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Dell Latitude E5550 (Broadwell) Notebook Review Update

Business Broadwell.The Latitude E5550 features an elegant case, good battery life, very good input devices, a docking port, an IPS display and a powerful Broadwell CPU. In addition, it is easy to maintain. It is not difficult to see that the computer primarily aims at business users. Thanks to its affordable price, the device is also attractive for consumers.

For the original German review, see here.

Dell’s Latitude E5550 series offers the business user a 15.6-inch notebook in the mid-price range with features like a docking port, TPM, and a fingerprint reader. Just a few weeks ago, we tested a Haswell-equipped version of the Latitude E5550 that achieved a "good" rating (86 percent). We looked again at the E550 in another test, this time with Intel's brand new Broadwell CPU, to see if the system benefits from the new processor.

The HP Probook 650 and the Probook 655, the Lenovo Thinkpad L540, and the Fujitsu Lifebook E554 — all mid-priced business notebooks — are the Latitude's competitors.

Since both the Broadwell and Haswell E5550 use the same design, we will not cover case, connectivity, input devices and speakers here. This information is available in our Haswell model review.

Display

Dell equipped the Latitude with a matte 15.6 inch display with a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The display delivers a good brightness of 295 cd/m² that its competitors — like the HP Probook 650 (264.4 cd/m²; Full-HD) and the Fujitsu Lifebook E554 (230.7 cd/m²; Full-HD) — cannot match.

322
cd/m²
332
cd/m²
308
cd/m²
295
cd/m²
312
cd/m²
300
cd/m²
259
cd/m²
256
cd/m²
271
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Samsung tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 332 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 295 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 77 %
Center on Battery: 312 cd/m²
Contrast: 589:1 (Black: 0.53 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.32 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.34 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
62% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
67.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
95.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
65.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.71
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
IPS 1920x1080
Dell Latitude E5550
IPS 1920x1080
Dell Latitude E5540
TN 1920x1080
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
IPS 1920x1080
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
SVA 1920x1080
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
TN 1366x768
HP ProBook 655
TN 1366x768
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
TN 1920x1080
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
IPS 1920x1080
Display
3%
-20%
-42%
-24%
-43%
-19%
-0%
Display P3 Coverage
65.6
67.8
3%
52.6
-20%
37.82
-42%
49.82
-24%
36.97
-44%
53.5
-18%
65.8
0%
sRGB Coverage
95.3
97.5
2%
76.5
-20%
56.7
-41%
72.3
-24%
55.3
-42%
76.7
-20%
94.5
-1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
67.6
69.8
3%
54.6
-19%
39.1
-42%
51.3
-24%
38.21
-43%
54.8
-19%
67.9
0%
Screen
23%
-31%
-18%
-69%
-53%
-45%
-49%
8%
Brightness middle
312
343
10%
297
-5%
253
-19%
269
-14%
197
-37%
209
-33%
303
-3%
258
-17%
Brightness
295
320
8%
273
-7%
231
-22%
264
-11%
186
-37%
200
-32%
290
-2%
249
-16%
Brightness Distribution
77
88
14%
87
13%
78
1%
78
1%
82
6%
81
5%
85
10%
93
21%
Black Level *
0.53
0.36
32%
0.59
-11%
0.31
42%
0.9
-70%
0.63
-19%
0.64
-21%
0.7
-32%
0.38
28%
Contrast
589
953
62%
503
-15%
816
39%
299
-49%
313
-47%
327
-44%
433
-26%
679
15%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.32
3.15
27%
8.98
-108%
8.31
-92%
12.12
-181%
10.48
-143%
9.33
-116%
11.58
-168%
3.8
12%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.34
3.65
32%
10.26
-92%
7.88
-48%
13.75
-157%
10.68
-100%
9.36
-75%
13.65
-156%
4.13
23%
Gamma
2.71 81%
2.62 84%
2.49 88%
2.26 97%
2.59 85%
2.31 95%
2.27 97%
2.59 85%
2.68 82%
CCT
6998 93%
7101 92%
12696 51%
6371 102%
13228 49%
12387 52%
10124 64%
13248 49%
6519 100%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
62
63.3
2%
50
-19%
35.7
-42%
35.2
-43%
34.7
-44%
51.12
-18%
61
-2%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
97.4
Total Average (Program / Settings)
13% / 18%
-26% / -28%
-30% / -24%
-47% / -55%
-53% / -53%
-44% / -44%
-34% / -41%
4% / 6%

