208 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3763 - 4515, n=7)
4070 Points -3%
Dell Latitude 7390
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4053 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
3832 Points -9%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
3816 Points -9%
Essentials
Average of class Subnotebook
  (8890 - 11168, n=56, last 2 years)
10202 Points +9%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
9402 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8071 - 9790, n=7)
8758 Points -7%
Dell Latitude 7390
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
8253 Points -12%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
8015 Points -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
7982 Points -15%
Productivity
Average of class Subnotebook
  (6213 - 10279, n=56, last 2 years)
7803 Points +10%
Dell Latitude 7390
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
7142 Points +1%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7091 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6506 - 7281, n=7)
6946 Points -2%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
6393 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
6273 Points -12%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4093 - 9749, n=56, last 2 years)
6758 Points +123%
Dell Latitude 7390
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3068 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
3050 Points +1%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3033 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2677 - 3506, n=7)
3016 Points -1%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
2945 Points -3%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4730 - 5285, n=3, last 2 years)
5030 Points +19%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4211 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 -6%
Dell Latitude 7390
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3886 Points -8%
Average Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3547 - 4211, n=6)
3799 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
3629 Points -14%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Dell Latitude 7390
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
5197 Points +2%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
5116 Points 0%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5093 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8665U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (4696 - 5195, n=5)
4902 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
4896 Points -4%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2972 - 5271, n=3, last 2 years)
3805 Points -25%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4211 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5417 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5093 points
PCMark 10 Score
4208 points
Help

Storage Devices

Dell’s SSD of choice is a Samsung PM981, a fast PCIe NVMe M.2 OEM SSD. Compared to other business laptops, the PM981 was the fastest SSD around. However, given the overall performance base line the differences between the various SSDs are not going to be noticeable in everyday use.

Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Dell Latitude 7390
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
Average Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-16%
-16%
-24%
-15%
Write 4K
141.1
139.4
-1%
120.7
-14%
108.5
-23%
126.7 ?(90.4 - 176.3, n=64)
-10%
Read 4K
46.37
43.18
-7%
58.5
26%
40.53
-13%
44 ?(28 - 61.3, n=63)
-5%
Write Seq
1994
1075
-46%
1491
-25%
1026
-49%
1617 ?(112 - 2730, n=62)
-19%
Read Seq
2275
1639
-28%
2760
21%
2080
-9%
1716 ?(501 - 2665, n=62)
-25%
Write 4K Q32T1
493.3
662
34%
237.5
-52%
451
-9%
413 ?(198.2 - 1707, n=64)
-16%
Read 4K Q32T1
429
413.9
-4%
336.1
-22%
269.7
-37%
420 ?(230 - 1015, n=64)
-2%
Write Seq Q32T1
2992
1195
-60%
1512
-49%
1770
-41%
2076 ?(1714 - 2994, n=64)
-31%
Read Seq Q32T1
3562
3116
-13%
3154
-11%
3214
-10%
3130 ?(1772 - 3565, n=64)
-12%
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Sequential Read: 2628 MB/s
Sequential Write: 2004 MB/s
512K Read: 1657 MB/s
512K Write: 1525 MB/s
4K Read: 64.6 MB/s
4K Write: 142.2 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 415.2 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 449.6 MB/s

GPU Performance

Intel’s UHD Graphics 620 is an integrated GPU that can be found on most current mobile Intel CPUs. Given that this particular GPU does not have its own dedicated VRAM it needs to access system RAM instead. In our Latitude 7300 review unit it already runs at peak performance due to the fact that both RAM slots are populated in our device, and hence dual-channel mode is enabled. The GPU did fairly well when compared with other business subnotebooks. Nevertheless, it is still a slow GPU and only fast enough for simple everyday multimedia purposes.

