Dell Latitude 9430 2-in-1 vs. 9420 2-in-1: What's the difference?

Dell launched its 2022 Latitude 9430 2-in-1 early last month to replace the 2021 Latitude 9420 2-in-1. The newer model is expectedly a smaller year-over-year update for the series given that the 9420 2-in-1 was already a full-fledged redesign of the even older 2020 Latitude 9410 2-in-1. Since the Latitude 9430 2-in-1 shares the same physical features as the 9420 2-in-1, users will have to dig a little deeper to notice any differences between them. Let's go over the three major upgrades that the 2022 model offers over the 2021 version.

The first and most obvious difference is performance. The Latitude 9430 2-in-1 carries Intel 12th gen Core-U CPUs and faster LPDDR5 RAM to replace the slower 11th gen CPUs and LPDDR4 RAM of the 9420 2-in-1. The uptick in CPU performance is significant especially in terms of multi-threaded workloads where the 9430 2-in-1 can be up to 55 percent faster.

Integrated GPU performance, on the other hand, has flatlined between 11th gen and 12th gen Intel CPUs. If you were satisfied with Iris Xe last year, then you'll find the same experience again this year. If you were hoping for something faster, however, then you'll be disappointed.

The next upgrade involves support for 5G connectivity via the Snapdragon X55 whereas the Latitude 9420 2-in-1 was only configurable with up to the 4G Snapdragon X20. Frequent travelers who rely on Internet connectivity where WiFi is unavailable will find the most value in this feature.

The last upgrade is to the webcam which is now 1080p or 2 MP instead of 720p or 1 MP. For a flagship business laptop retailing at $2000 USD or more, the 720p webcam on the Latitude 9420 2-in-1 was an embarrassment to say the least. The higher resolution sensor on the 9430 2-in-1 provides cleaner images in comparison even if colors and low-light visibility are still modest.

If the above upgrades don't mean very much to you, then the Latitude 9420 2-in-1 can offer essentially the same experience for hundreds of dollars less. Users running undemanding office-type tasks with reliable Wi-Fi coverage and minimal video calls, for example, may not find the 9430 2-in-1 all that appealing.