* ... smaller is better

Latitude E5550 vs. sRGB
Latitude E5550 vs. sRGB
Latitude E5550 vs. AdobeRGB
Latitude E5550 vs. AdobeRGB

Contrast (589:1) and black value (0.53 cd/m²) are alright, but not outstanding. The Fujitsu Lifebook E554's display (816:1; 0.31 cd/m²) delivers better values, while the HP Probook 650 (299:1; 0.9 cd/m²) falls behind its competition. The Latitude's display cannot achieve either full sRGB or AdobeRGB: it manages about 62 percent of the AdobeRGB color space and 82 percent of sRGB. But since the average DeltaE-2000 difference is 4.32, the E550 screen only marginally (at a DeltaE of less than 3) misses the target range. The screen also does not exhibit a bluish cast.

CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Gray levels
CalMAN - Gray levels
CalMAN - Color saturation
CalMAN - Color saturation

Like the HP Probook 650 and the Fujitsu Lifebook E554, the Latitude also comes with an IPS panel that allows you to read the display from any angle. Thanks to the matte display surface and the sufficient brightness, the notebook can also be used outdoors.

Viewing angles of the Latitude E5550
Viewing angles of the Latitude E5550
The Latitude outdoors
The Latitude outdoors

Performance

The Latitude E5550’s processor delivers sufficient performance for everyday tasks. The notebook comes with standard business features like TPM, a docking port, and a fingerprint reader. Our test model is ready for an LTE modem. The Latitude can be individually configured. At test time, entry level models of the computer were available from 680 Euro (770 USD). Our test model is priced just under 1000 Euro (1100 USD).

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
System information: Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell

Processor

Intel's new Broadwell Core i5-5300U dual core processor CPU with a 2.3 GHz base clock drives the Latitude. Thanks to turbo technology, the clock rate can go up to 2.7 GHz (both cores) or 2.9 GHz (only one core). In both AC and battery operation, the processors ran at maximum speed in the Cinebench benchmarks. The Core i5-5300U supports hyperthreading (each core can run two threads). Intel specifies a TDP of 15 watts for the processor. Haswell ULV CPUs have the same TDP.

The i5-5300U CPU is the successor of the Core i5-4300U. While the Core i5-5300U uses a higher base clock (1.9 GHz vs. 2.3 GHz), the turbo clocks are almost the same (Core i5-4300U: 2.6 GHz/2.9 GHz; Core i5-5300U: 2.7 GHz/2.9 GHz). Improvements in the Broadwell architecture ensure that the Core i5-5300 achieves slightly better results than the Core i5-4300U processor. Our benchmark tests showed a performance gain of about 5 to 10 percent.

