Dell Armors Up Its Enhanced XFR Laptop
Dell Armors Up Its Enhanced XFR Laptop
Posted 03/10/2009 at 12:29pm
| by Andy Salisbury
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It looks like Dell is still looking to hit the tough-laptop market with a newer, slimmed down Latitude XFR D630 laptop, aptly renamed the E64 XFR.
This heavily armored work machine has an Intel Core 2 Duo underneath the hood, Intel’s X3100 graphics, 1GB DDR2 and an 80GB HDD standard. But, more importantly it comes hardened with a new type of exterior material that makes it more durable than its predecessor. The new material is being called Ballistic Armor, which replaced the magnesium alloy, and allows this notebook to meet military specifications for ruggedness.
Strangely, this machine comes with a starting price point of $4,299, even with the economy taken into consideration. But who knows, maybe there will be plenty of military contractors and police officers looking to get a new, slimmer, tougher laptop!
Image Credit: Dell
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sunrise
September 15, 2010 at 3:18am
We are the best computer solutions provider having a large list of satisfied clients in Karachi as well as in Pakistan.
wk
March 12, 2009 at 4:01am
One surprising thing. this notebook intent is durability, then why using HDD not SSD??!
MPC is my home page
Keith E. Whisman
March 11, 2009 at 8:15am
When I was in the army the training was setup so that anyone with the most minimum of education can learn to do any task. The laptop is designed to survive being thrown around and mistreated by people that really don't even care about computers or technology.
The Phoenix Police Transit Police or The Pee Pee Tee Pee.... but the first three words sounds better.
What I mean is the city Transit Police use hardened laptops such as these to retrieve camera footage off our City Buses. When I had a couple gang members arrested for scratching grafitti in my bus windows the transit cops hooked up a toughbook to the bus camera system and downloaded the video. The transfer was extremely slow for only a few megs of video. When they were done burning the video to cd/r they turned the laptop off and tossed it into the trunk of their patrol car.
MAXPCreader07
March 10, 2009 at 2:47pm
Is the armor bulletproof or something because those are very lousy specs for $4K.
MrNaPaLm32
March 10, 2009 at 11:15pm
I'd imagine its not bulletproof, but could definetly slow one down. A panasonic toughbook(from what I remember) slowed a 7.62mm round enough so that the soldiers body armor was able to stop it.
Asevening
March 11, 2009 at 6:10am
Yeah, Panasonic Toughbooks are one of the more common Rugged Laptops. The reason the price is so high is the ruggedness. If you watched the video of a full-size Hummer driving over a Panasonic CF-30, saw the pictures of the police car that burned at over 1400 degrees with the surviving CF-30 inside, or held one of the Panasonic Toughbooks in your hand, you will understand why rugged machines are so expensive. It feels like holding a tank.
Also, the reason the specs are so low is because they have to be able to handle 150+ temperatures, sub 15 temperatures, 3' drop tests (Turned on with HDD spinning), 3" per hour of rain, sand dust etc, and a barage of other tests (and still work). Because of this they have no vents or fans, the whole machine is one big heatsink, the ultra high-end parts get too hot and the laptop wouldn't meet military specs. Google MIL-STD-810F (I think that's what it is) and check out the ridiculousness of the specs.
gatorXXX
March 10, 2009 at 1:54pm
If you need this kind of armor....you shouldn't be ownin' a laptop cause your accident prone. The actual components cost 1000 bux and the armor.....well, um.....3300. If you need this kind of protection...just buy a 1500 laptop w/ same or BETTER components and buy a freakin hard shell suit case for your totin' jollies. Or better yet, just a large book bag and stuff it with lotsa styrofoam peanuts!
MrNaPaLm32
March 10, 2009 at 11:12pm
its for jobs that demand the laptop be put under conditions considered ridiculous for other laptops. Its not for end users you retard.
gatorXXX
March 11, 2009 at 1:53am
UH duh uh UH duh....so a lowly construction worker working around hazardous conditions like sand, dust, metal/wood shavings or other extreme conditions is not considered an end user? Define end user? Look it up in your Webster dictionary. And what's with the childish name calling...I swear, what? Is the average group in here 20 y/o and still riddled with pimples that run home to mommy when times get rough? I was just tryin to make a funny. And if you couldn't see past that, then maybe you should read only Dr. Sues.
So here, I'll put it in lamens terms.....
It's a good looking laptop that looks as if it could go the distance in extreme conditions. But with the hardware specs, the only thing extreme is the price. I understand while having a redeveloped hardened shell can have its advantages, to me, it just doesn't justify the price.
Better?
Keith E. Whisman
March 11, 2009 at 8:23am
It's meant for tough conditions... Like for that soldier in Afghanistan while in a fire fight he can still toss his tough book on the sand, open the cover and boot the thing up and make posts to his twitter account. Try tossing that $600 dollar laptop let alone Mac Book Pro into the sand and try booting it up.. Not a very pleasant idea.
The tough book is meant for durability and reliability over speed. It just has to work. The clients that buy this aren't getting it for it's speed or 3DMark Vantage benchmark score.
gatorXXX
March 11, 2009 at 11:50am
Keith, I understand that. I was just trying to be funny. Ya know, put a smile on someones face.....who's gonna put a laptop in a hardshell suit case?? Not me!! Anyhow, I'm just sick of all these PUNKS that have to call people names. Do they think it's cool? Does it somehow make them feel special? Are they not getting enough love at home? I don't know, But calling people names is childish.
Keith E. Whisman
March 11, 2009 at 12:47pm
sticks and stones my friend. And I got it. LOL
A hard shell suit case is an option. They do sell hard shell laptop bags.
but yeah calling people names is cool. ;)
j_park84
March 11, 2009 at 6:15am
I use a toughbook when I play paintball with my buds and I have to say, you are definately paying for the case. My toughbook has taken countless shots by very high powered paintball guns (mostly Rap4 12" barrels velocity @ 250~300 fps) for about 1 year now and works perfectly fine. (except I haven't defraged in over 6 months - sorry Maximum PC) I'm not sure if there was any extra technology put into protecting the screen but it also has taken about 2 shots (I can't believe some1 got around me - twice) and no dead pixels or alike. Dell's new offer seems great except the price. I agree with MaxPC about the whole economy thing. Just the wrong time to have that kind of number. I hope they go on sale someday.
Keith E. Whisman
March 11, 2009 at 8:28am
I'm just wondering... What do you use your toughbook for when your playing paintball games? Is it like good nobody is around so now I have to check my facebook page? And then surprise you get a double tap of paint balls to your back or do you use it as a shield to protect yourself from the incoming paintballs?
j_park84
March 11, 2009 at 6:19am
oh and..
everyone go buy Fallout 3
(get the first DLC - do it first and then start wandering around with the chinese stealth armor and the gauss rifle)
j_park84
March 11, 2009 at 6:19am
oh and..
everyone go buy Fallout 3
(get the first DLC - do it first and then start wandering around with the chinese stealth armor and the gauss rifle)
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