Just like the CPU the GPU is not throttled on battery.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2979 - 16904, n=55, last 2 years)
8016 Points +339%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1841 Points +1%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8665U
1825 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points -4%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1728 Points -5%
Dell Latitude 7390
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8650U
1697 Points -7%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (13768 - 65911, n=40, last 2 years)
29002 Points +174%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8665U
10571 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
10126 Points -4%
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
9470 Points -10%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6205 - 16400, n=225)
9262 Points -12%
Dell Latitude 7390
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8650U
8247 Points -22%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2837 - 12349, n=59, last 2 years)
5881 Points +352%
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8665U
1300 Points
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1280 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1266 Points -3%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (557 - 2608, n=213)
1161 Points -11%
Dell Latitude 7390
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8650U
977 Points -25%
3DMark 11 Performance
2046 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
8916 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1183 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Given the Latitude 7300’s business credentials and its slow Intel UHD Graphics 620 it is not made for gaming. Older less-demanding games can be enjoyed smoothly. You could of course also connect the Latitude to an eGPU and turn it into a gaming beast if so desired. After all, it does feature a Thunderbolt 3 port.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 77.2 41.5 34.6 10.9
The Witcher 3 (2015) 17.8
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 23.5

Emissions

System Noise

The fan remained completely off when idle or during low load scenarios. That is very fortunate because it gets annoyingly uncomfortable under load not because of high volume but because of its aggravatingly high pitch.

We found no evidence of coil whine on the Latitude 7300. We did, however, notice a peculiar sound occasionally when starting a benchmark. Every now and then the Latitude made a quiet crackling sound. It did not happen too often, but when it did it was rather strange.

Noise Level

Idle
30 / 30 / 30 dB(A)
Load
35 / 35 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: 30 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.234.131.333.935.22534.731.831.231.334.73135.831.133.532.835.84030.63028.129.930.65028.129.730.228.428.16328.727.427.32928.78027.127.926.125.627.110027.226.12525.427.2125252523.924.42516024.224.123.923.824.220022.623.322.822.722.62502222.521.721.82231521.921.620.920.421.940021.421.319.919.421.450021.221.319.319.121.263021.321.918.718.521.380021.321.218.318.221.3100024.524.617.917.624.5125023.323.317.217.623.3160023.923.717.517.223.9200024.524.817.417.224.5250023.423.517.517.323.4315023.223.517.517.423.2400024.92517.617.624.950002322.917.717.723630019.419.317.717.819.4800018.818.717.917.818.81000018.818.617.817.818.81250018.318.317.717.718.31600018.31817.817.818.3SPL34.93530.13034.9N2.22.21.41.42.2median 22.6median 22.9median 17.9median 17.8median 22.6Delta2.22.11.51.52.229.424.830.729.423.323.526.425.725.628.527.730.324.924.925.62623.52624.124.321.822.323.923.523.82223.423.922.420.82223.322.321.321.722.321.822.522.72221.421.922.721.822.122.121.821.421.220.520.620.921.220.520.320.821.120.519.520.920.619.919.420.520.219.718.920.321.219.918.22121.519.617.421.422.219.91722.122.219.516.422.225.321.916.125.123.619.715.52424.820.715.524.523.620.215.723.324.518.215.423.62017.115.619.718.116.715.417.416.716.115.31616.616.315.115.334.831.929.234.62.11.61.22.1median 21.5median 19.9median 17.4median 21.41.20.82.51.3hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseDell Latitude 7300-P99GLenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00

Temperature

Stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)
Stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)

Overall surface temperatures were fairly high. The maximum measured under load at the bottom was 54 °C, which is significantly warmer than the important 50 °C threshold. We would thus advise you against using the Dell Latitude 7300 on your lap under load. In addition, the palm rests warmed up quite a bit as well and reached 33 °C under load at the left side. This is far from alarming yet definitely uncomfortably warm.

During our stress test (Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously) the Latitude 7300 peaked at 39.5 W at the very beginning. Once it hit its 15 W power limit CPU clock speeds were reduced to just 1 GHz. In other words: It throttled. Temperatures settled at around 75 °C and were thus far from critical. The reason for throttling below the CPU’s base clock speed is the combination of CPU and GPU load at the same time. Both CPU and GPU have to share the single 15 W thermal envelope. Nevertheless, it turned out to be a non-issue during everyday use. Running 3DMark 11 immediately after the stress test yielded the same scores as before.