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
5065
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
9355
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4498
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.37 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
18.57 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.08 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
116 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
279 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
24.95 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
279 Points
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
265 Points -5%
Dell Latitude E5540
HD Graphics 4400, 4300U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
253 Points -9%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
307 Points +10%
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
295 Points +6%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
240 Points -14%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
117 Points -58%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
294 Points +5%
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4500U, Toshiba THNSNJ256GMCT
234 Points -16%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
116 Points
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
113 Points -3%
Dell Latitude E5540
HD Graphics 4400, 4300U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
109 Points -6%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
123 Points +6%
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
116 Points 0%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
95 Points -18%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
54 Points -53%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
115 Points -1%
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4500U, Toshiba THNSNJ256GMCT
109 Points -6%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
3.08 Points
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
2.9 Points -6%
Dell Latitude E5540
HD Graphics 4400, 4300U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2.76 Points -10%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
3.3 Points +7%
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
3.23 Points +5%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2.6 Points -16%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1.32 Points -57%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3.25 Points +6%
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4500U, Toshiba THNSNJ256GMCT
2.55 Points -17%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
1.37 Points
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
1.3 Points -5%
Dell Latitude E5540
HD Graphics 4400, 4300U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1.2 Points -12%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
1.41 Points +3%
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
1.34 Points -2%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1.05 Points -23%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
0.64 Points -53%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1.36 Points -1%
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4500U, Toshiba THNSNJ256GMCT
1.24 Points -9%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
9355 Points
Dell Latitude E5540
HD Graphics 4400, 4300U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
8631 Points -8%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
10389 Points +11%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
7994 Points -15%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
4009 Points -57%
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4500U, Toshiba THNSNJ256GMCT
8813 Points -6%
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
4498 Points
Dell Latitude E5540
HD Graphics 4400, 4300U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
4016 Points -11%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
4582 Points +2%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3542 Points -21%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2610 Points -42%
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4500U, Toshiba THNSNJ256GMCT
4190 Points -7%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2650 Points
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2945 Points +11%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2024 Points -24%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2688 Points +1%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
5390 Points
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
6185 Points +15%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
4298 Points -20%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
5641 Points +5%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
101.2 ms *
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
109 ms * -8%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
188.4 ms * -86%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
161.4 ms * -59%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
96.5 ms * +5%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2779 Points
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
5154 Points +85%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
4690 Points +69%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2781 Points 0%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2389 ms *
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
2586 ms * -8%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2240 ms * +6%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
1304 ms * +45%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
1272 ms * +47%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
13570 Points
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
14010 Points +3%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
27518 Points +103%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
24097 Points +78%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
14952 Points +10%
WebXPRT 2013 - Overall (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
1193 Points
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
1755 Points +47%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
1712 Points +44%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
1234 Points +3%
Browsermark - 2.1 (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2817 points
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
5768 points +105%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
4289 points +52%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
3243 points +15%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

The powerful Core i5 processor and the solid state disk ensure a fast system: Windows boots swiftly, and the PC Mark benchmark results were very good. It surprised us that the Latitude performs better than its Fujitsu Lifebook E554 and HP Probook 650 competitors. Both the Fujitsu and the HP use standard volt CPUs (no ULV), which improves performance. The Latitude’s superior performance was likely due to its SSD , which delivers slightly higher 4k read and write rates than the models used in its competitors.

PCMark 7 Score
4638 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2800 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
3272 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
3874 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2800 Points
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
2119 Points -24%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2723 Points -3%
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
2434 Points -13%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2201 Points -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3008 Points +7%
PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
4638 Points
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
4168 Points -10%
Dell Latitude E5540
HD Graphics 4400, 4300U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3693 Points -20%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
4451 Points -4%
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
4215 Points -9%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2569 Points -45%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1890 Points -59%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2805 Points -40%
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4500U, Toshiba THNSNJ256GMCT
5159 Points +11%

Storage Devices

The Latitude is equipped with a 2.5 inch solid state disk from Samsung with a capacity of 128 GB (with only about 87 GB available to the user). Its read rates are good, but the write rates are not the best. This disk can easily be replaced with not only a higher capacity model (note: only SSDs with a height of 7 mm will fit), but a faster one (e.g., the Samsung SSD 840 Evo).

Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
Sequential Read: 524 MB/s
Sequential Write: 139.7 MB/s
512K Read: 426.6 MB/s
512K Write: 139.5 MB/s
4K Read: 28.32 MB/s
4K Write: 105.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 376.7 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 139.7 MB/s
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4500U, Toshiba THNSNJ256GMCT
One K73-5N
GeForce GTX 980M, 4790K, Samsung SSD 840 EVO 500GB
Bullman C-Klasse S i7 15FHD Dirtbook
HD Graphics 4600, 4810MQ, Samsung SSD 840 EVO 250GB
AS SSD
15%
4%
3%
5%
77%
69%
Seq Read
462.7
474
2%
468
1%
494.9
7%
479.7
4%
515
11%
506
9%
Seq Write
133.9
315
135%
135.8
1%
300.1
124%
442.3
230%
495.9
270%
496.6
271%
4K Read
25.47
24
-6%
33.14
30%
19.7
-23%
13.1
-49%
42.22
66%
39.16
54%
4K Write
82.5
44
-47%
94.9
15%
46.9
-43%
41.63
-50%
118.2
43%
120
45%
4K-64 Read
353.3
365
3%
347.4
-2%
237.5
-33%
386.7
9%
336
-5%
335.2
-5%
4K-64 Write
123.4
277
124%
107.8
-13%
195.5
58%
148.5
20%
281.5
128%
231.3
87%
Access Time Read *
0.136
0.1
26%
0.145
-7%
0.12
12%
0.179
-32%
0.046
66%
0.06
56%
Access Time Write *
0.042
0.09
-114%
0.04
5%
0.074
-76%
0.081
-93%
0.028
33%
0.029
31%

