CES 2018 | Dell Latitude 7490 coming with Active Steering WiFi and "Super Low Power Display"

Leaks last month hinted at the arrival of the Latitude 7290, 7390, and 7490 and all three systems have finally been confirmed at CES 2018. These models will replace last year's Latitude 7280, 7380, and 7480, respectively, through internal changes and a number of new features. The chassis design has otherwise remained unchanged and so users can expect the same physical features as the 2017 lineup. We recommend checking out our existing review pages since the refresh will be visually identical to what we have already seen.

The first and perhaps least surprising update to the 2018 lineup is the move to Kaby Lake-R. SKUs can now be configured with quad-core Core i5-8250U and i7-8550U processors not unlike the late XPS 13 9360 or the upcoming XPS 13 9370. Secondly, the 7390 and 7490 will have anti-glare matte touchscreen options for business users who may want touch features without the distracting glare that often come with touch-enabled panels.

The 14-inch Latitude 7490, however, will have two more new features exclusive to its screen size. Users will have the option to configure the system with a new "Super Low Power Display" panel that promises to consume 50 percent less power than a standard display without impacting the brightness of the screen. Thus, instead of demanding 3 W or more on a normal panel, Dell is promising a consumption as low as 1.8 W for upwards of 20 hours of battery life. The 7490 can also be configured with an Active Steering antenna to improve WLAN connectivity by dynamically maximizing throughput in response to the environment. The technology appears to be a bit different under the hood when compared to directional WiFi currently found on high-end gaming routers but with similar benefits for the end user.

The Latitude 7290, 7390, and 7490 are launching this week with the 7490 starting at $1050 USD. The full specifications list for each model can be found below.

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