Dell Latitude XT3 Convertible Laptop, hands on

J

Joe Average

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Engadget got a chance earlier today to take a peek and get some hands on time with the just introduced Dell Latitude XT3:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/08/dell-latitude-xt3-convertible-tablet-hands-on-video/

Big feature: dual input digitizer, with a matte screen that is capacitive which is the first I've ever seen or even heard of on a Tablet PC or such device. Impressive stuff, and yes it does come with a stylus as well. Apparently the display is also sunlight-readable but that's entirely up for interpretation I suppose.

The reviewers says "quad core" but of course, it's just the Intel Core i5-2520M so dual core with hyperthreading (ok, so 4 threads, sue me). Gotta love how they can't get shit straight sometimes.

I'd imagine this will come to market at $1100+ which puts it way outside the grasp - literally - of most buyers but, since it's designed primarily as an enterprise product as all Dell Latitudes are meant to be it's a non-issue. It's nice but, don't think I'd get one.

I gotta say I'm pretty much 100% disappointed in everything that Dell introduced earlier today, the entire Latitude line now looks completely different from the old stuff, and I'm not pleased at all with it. Guess I'll stick with the previous E6400 or E6410 generation products since the new stuff, even if it's Sandy Bridge based, is simply not to my liking. A lot of people on various forums aren't too happy with the new designs either... especially the lack of proper 16:10 displays in favor of that shitty 1366x768 and 1600x900 crap. :(

Just me I suppose, but I'm 16:10 forever until they just don't exist anymore. :D
 
I was wondering when Dell was going to update the XT2. Looks like it uses an N-trig digitizer, kind of a bummer if you're looker into inking on the device. Wacom pen digitizers are simply better but N-trig has gotten better their pens are very sensitive to EM interference and humidity, I see these issues on my HP Slate.

I'm waiting for an i7 convertible with a dedicated GPU, Wacom digitizer and a good screen. That's a must have for me.
 
heatless has a lot more experience with digitizers than I do, but I think the Ntrig digitizer in my HP TX2 is pretty good. I imagine this is just a newer version of it. Inking on it is excellent - capacitive touch detection isn't as good.

There have been some people with issues with random clicks and things due to EM interference...I had it myself, but it was fixed with official win7 drivers.
 
Not trying to knock N-trig but of all the people that have used both Wacom and N-trig digitizers that I've talked to say that Wacom digitizers are better. Every single one.

That's not to say that N-trig digitizers are bad but Wacom devices are practically perfect with ink, at least all that I've used. My HP Slate has an N-trig digitizer and it works reasonably well, I ink on it all of the time, the size is wonderful but it has those EM issues that you mentioned that in time will probably get fixed but Wacom digitizers just don't have these problems.
 
just want to point out that my 2740p has a matte screen ;)

if this had wacom and came out say 8 or 9 months ago when i bought my 2740p i may have very well considered it :D

nice device none the less
 
People still make convertibles?

I haven't touched mine even once since I graduated last year. In fact I lost the AC brick for it and I haven't even bothered wasting the ~$30 to order a new one. Completely unmarketable outside of a very small customer niche, especially since the biggest audience for this (students) won't be able to come close to affording it (I'm betting at least $1600 if the XT2's launch price is any indicator).
 
InorganicMatter said:
People still make convertibles?

I haven't touched mine even once since I graduated last year. In fact I lost the AC brick for it and I haven't even bothered wasting the ~$30 to order a new one. Completely unmarketable outside of a very small customer niche, especially since the biggest audience for this (students) won't be able to come close to affording it (I'm betting at least $1600 if the XT2's launch price is any indicator).
Click to expand...

yup, i got my 2740p for school, and i assume after graduation it will rarely be used as a tablet....
 
Haven't used anything with an N-Trig digitizer yet, though I wish my TM2's wacom digitizer supported more than two touch points.
 
W.Feather said:
yup, i got my 2740p for school, and i assume after graduation it will rarely be used as a tablet....
Click to expand...