* ... smaller is better

Graphics Card

Intel's HD Graphics 5500 GPU is responsible for graphics output. The core supports DirectX 11.2 and clocks at up to 900 MHz. The HD Graphics 5500 is the successor of the HD Graphics 4400, but has a slightly lower clock rate (900 MHz vs. 1100 MHz) in spite of additional execution units and a bigger L1 cache. In 3D Mark benchmark tests it performed slightly better than the HD Graphics 4400. The graphics performance of the Latitude could be better. If the computer is equipped with a second RAM module, the RAM works in dual channel mode, allowing the GPU to be used more efficiently and achieve better results. This modification on our test model gave us increased (by 16 percent) 3D Mark 2011 results. All of the Latitude's single channel and dual channel results are listed in the comparison table.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
6215 points
3DMark 11 Performance
1028 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
45368 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
4680 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
618 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
1028 Points
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
1192 Points +16%
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
957 Points -7%
Dell Latitude E5540
HD Graphics 4400, 4300U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1009 Points -2%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
1040 Points +1%
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
1079 Points +5%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
877 Points -15%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
787 Points -23%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
849 Points -17%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
45368 Points
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
48863 Points +8%
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
36471 Points -20%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
47406 Points +4%
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
53520 Points +18%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
39808 Points -12%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
29166 Points -36%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
36385 Points -20%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
4680 Points
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
5047 Points +8%
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
4276 Points -9%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
5192 Points +11%
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
5394 Points +15%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
4360 Points -7%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2354 Points -50%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
4421 Points -6%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2501 Points
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2658 Points +6%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
2888 Points +15%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
618 Points
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
690 Points +12%
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
542 Points -12%
Dell Latitude E5540
HD Graphics 4400, 4300U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
660 Points +7%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
653 Points +6%
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
682 Points +10%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
563 Points -9%
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
402 Points -35%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
524 Points -15%
3DMark 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x (sort by value)
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
6215 Points
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
7368 Points +19%
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
6355 Points +2%
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
4795 Points -23%
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
4489 Points -28%

Gaming Performance

The Latitude's CPU-GPU combination can run several games smoothly with low resolution and low quality settings. On average, the notebook achieves slightly higher frame rates than comparable computers of the Haswell ULV (Core i5-4300U/4310U; HD Graphics 4400) hardware generation. The Latitude cannot keep up with competitors like the Lifebook E554 and the Probook 650. both of which benefit from their more powerful processors and RAM that works in dual channel mode. The addition of a second RAM module in the Latitude levels the playing field, giving the RAM the ability to work in dual channel mode and increasing frame rates by 20 percent on average. The Lifebook and the Probook will still perform slightly better, however, in very CPU-intensive games.