Max. Load
 45.4 °C
114 F
48 °C
118 F
45.6 °C
114 F
 
 42.7 °C
109 F
43.2 °C
110 F
36.4 °C
98 F
 
 32.3 °C
90 F
33 °C
91 F
29 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 48 °C = 118 F
Average: 39.5 °C = 103 F
34 °C
93 F
54 °C
129 F
49.7 °C
121 F
33 °C
91 F
44.2 °C
112 F
43.1 °C
110 F
31.1 °C
88 F
37 °C
99 F
37.1 °C
99 F
Maximum: 54 °C = 129 F
Average: 40.4 °C = 105 F
Power Supply (max.)  45 °C = 113 F | Room Temperature 22.2 °C = 72 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 39.5 °C / 103 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 48 °C / 118 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 54 °C / 129 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.2 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (33 °C / 91.4 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-4.7 °C / -8.5 F).
Top (idle)
Top (idle)
Bottom (idle)
Bottom (idle)
Top (load)
Top (load)
Bottom (load)
Bottom (load)

Speakers

The Dell Latitude 7300’s stereo speakers are located at the bottom of the device. With the lid open they fire downwards, which is not particularly well designed. Given their below average overall quality we found this to be not a big deal though. They are not very loud, lack bass, and they are fairly imbalanced overall. Our advice to all Latitude 7300 users would be to invest in high-quality external speakers or headphones. The included audio combo port worked flawlessly.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2030.833.930.82530.331.330.33131.432.831.44030.229.930.25029.428.429.46328.82928.88033.125.633.110041.625.441.612544.424.444.416046.423.846.42004722.74725051.721.851.731554.720.454.740059.119.459.150065.119.165.163067.118.567.180070.818.270.8100066.917.666.9125069.917.669.9160070.217.270.2200073.417.273.4250073.317.373.3315073.517.473.5400075.917.675.9500069.917.769.963006717.867800062.417.862.41000071.717.871.71250075.517.775.51600075.817.875.8SPL83.73083.7N56.41.456.4median 67.1median 17.8median 67.1Delta8.41.58.430.633.229.131.628.837.22832.727.630.72628.625.430.427.135.424.83423.441.722.353.421.556.520.361.119.164.219.26717.769.916.966.916.667.816.571.716.27116.469.316.268.216.372.216.772.516.975.217.372.117.565.217.666.517.562.417.553.229.382.71.256median 17.5median 66.91.67.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseDell Latitude 7300-P99GHP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (75.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 45% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 48% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 31% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 61% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17% 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, 67% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

By and large the Dell Latitude 7300 is a fairly energy-efficient laptop. At just 2.5 W it produced the lowest idle reading in our test group. Unfortunately, the rest of our idle readings were not as exceptional, and its own predecessor, the Dell Latitude 7390, was more efficient overall. The Lenovo ThinkPad X390 is more efficient when idle.

Power consumption peaked at 68.1 W and was thus higher than the 65 W power supply is rated for. That said, you do not have to fear for your battery discharging under load since this high consumption can only be sustained for a few seconds before it drops fast and averages out at 35.4 W.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.3 / 0.65 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.5 / 6.6 / 8.7 Watt
Load midlight 35.4 / 68.1 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.
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
i7-8665U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 13.30
Dell Latitude 7390
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 13.30
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0), IPS LED, 1920x1080, 13.30
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019 FHD
i7-8565U, UHD Graphics 620, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
 
Average of class Subnotebook
 
Power Consumption
4%
-8%
-16%
-2%
-5%
-34%
Idle Minimum *
2.5
3.3
-32%
3.4
-36%
4.5
-80%
3.6
-44%
3.81 ?(1 - 12.4, n=259)
-52%
4.9 ?(1.77 - 11.8, n=63, last 2 years)
-96%
Idle Average *
6.6
5.9
11%
5.6
15%
6.4
3%
5.7
14%
6.94 ?(2.8 - 15.7, n=261)
-5%
8.4 ?(4.6 - 17.4, n=63, last 2 years)
-27%
Idle Maximum *
8.7
6.2
29%
8.7
-0%
9.2
-6%
7.4
15%
8.75 ?(3.8 - 30, n=259)
-1%
10.4 ?(5.1 - 22.4, n=63, last 2 years)
-20%
Load Average *
35.4
43.2
-22%
43.6
-23%
35.7
-1%
44
-24%
35 ?(8.1 - 51.6, n=259)
1%
46.1 ?(19.1 - 83.3, n=62, last 2 years)
-30%
Load Maximum *
68.1
45.2
34%
65
5%
65.4
4%
48.1
29%
47.5 ?(22 - 96.3, n=261)
30%
66.2 ?(24.2 - 121.2, n=63, last 2 years)
3%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Charging time: 153 minutes
Charging time: 153 minutes