I know that a lot of people don't think Windows works well on slates and is weak with touch but plenty of people use their convertibles primarily in slate mode. It's just another way to use a computer and it works better than a conventional laptop in certain situations like surfing in bed on your side or while standing.
 
heatlesssun said:
I know that a lot of people don't think Windows works well on slates and is weak with touch but plenty of people use their convertibles primarily in slate mode. It's just another way to use a computer and it works better than a conventional laptop in certain situations like surfing in bed on your side or while standing.
Click to expand...

i'm one of those people who dont think windows is good for touch (as you for sure know :D ) but as it stands now my PC is in slate mode only for note taking (unless i can get Android 2.2 working correctly....), then again i dont use it in bed and what not.....just the way i use it i guess
 
InorganicMatter said:
People still make convertibles?

I haven't touched mine even once since I graduated last year. In fact I lost the AC brick for it and I haven't even bothered wasting the ~$30 to order a new one. Completely unmarketable outside of a very small customer niche, especially since the biggest audience for this (students) won't be able to come close to affording it (I'm betting at least $1600 if the XT2's launch price is any indicator).
Click to expand...


So you've got this convertible machine of some kind/brand/make and you're not using it at all, haven't used it for years potentially... I mean, if you're not gonna use it, I can drop you my mailing address, I'll pay shipping. :D
 
W.Feather said:
i'm one of those people who dont think windows is good for touch (as you for sure know :D ) but as it stands now my PC is in slate mode only for note taking (unless i can get Android 2.2 working correctly....), then again i dont use it in bed and what not.....just the way i use it i guess
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's just what you're used to. You always hear people especially on this forum rag Windows 7 touch and while much of it is legitimate some of it is simply lack of familiarity with the interface and the options out there. And any app that I've seen like Angry Birds that actually designs touch into the app properly works just like it does on an Android or iOS device, in the case of AB it's much nicer on the big honkin' EP121 screen than the iPad. So much of the criticism really has nothing to do with Windows per se anyway.
 
Joe Average said:
So you've got this convertible machine of some kind/brand/make and you're not using it at all, haven't used it for years potentially... I mean, if you're not gonna use it, I can drop you my mailing address, I'll pay shipping. :D
Click to expand...

I've got two in my closets I've not turned on in about a year, an HP tx2 and a Toshiba R25. The R25 has a bad DVD drive which is actually the way they make them these days anyway.
 
heatlesssun said:
Yeah, it's just what you're used to. You always hear people especially on this forum rag Windows 7 touch and while much of it is legitimate some of it is simply lack of familiarity with the interface and the options out there. And any app that I've seen like Angry Birds that actually designs touch into the app properly works just like it does on an Android or iOS device, in the case of AB it's much nicer on the big honkin' EP121 screen than the iPad. So much of the criticism really has nothing to do with Windows per se anyway.
Click to expand...

no argument about the OS handling touch nicely, my argument is and always has been that apps do not utilize it.....i wish one note was more pen friendly interface off the bat (yes i can customize ribbons for it but meh it snot a huge inconvinence)

have yet to try Angry Birds (hard time shelling out $$ for a game i already own on Android)
 
W.Feather said:
have yet to try Angry Birds (hard time shelling out $$ for a game i already own on Android)
Click to expand...

I have to give it to Rovio, they didn't just slap AB for the PC together. It actually supports multi-monitor as well as being touch friendly in Windows. It's a trip playing it at 5760x1080 even if it is overkill. I was happy to put up $5 for such a thoughtful and well done port.
 
heatlesssun said:
I've got two in my closets I've not turned on in about a year, an HP tx2 and a Toshiba R25. The R25 has a bad DVD drive which is actually the way they make them these days anyway.
Click to expand...

Wow... well, damn man, I could use the R25 like, bad. :D Geez... here I am starving for decent equipment and some of you folks have stuff to spare that you don't even use sitting in closets and boxes almost like throw-aways. :p

/me shakes his head...
 
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