low med. high ultra
Deus Ex Human Revolution (2011) 44.6 25.7 11.3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012) 43.7 31.3 17.4 8.8
Hitman: Absolution (2012) 18 12.9 6.2
Dead Space 3 (2013) 55.1 24.9 20.7 10.7
Tomb Raider (2013) 43 21.9 14.1 7.1
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (2013) 116.6 38.9 20.2 7.1
BioShock Infinite (2013) 30.8 17.5 14.4 4.4
GRID 2 (2013) 47.2 27.4 20.5 12.5
Splinter Cell: Blacklist (2013) 23.2 13.5 8.5
Saints Row IV (2013) 17.6 13.6 6.9
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (2013) 16.6 13.9 10.8 6.2
Total War: Rome II (2013) 35.9 26.7 20.8 6
Batman: Arkham Origins (2013) 30 17 11
Assassin´s Creed IV: Black Flag (2013) 20.1 14.1 5.1
X-Plane 10.25 (2013) 29.7 12.8 4.9
Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) 26.1 23.8 11.2
Watch Dogs (2014) 14.8 10.4 6.9
GRID: Autosport (2014) 65.7 25.2 14.4 12.5
Risen 3: Titan Lords (2014) 25.5 14.8 6
Assassin's Creed Unity (2014) 8.2 5.9 3.1
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Dell Latitude 14 E5450
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
Acer TravelMate P246-M-598B
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Tomb Raider
21%
21%
42%
-2%
-8%
-19%
-13%
1024x768 Low Preset
43
53.5
24%
57.6
34%
64.8
51%
46.2
7%
42.2
-2%
37.1
-14%
37.2
-13%
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x
21.9
26.9
23%
26.8
22%
32.1
47%
21.9
0%
20.6
-6%
18.2
-17%
19
-13%
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x
14.1
16.5
17%
15.2
8%
18.2
29%
12.2
-13%
12
-15%
10.6
-25%
12.1
-14%

Emissions

System Noise

Usually, the Latitude is silent while idle since the fans don't run most of the time. The Fujitsu Lifebook E554 and the HP Probook 650 are no different; and all of the fans in our comparison group did not speed up before load is applied. The Latitude was the loudest in our stress test. On the positive side: the fan does not generate any annoying whistling, buzzing or whirring noises.

Noise Level

Idle
29.6 / 29.6 / 29.6 dB(A)
Load
38.1 / 46.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

The Latitude E5550 during the stress test
The Latitude E5550 during the stress test

The Latitude completed the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark running simultaneously for at least an hour) in the same way in both AC and battery power mode. The processor and graphics cores ran at maximum speed (CPU: 2.7 GHz; GPU: 900 MHz). The notebook did not grow particularly warm. We measured a temperature of over 40 °C (104 °F) in two spots during the stress test.

 29.8 °C
86 F
33.5 °C
92 F
29 °C
84 F
 
 29.6 °C
85 F
32.2 °C
90 F
27.7 °C
82 F
 
 25.5 °C
78 F
26.5 °C
80 F
27 °C
81 F
 
Maximum: 33.5 °C = 92 F
Average: 29 °C = 84 F
28 °C
82 F
32.3 °C
90 F
33.1 °C
92 F
26.7 °C
80 F
30 °C
86 F
32 °C
90 F
27.1 °C
81 F
27.4 °C
81 F
25.7 °C
78 F
Maximum: 33.1 °C = 92 F
Average: 29.1 °C = 84 F
Power Supply (max.)  32.2 °C = 90 F | Room Temperature 23.5 °C = 74 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.8 °C / 89 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 42.3 °C / 108 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 48 °C / 118 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29 °C / 84 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 27 °C / 80.6 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 (+0.7 °C / 1.3 F).
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
5300U/HD 5500/SSD
Dell Latitude E5550
4310U/HD 4400/SSD
Dell Latitude E5540
4300U/HD 4400/HDD
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
4210M/HD 4600/SSD
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
4200M/HD 4600/SSD
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
4000M/HD 4600/HDD
HP ProBook 655
A6-5350M/Radeon HD 8450G/HDD
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
4200M/HD 4600/HDD
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
4500U/Radeon HD 8750M/SSD
Heat
17%
10%
15%
3%
13%
5%
6%
-3%
Maximum Upper Side *
42.3
36.8
13%
34.2
19%
30.1
29%
36.2
14%
32.7
23%
33.8
20%
40.8
4%
50.1
-18%
Maximum Bottom *
48
42.6
11%
38.5
20%
37.6
22%
47.8
-0%
46.1
4%
43.6
9%
39
19%
52.7
-10%
Idle Upper Side *
33.5
26.4
21%
30.7
8%
29.2
13%
32.3
4%
27.7
17%
31.2
7%
31.6
6%
32.2
4%
Idle Bottom *
33.1
25.9
22%
35.6
-8%
34.7
-5%
35
-6%
30.5
8%
39.2
-18%
34.5
-4%
28.9
13%