The Dell Latitude 7300 is equipped with a 60 Wh battery and managed to run for almost 11 hours in our Wi-Fi test – an excellent result that is similar to its own predecessor. Both business competitors we pitched it against did much worse in our battery tests. The Lenovo ThinkPad X390 and HP EliteBook 830 G5 only lasted for around 8 and 7 hours in our battery test, respectively.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge)
10h 50min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
11h 03min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 55min
Dell Latitude 7300-P99G
i7-8665U, UHD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
Dell Latitude 7390
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad X390-20Q1S02M00
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 48 Wh
HP EliteBook 830 G5-3JX74EA
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 49 Wh
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019 FHD
i7-8565U, UHD Graphics 620, 52 Wh
Average of class Subnotebook
 
Battery Runtime
2%
-9%
-13%
19%
4%
H.264
663
764
15%
481
-27%
778 ?(426 - 1153, n=30, last 2 years)
17%
WiFi v1.3
650
664
2%
499
-23%
424
-35%
790
22%
623 ?(303 - 1144, n=64, last 2 years)
-4%
Load
115
94
-18%
140
22%
133
16%
115.4 ?(61 - 197, n=47, last 2 years)
0%
Reader / Idle
766
1914
1197 ?(581 - 2550, n=10, last 2 years)

Pros

+ robust high-quality case
+ good keyboard
+ touchscreen LCD
+ very fast microSD card reader
+ decent connectivity and security features
+ upgradeable (2x RAM, WWAN, Wi-Fi)
+ exceptional battery life
+ three-year on-site service

Cons

- underwhelming touchpad
- no pointing stick
- proprietary charging port instead of 2x USB-C
- no Ethernet
- LCD panel semi-glossy rather than matte
- no display option with more than 300 nits available
- CPU performance worse than on predecessor
- high-frequency fan noise

Verdict

In review: Dell Latitude 7300. Test unit courtesy of Dell.
In review: Dell Latitude 7300. Test unit courtesy of Dell.

Dell redesigned its 13.3-inch Latitude without changing too much. At least on the darker of the two models with its carbon-fiber case that we happened to have had in review. The aluminum SKU looks very different from its predecessor.

The compact high-quality case is one of the Latitude’s highlights, as is its comfortable keyboard. The display is equipped with a touch-layer that allows for additional input. The microSD card reader is easily accessible and blazingly fast. In addition, the Latitude features a multitude of ports and security features. It is also readily upgradeable thanks to two RAM slots, a free WWAN slot, and a socketed Wi-Fi modem. It comes with three years of onsite/in-home warranty and ran for almost 11 hours on battery in our Wi-Fi test.

One of its major caveats is the abysmal touchpad. It feels cheap and we did not particularly like or enjoy its roughened plastic surface. Given that the Latitude lacks a TrackPoint, users will be forced to fall back on external mice. We were also not very fond of the proprietary charging port and would have preferred a second USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 port with power delivery. Ethernet is missing completely, and the allegedly matte display turned out to be semi-glossy instead. We would have expected Dell to be more accurate in its specifications regarding these details.

CPU performance was rather poor, and it was worse than on the Latitude 7300’s own predecessor. Those with the i7 CPU are not getting the performance they are expecting. A definite no-go for a laptop at this price point.

The high-pitched fan noise was another downside, even though the fan was not particularly loud overall. Last but not least, it would have been nice to have a brighter display option available.

An overall solid performance with one crucial foible: The Whiskey Lake CPU turned out to be slower than the predecessor’s processor.

Whether or not to consider this a deal breaker is up to you. On the plus side, the Dell Latitude 7300 business laptop offers excellent battery life and great upgradeability.

Dell Latitude 7300-P99G - 09/09/2019 v7
Benjamin Herzig

Chassis
87 / 98 → 89%
Keyboard
89%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
64 / 75 → 85%
Weight
71 / 20-75 → 92%
Battery
88%
Display
83%
Games Performance
51 / 78 → 65%
Application Performance
82 / 85 → 96%
Temperature
87%
Noise
89%
Audio
71 / 91 → 78%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
76%
87%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Dell Latitude 7300 Laptop Review: business subnotebook falls short of its performance goals
Benjamin Herzig, 2019-09-10 (Update: 2019-09-11)