Review Dell Latitude 3340 Notebook
For the original German review, see here.
Dell touts its Latitude 13 models to be exceptionally robust laptops, particularly for the educational field. The model rounds off the low-end sector of its Latitude series. We previously tested the 14-inch Latitude 3440 and 15-inch 3540. The 13-inch model's price of 850 Euros (incl. VAT; ~$1166) is even higher than that of its family members, which is likely due to special features (resistant casing) and the different price range available for the educational field. Generous discounts are also possible for bulk orders. The Latitude 13 is not available in free trade to date, at least not in Germany. With this background, it is obvious that the price of a Latitude E5440 (also 850 Euros; ~$1166, HD+ docking, etc.) does not "fit" to the present Latitude. However, since it is being sold in a different market, the Latitude 3340 perhaps does not have to compete with this price criterion.
Be that as it may, there are handy, everyday robust standard laptop contenders. For example, Lenovo's ThinkPad Edge models, such as the equally sized 13-inch Edge E330 (i3-3120M, starting at 460 Euros; ~$631), would be named first. Acer joins in with the TravelMate P633-M that costs less than 600 Euros (~$823) even with a Core i5 and UMTS modem. There are more options in the 14-inch range, like HP's ProBook 645 G1 (AMD A-Series A6-5350M) or Dell's Latitude 3440 (Intel Core i5-4200U).
Case
The German website states "a completely sealed design". The manufacturer refers to the sealed keyboard and touchpad design with an underlying spill protection. We did not want to try if this works with real fluids, but it is rather strange that there is no outlet on the chassis' underside (a small hole like in many business laptops).
The rubberized sides of the lid and base are more conspicuous. It is not a coating, but a real, mounted rubber part. This not only gives the edges a soft feel, it above all also protects the laptop against shocks and breakage, for example in cases of a short drop. Even if Dell states an SSD hard drive without moving parts, our review sample sports a solid-state hybrid drive that corresponds to a conventional HDD mechanically.
The battery has some room in its compartment; the gaps in the work area are quite large. The hinges are very stiff, we needed both hands for opening the lid, which can be opened to 190 degrees, and the hinges are mounted tightly to the base. The lid itself is not very stiff; twisting its sides noticeably bends its center. The thin base is relatively rigid, and force was needed to twist it. Overall, the chassis appears suitable for everyday use, although its looks will not catch anyone's eye.
By the way, the Latitude 3330 precursor featured an entirely different chassis with an aluminum finish and a completely different look.
Connectivity
There are not many interfaces. Although a DisplayPort is available, things that are sometimes important, such as a VGA (d-sub) or docking port, are not. This is in line with the Latitude 3000 range that only provides slimmed down business features if at all.
Communication
Intel's Wireless-AC 7260 module transmitted with an almost stable speed at a distance of 15 and 45 meters (~49 and 148 feet) in the author's personal settings. Websites could still be opened in a satisfactory time, even in the larger, linear distance outside the building. Users who prefer LAN can connect with Intel's I218-LM (Clarkville ULT) Gigabit adapter.
Security
Besides the spill-protected input devices, the E3340 sports a TPM module (log in information). Long life cycles alongside maintenance and setup options from the manufacturer are also important for institutional buyers. Dell offers this in the form of Dell Configuration and Deployment Services, and Dell Imaging Services. Some contenders include a fingerprint reader and hard drive protection (fall sensor). The first is, however, counterproductive in educational institutions, and makes more sense in personal computers.
Accessories/Software
The box includes only the power supply, quick start guide, and recovery DVDs. Dell's universal SuperSpeed USB 3.0 docking station can be used as a port replicator. Intel's Wi-Fi module supports Wireless Display, providing the corresponding monitor is present. The manufacturer offers the mobile Dell Computing Cart for managing up to 30 laptops. The devices are inserted into a rack, and are recharged and maintained (Ethernet). Dell provides security software in the form of Dell Data Protection/Protected Workspace. Data Protection/Encryption encrypts data.
Maintenance
The device does not have any maintenance covers. It is not intended that the users access the innards.
Warranty
Dell always includes a one-year base warranty. The options for warranty upgrades are extensive. The base warranty can be extended up to 5 years for a maximum of 139 Euros (~$191).