* ... smaller is better

Energy Management

Power Consumption

While idle, the Broadwell Latitude needs less energy than its Haswell sister model. Under full load, however, the power consumption is slightly higher. This is not surprising since the Broadwell Latitude is, overall, more powerful. Its Fujitsu Lifebook E554 and HP Probook 650 competitors, both with conventional mobile processors, need significantly more energy under full load.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.7 / 8 / 10.3 Watt
Load midlight 40.3 / 43.5 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
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 E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
Dell Latitude E5540
HD Graphics 4400, 4300U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4500U, Toshiba THNSNJ256GMCT
Power Consumption
-30%
-26%
6%
-57%
4%
-40%
-41%
-15%
Idle Minimum *
4.7
8.2
-74%
7.4
-57%
3.5
26%
9.2
-96%
4.6
2%
9.4
-100%
9.5
-102%
5.9
-26%
Idle Average *
8
12.8
-60%
12.8
-60%
7.1
11%
14.6
-83%
8.2
-3%
11.3
-41%
13.1
-64%
9.2
-15%
Idle Maximum *
10.3
15.1
-47%
13.1
-27%
8
22%
15.5
-50%
9.4
9%
14.5
-41%
13.4
-30%
10.4
-1%
Load Average *
40.3
32.9
18%
39
3%
40.1
-0%
47
-17%
37.1
8%
41.2
-2%
38.6
4%
41.1
-2%
Load Maximum *
43.5
37
15%
39.8
9%
57
-31%
60.6
-39%
41.5
5%
50.8
-17%
49.5
-14%
56.6
-30%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The battery, while the Latitude is idle, lasts 12:01 h. The Fujitsu Lifebook E554 (16:28 h) performs significantly better. We tested the idle scenario (minimum display brightness, active energy saving profile, and disabled radio modules) using the Battery Eater Reader test. Under load (running the Battery Eater Classic test at maximum display brightness, maximum performance profile and enabled radio modules), the Latitude shuts down after 1:06 h. Again, the Lifebook (1:37 h) lasts longer.

The Dell notebook finished our realistic WLAN test after 6:21 h. The Lifebook (at 6:22 h) is on par, but the HP Probook 650 (4:18 h) is not. The test simulates web browsing with a script that refreshes websites every 40 seconds with the following additional system demands: active energy-saving mode; display brightness adjusted to around 150 cd/m²; a loop of the short movie Big Buck Bunny (H.264 coding, 1920 x 1080 pixels) to determine the battery runtime during video playback; wireless modules deactivated; display brightness adjusted to around 150 cd/m². The Latitude lasted 6:27 h; the Lifebook survived for only 5:43 h.

Overall, the Latitude delivers good battery runtimes and performs only slightly better than its Haswell sister model despite its better performance in other areas and the same battery capacity.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
12h 01min
WiFi Surfing
6h 21min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
6h 27min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 06min
Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
Dell Latitude E5550
HD Graphics 4400, 4310U, Lite-On LCS-128L9S
Dell Latitude E5540
HD Graphics 4400, 4300U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Fujitsu LifeBook E554
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR
HP ProBook 650-H5G81ET
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Liteonit LCS-128M6S
HP ProBook 650 G1 H5G74E
HD Graphics 4600, 4000M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
HP ProBook 655
Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Lenovo ThinkPad L540 20AV002YGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4200M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Acer TravelMate P645-MG-74508G75tkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4500U, Toshiba THNSNJ256GMCT
Battery Runtime
-4%
15%
18%
-32%
-0%
-6%
-9%
29%
Reader / Idle
721
523
-27%
654
-9%
988
37%
461
-36%
559
-22%
391
-46%
615
-15%
H.264
387
382
-1%
343
-11%
WiFi
381
365
-4%
423
11%
382
0%
258
-32%
316
-17%
288
-24%
298
-22%
406
7%
Load
66
78
18%
94
42%
97
47%
100
52%
84
27%
93
41%
128
94%

Verdict

The Dell Latitude E5550 is a 15.6-inch notebook that delivers performance sufficient for everyday business tasks. It works quietly most of the time and provides good battery runtimes. Thanks to a solid state disk, the notebook boots swiftly and works quickly. In addition, it has good input devices and a bright IPS display. The display contrast should be better. A big maintenance hatch allows easy access to the hardware. Furthermore, the device comes with the usual business features like docking port, TPM, and fingerprint reader. Our test model is LTE/3G-ready, too: an LTE compatible modem can be ordered from Dell for just under 60 Euro/70 USD.

All in all, Dell has produced a balanced device without any serious weaknesses. Overall, the Broadwell processor is a good start. Compared to the Haswell CPU, it performs slightly better without a negative impact on battery life. Those who need even better performance should select one of the Latitude's competitors, like the Fujitsu Lifebook E554 or the HP Probook 650, both of which come with conventional, but more powerful, mobile processors.

Note: Although the Broadwell Latitude is slightly more powerful and achieves slightly better battery runtimes than the recently reviewed Haswell Latitude, the latter achieved a higher rating of 86 percent. Why? First of all, the Broadwell Latitude lacks the LTE modem present in the Haswell Latitude. In addition, it is louder under full load and gets overall warmer than the Haswell model.

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In Review: Dell Latitude E5550. Test model courtesy of Dell.
In Review: Dell Latitude E5550. Test model courtesy of Dell.

Specifications

Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell (Latitude E5550 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-5300U 2 x 2.3 - 2.9 GHz, Broadwell
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 5500, Core: 900 MHz, 10.18.10.3977
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3, single channel, two RAM slots (one slot used)
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, Samsung, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Broadwell-U PCH-LP (Premium)
Storage
Samsung SSD PM851 128 GB MZ7TE128HMGR, 128 GB 
, 87 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Broadwell PCH-LP - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 Docking Station Port, Audio Connections: Audiokombo, Card Reader: SD, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, TPM 1.2
Networking
Intel I218-LM Gigabit (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 23.6 x 377 x 255 ( = 0.93 x 14.84 x 10.04 in)
Battery
51 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8.1 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Dell Backup and Recovery
Weight
2.14 kg ( = 75.49 oz / 4.72 pounds), Power Supply: 198 g ( = 6.98 oz / 0.44 pounds)
Price
999 Euro

 

The lid ...
The lid ...
... is rubberized.
... is rubberized.
The big maintenance hatch on the underside...
The big maintenance hatch on the underside...
... allows easy access to the hardware.
... allows easy access to the hardware.
The hinges keep the display well in position.
The hinges keep the display well in position.
The power button features a LED.
The power button features a LED.
The input devices are pleasing.
The input devices are pleasing.
The keyboard offers a great typing experience.
The keyboard offers a great typing experience.
A number block is available.
A number block is available.
Apart from a touchpad...
Apart from a touchpad...
... there is also a trackpoint.
... there is also a trackpoint.
The quality of the webcam is sufficient for video telephony.
The quality of the webcam is sufficient for video telephony.
With the fingerprint reader, biometric access control is possible.
With the fingerprint reader, biometric access control is possible.
Our test model features a SmartCard reader.
Our test model features a SmartCard reader.
The speakers are on the underside of the computer.
The speakers are on the underside of the computer.

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Pros

+Slim case
+Elegant design
+Good input devices
+Solid State Disk
+Keyboard backlight
+Easy to maintain
+Docking port
+IPS display
+Slot for an LTE modem
+Recovery medium (USB flash drive)
 

Cons

-12 months warranty

Shortcut

What we like

Dell delivers a balanced product without serious weaknesses.

What we would like to see

An LTE modem -- but one that can be retrofitted. Some users might wish for an optical drive.

What surprises us

Nothing.

The competition

Fujitsu LifeBook E554, HP Probook 650, HP Probook 655, Toshiba Satellite U50t, Acer TravelMate P455, Lenovo ThinkPad L540

Rating

Dell Latitude E5550 Broadwell - 01/25/2015 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
84 / 98 → 86%
Keyboard
87%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
73 / 80 → 91%
Weight
62 / 20-67 → 89%
Battery
84%
Display
86%
Games Performance
64 / 68 → 94%
Application Performance
80 / 92 → 87%
Temperature
88%
Noise
87%
Audio
55%
Camera
48 / 85 → 56%
Average
76%
84%
Office - Weighted Average
Sascha Mölck, 2015-01-31 (Update: 2018-05-15)