Regrettably, the webcam is not worth mentioning, and is only suitable for taking pixelated shots and video chats in a low resolution. Outlines are blurry and colors look unnatural, even in daylight. The microphone does a better job. Our outdoor recordings in the video clip exhibited a low-noise, clear sound at a normal distance of 40 centimeters (~15.7 inches).
Input Devices
Keyboard
The keys make an agile, typing-eager impression, which is due to the firm stroke, clear drop, and crisp pressure point. There is virtually no typing noise. All keys feature a concave surface that makes it easier for the fingers to find the right key. The layout is a bit narrow on the right (enter key), and the arrow keys have been slimmed down.
The key bed is in a small recess that is also lined with rubber. That could be a part of the sealing that the manufacturer mentions. The 13-inch laptop does not feature a number pad, but it can be added as a secondary function via the function key.
Touchpad
The touchpad with a diagonal of exactly ten centimeters (~3.9 in) features a rather rough surface. The keys provide good feedback due to their clear drop and long pressure point. The stroke is firm, but not hard, and it is quiet. The Latitude 3340 would thus be perfect for use in the library. However, there is one drawback: We could not perform multi-touch gestures. The driver does not provide the corresponding settings. The input device operates as a simple PS/2 compatible mouse in the state of delivery.
Display
The 13.3-inch screen (CMN1352 133BGE, Dell P/N: 90N37) has the common low resolution of 1366x768 pixels. It is the matte, non-touch model. Dell also offers a TN LED touchscreen. We do not know whether it is at least partly matte.
The brightness is equal in both AC and battery mode when the energy-saving mechanisms of Intel's VGA driver are disabled (dims otherwise). Nevertheless, the average is only 211 cd/m², which is too low for comfortable working in sunlight. The poor contrast is unfortunately typical for many budget TN screens. TN screens do not have to be as bad as the one here (247:1). The ProBook 645 and TravelMate P633 contenders use superior TN TFTs. On the other hand, they both have a lower brightness. That just shows that all good things rarely come together.
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Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 232 cd/m²
Contrast: 247:1 (Black: 0.94 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 10.35 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.87
ΔE Greyscale 11.79 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
42% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
45.47% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
65.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
43.98% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.38
| Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive | Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E330 NZS4RGE HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT007-9ZV142 | HP Probook 645 G1 Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630 | Acer Travelmate P633-M-32374G50ikk HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Hitachi Travelstar 5K500 HTS545050KTA300 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | ||||
| Display P3 Coverage | 43.98 | 37.71 -14% | 39.73 -10% | 39.26 -11% |
| sRGB Coverage | 65.9 | 56.5 -14% | 58.8 -11% | 57.5 -13% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 45.47 | 39.01 -14% | 40.86 -10% | 40.75 -10% |
| Screen | ||||
| Brightness middle | 232 | 227 -2% | 182 -22% | 184 -21% |
| Brightness | 211 | 222 5% | 170 -19% | 173 -18% |
| Brightness Distribution | 85 | 95 12% | 87 2% | 87 2% |
| Black Level * | 0.94 | 1.79 -90% | 0.27 71% | 0.35 63% |
| Contrast | 247 | 127 -49% | 674 173% | 526 113% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 10.35 | 10.49 -1% | ||
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 11.79 | 11.42 3% | ||
| Gamma | 2.38 92% | 2.32 95% | ||
| CCT | 14957 43% | 12682 51% | ||
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 42 | 37.6 -10% |
* ... smaller is better
We calibrated the screen with the spectrophotometer, and checked the sRGB color accuracy in the state of delivery. Calibrating considerably lessens the intense bluish cast (see Grayscale). The Latitude 3340 will not be interesting for graphic designers; sRGB is only 60% covered. This magnitude is common in low-cost aSi TFTs (TN).
Outdoor use in the sun is quite possible owing to the AR coating, however, not in direct sunlight.
The viewing angles are bottom of the barrel for TN screens. We could only view the TFT without an inverted image from the sweet spot centered in front of the screen, and up to 45 degrees left and right. It got unsightly beyond that, as can be seen in the screenshot below. This may be all right in the lecture room because it limits the seat neighbor’s view of the screen.
Performance
In line with the purpose, the Latitude is only available with energy-efficient ULV (Haswell) processors. The Core i5-4200U installed in our review sample clocks at 1.6 to 2.6 GHz, and is more than sufficient for most applications. The CPU supports the new AVX2 extension (extended instruction set, e.g. vector calculation) in addition to Turbo Boost and Hyperthreading. The lower TDP of 15 Watts is typical (Ivy Bridge: 17 Watts), which includes the power requirement of the integrated chip set.
The DirectX 11 capable Intel HD 4400 takes care of video output because there is no dedicated GPU. Its Execution Units (EUs) clock with a frequency of 200 up to a maximum of 1000 MHz.
The Latitude is equipped with 4 GB of DDR3 memory. Unfortunately, one memory module also inevitably means single-channel operation, which affects the GPU performance. Data is stored on a conventional 500 GB hard drive from Seagate, which includes an 8 GB MLC-NAND as a solid-state hybrid drive.
Processor
To what extent does the Core i5-4200U max out its Turbo during load? Prime95 loaded all four cores, and the clock remained stable at 2.2 GHz. That is a bit less than the promised 2.6 GHz, which is however specified for single thread (one core). The temperature was 75 degrees Celsius (167 Fahrenheit) during this test.
The scores of the Cinebench tests are one of the best for an i5-4200U in both AC and battery mode. The contenders with a Core i3 or AMD's A6 APU come in last with a 50% lower computing power depending on the test. We have to point out that both TravelMate P633-M and ThinkPad Edge E330 sport the old Sandy Bridge architecture with a poorer per Watt performance than in Haswell, even when standard voltage is compared with ULV.
| Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive | Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E330 NZS4RGE HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT007-9ZV142 | Acer Travelmate P633-M-32374G50ikk HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Hitachi Travelstar 5K500 HTS545050KTA300 | HP Probook 645 G1 Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R11.5 | -23% | -26% | -18% | |
| CPU Single 64Bit | 1.04 | 0.88 -15% | 0.87 -16% | |
| CPU Multi 64Bit | 2.52 | 2.31 -8% | 2.04 -19% | 1.34 -47% |
| OpenGL 64Bit | 15.36 | 9.72 -37% | 8.82 -43% | 16.82 10% |
| Cinebench R15 | -38% | |||
| CPU Single 64Bit | 100 | 73 -27% | ||
| CPU Multi 64Bit | 229 | 118 -48% | ||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -23% /
-23% | -26% /
-26% | -28% /
-26% |
System Performance
We used PCMark 7 and 8.2 to assess the application performance. The PCMark 7 score is quite good due to the strong System Storage, as well as the better graphics solution (despite single-channel) and the current Core i5 Haswell's better computing performance. Added up, the contenders lag behind by 17 to 40%. However, the good score of HP's ProBook 645 G1 (AMD A6) in PCMark 8.2 is noteworthy, although it sports a conventional hard drive (no SSHD) and the APU core's computing performance is lower. AMD's Radeon HD 8450G pays off here. This integrated GPU apparently accelerates PCMark 8.2 better than our HD 4400 (single-channel).
| Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive | Acer Travelmate P633-M-32374G50ikk HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Hitachi Travelstar 5K500 HTS545050KTA300 | Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E330 NZS4RGE HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT007-9ZV142 | HP Probook 645 G1 Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCMark 7 | -40% | -32% | -40% | |
| System Storage | 3112 | 1565 -50% | 1814 -42% | |
| Computation | 9791 | 7879 -20% | 3414 -65% | |
| Creativity | 5551 | 3823 -31% | 3561 -36% | |
| Entertainment | 2520 | 2056 -18% | 1698 -33% | |
| Productivity | 2127 | 1216 -43% | 1308 -39% | |
| Lightweight | 2668 | 1731 -35% | 1925 -28% | |
| Score | 2928 | 1753 -40% | 2079 -29% | 1908 -35% |
| PCMark 8 | 6% | |||
| Work Score Accelerated v2 | 2738 | 3175 16% | ||
| Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 2154 | 1922 -11% | ||
| Home Score Accelerated v2 | 1981 | 2230 13% | ||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -40% /
-40% | -32% /
-32% | -17% /
-26% |
| PCMark 7 Score | 2928 points | |
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 1981 points | |
| PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 2154 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 2738 points | |
Help | ||
Storage Devices
The solid-state hybrid drive (500 GB, 5400 rpm) has an 8 GB NAND that is used as a cache for frequently accessed data. It is a kind of "learning" system, and is to speed up start and boot times considerably. This process is also performed swiftly, but does not apply to copying and installations. They are even slower than with a conventional HDD as can be seen based on the single measurements in the following chart. Sequential read is very bad; 80 to 110 MB/s would be usual. Lenovo and HP score here. We ran CrystalDiskMark 3.0 several times in different intervals to exclude interfering background programs. The results were always this low.
| Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive | Acer Travelmate P633-M-32374G50ikk HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Hitachi Travelstar 5K500 HTS545050KTA300 | Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E330 NZS4RGE HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT007-9ZV142 | HP Probook 645 G1 Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrystalDiskMark 3.0 | -10% | 34% | 33% | |
| Read Seq | 37.73 | 73.7 95% | 108.8 188% | 112.8 199% |
| Write Seq | 108.5 | 85.1 -22% | 106.2 -2% | 110.5 2% |
| Read 512 | 24.84 | 24.13 -3% | 32.65 31% | 31.71 28% |
| Write 512 | 46.82 | 24.85 -47% | 48.47 4% | 44.12 -6% |
| Read 4k | 0.357 | 0.257 -28% | 0.378 6% | 0.323 -10% |
| Write 4k | 0.662 | 0.607 -8% | 0.751 13% | 0.82 24% |
| Read 4k QD32 | 0.749 | 0.62 -17% | 0.856 14% | 0.786 5% |
| Write 4k QD32 | 0.65 | 0.333 -49% | 0.754 16% | 0.807 24% |
Graphics Card
The HD 4400 also lags 33% behind HP's ProBook 645 G1 in 3DMark (2013). However, they were tied in 3DMark 11. The superior CPU support lets Intel's Core i5 systems win when Physics is added though.
Regardless of that, the HD 4400 is ideal for this work laptop. Games will unlikely be an issue for the users because higher focus is placed on the energy-saving features. The World of Games can be entered with undemanding tracks, such as FIFA 14. The HD 4400 should also be able to cope with games that are older than ten years.
| 3DMark | |
| 1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics (sort by value) | |
| Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series | |
| HP Probook 645 G1 | |
| 1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Physics (sort by value) | |
| Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series | |
| HP Probook 645 G1 | |
| 3DMark 11 | |
| 1280x720 Performance GPU (sort by value) | |
| Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series | |
| HP Probook 645 G1 | |
| 1280x720 Performance Physics (sort by value) | |
| Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series | |
| HP Probook 645 G1 | |
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 774 points | |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 35351 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 3828 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 502 points | |
Help | ||
Emissions
System Noise
The produced noise was never distracting; the fan was off most of the time (idle). That only changed slightly in load, but 32 dB(A) during 3DMark 2006 are not much. Some multimedia laptops create this level when idling. The TravelMate P633-M and ProBook 645 G1 achieved 40 dB(A) in the stress test. The Edge 330 is just as quiet when idle, and we only registered the HDD's noise in that case.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 31.3 / 31.3 / 31.3 dB(A) |
| HDD |
| 31.3 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 31.6 / 35.7 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance) | ||
Temperature
The casing remains nice and cool when idle, and the hot spots do not break any negative records under load either. Our review sample is the clear winner when it comes to the warmest spots on the casing. The TravelMate P633 heated up to 50 °C (122 °F), and the ProBook 645 G1 reached 52 °C (125.6 °F) under load (hot spot on the underside in each case). We only measured 43 °C (109.4 °F) on the Latitude.
The Latitude 3340 performed the one-hour stress test with a slightly fluctuating CPU clock of 1.2 to 1.3 GHz, and the HD 4400 clocked with 900 MHz. Thus, we now encounter what we did not find in the performance test above: thermal throttling. The fan can no longer cool the components sufficiently in this (rather unrealistic) extreme scenario, and the SoC reduces its clock rate. This already occurs at 70 °C (158 °F). The HD 4400 contributes massively to this throttling. The CPU's clock rockets to 2.2 GHz again as soon as we stop FurMark (GPU stress). However, as the CPU benchmarks proved, the i5-4200U will achieve its innate performance in practical use.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.1 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 34.3 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43.5 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.7 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (33.8 °C / 92.8 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.6 °C / 81.7 F (-6.2 °C / -11.1 F).
Speakers
The speakers are located on the laptop's front, below the wrist rest. Thus, they radiate toward the tabletop, and the sound changes depending on the surface. The volume is satisfactory; the small membranes do not distort at high volumes. Nevertheless, the sound is not really worth listening to because the mid-range is overemphasized while trebles and low ranges are completely neglected. However, we rarely find a differentiated sound. At best, select multimedia laptops feature sufficiently sized speakers or a subwoofer.
Energy Management
Power Consumption
The 3340 is almost an eco laptop. Although it does not produce its own energy, it consumes 50 to 60% less power than its contenders. Idle is particularly praiseworthy: 5 to 7 Watts alongside 0.1 Watts in standby are very low rates for an office laptop.
The power supply provides 65 Watts, which is more than enough for the 29 Watts that we measured in the stress test. The average and maximum consumption under load is identical, and more evidence of the CPU throttling during load.
| Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive | Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E330 NZS4RGE HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT007-9ZV142 | Acer Travelmate P633-M-32374G50ikk HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Hitachi Travelstar 5K500 HTS545050KTA300 | HP Probook 645 G1 Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -46% | -58% | -63% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 4.7 | 6.3 -34% | 7.7 -64% | 8.4 -79% |
| Idle Average * | 6.3 | 9.4 -49% | 9.7 -54% | 10.5 -67% |
| Idle Maximum * | 7.1 | 10.1 -42% | 10.6 -49% | 11.5 -62% |
| Load Average * | 28.8 | 37.4 -30% | 42.1 -46% | 40.3 -40% |
| Load Maximum * | 28.8 | 49.8 -73% | 51.5 -79% | 47.8 -66% |
* ... smaller is better
| Off / Standby | 0.1 / 0.1 Watt |
| Idle | 4.7 / 6.3 / 7.1 Watt |
| Load |
28.8 / 28.8 Watt |
   
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Voltcraft VC 960 | |
Battery Runtime
The low power consumption points to a long battery runtime. It should be long because Dell states a runtime for a whole day of school. The 65 Wh battery in the 3340 does not fail its manufacturer - 14:31 hours in the Wi-Fi test is a very positive surprise. A script opens websites every 45 seconds in this test.
The brightness was dimmed to 140 cd/m² (4 levels), and the energy-saving profile was selected. Idle lasts much longer, but is not a real-life situation due to minimum brightness. The contenders are no match for this runtime strength, although the ThinkPad Edge E330 (63 Wh) features almost the same capacity. The power consumption of the Sandy Bridge CPU in the Edge 330 is simply too high to compete with Haswell. The TravelMate P633-M (44 Wh) and ProBook 645 G1 (55 Wh) both have a lower capacity battery.
| Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive | Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E330 NZS4RGE HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT007-9ZV142 | Acer Travelmate P633-M-32374G50ikk HD Graphics 3000, 2370M, Hitachi Travelstar 5K500 HTS545050KTA300 | HP Probook 645 G1 Radeon HD 8450G, A6-5350M, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -55% | -70% | -59% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1145 | 588 -49% | 374 -67% | 568 -50% |
| WiFi | 871 | 345 -60% | 235 -73% | 289 -67% |
Verdict
Dell's Latitude 3340 forms the entry-level of the Latitude series. The lack of the "E" in the name makes it a member of the low-cost Latitudes, which we have reviewed in the 14 and 15-inch size: Latitude 3440/3540. The present 13-inch laptop steps out of line: It is not a beauty in terms of looks (boring full plastic body) and feel (rubber lining), and it is more expensive than its mentioned sister models despite standard hardware in the form of a (hybrid) HDD, HD screen, and no dedicated GPU. That might be because of the educational institution market that allows different pricing due to various services (leasing, platform stability, charging racks for the device). The 3340 is only available directly from Dell (currently 713 Euros plus VAT; ~$978).
The quest for a handy work companion has thus not come to an end yet. The ThinkPad Edge E330 (currently Core i3-3120M) will catch the searcher's eye because it is available starting at 460 Euros (~$631), and features very good input devices. The lower power consumption of the Ivy Bridge processor should also have improved the runtime. Acer's TravelMate P633-M and HP's ProBook 645 G1 are pricier, but have a higher contrast screen. The ProBook 645 has better input devices than Acer's laptop, and the battery runtime of almost five hours in the Wi-Fi test was also quite good. The ProBook 645 is the most attractive contender; its aluminum work surface makes a very solid and high-quality impression. However, its price is also quite steep: approximately 750 Euros (~$1029) for the AMD A6 configuration is rather high, particularly considering that an HD+ screen is not used. Knowing this, the Edge E330 seems to be the best choice among the 13 and 14-inch laptops.
