Dell Latitude 5289 core i5 convertible ultrabook review
Dell Latitude 5289 converitble ultrabook
£1,047Pros
- Solid build
- Performs consistently well
- Responsive screen
- User-friendly design
- Connectivity options
Cons
- Pen is a cost option
- Not a fan of the trackpad
The Dell Latitude 5289 is a 2-in-1, 12.5-inch convertible. I’ve been spending some quality time with an i5-powered one.
I still enjoy using my Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro. I bought it so I could have an ultrabook when I needed a laptop and a tablet for when jabbing at the screen was required.
The Latitude 5289 is a similar beast in that it can flip and fold between both aforementioned modes.
How was my Latitude experience?
Dell Latitude 5289 design
The 5289 is a compact black slab that looks more utilitarian than lust-worthy. Although I do love the soft-touch coating it has.
Also, I must add, it is far from ugly. As a friend said when I introduced it to him “There is a lot to said for classy and understated”. I am pretty sure he was talking about the Latitude and not your’s truly.
The ultrabook measures 0.73 x 12 x 8.3-inches (HxWxD) and weighs in at 1.34kg. Nicely portable.
The 5289 apparently has bragging rights to have survived an array of MIL-STD 810G tests for temperature extremes, vibration, and shock. The display has been treated to Gorilla Glass 4 protection.
It certainly feels sturdy. However, I have not been brave enough to drop it or shove it in the freezer. I do have to hand this back in one piece at the end of my allotted review period.
There are ports aplenty which is great to see when other companies, mentioning no names (Apple), are cutting right back.
You get two USB-C/DisplayPort connectors, a HDMI port and a USB 3.0 port on the left side.
Over on the right side you’ll find the power button, a volume rocker, an audio jack, microSD card and SIM slots, another USB 3.0 port, and a Noble (not Kensington) lock slot. Naturally, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are all present and correct.
On the base of the machine there are two, practically full-width, rubber feet. These rubbery rails do a great job of preventing this laptop from sliding around your desk.
The base model of the Latitude 5289 makes do with an Intel Core i3 CPU, 4GB of memory, and a 128GB solid-state drive.
What I have here is loaded with a Core i5-7300U running at 2.60GHz. This is also packing 256GB of SanDisk X400 M.2 SSD and 8GB of RAM.
It is, of course, delivered with Windows 10 as its operating system of choice.
You can add a pen for on-screen scribbling. This latches on to the 5289’s side through magnet magic.
The Latitude looks decent and feels nice. I like it.
Dell Latitude 5289 performance
As I said before, this Latitude feels solid. There’s virtually no flex from the keyboard or display.
Even when holding it at the bottom corner in laptop mode and using the touchscreen, there is no noticeable wobble.
Boot-up time is swift and there is no noticeable lag when flicking between applications.
Wi-Fi connectivity is stable and I did not suffer any drop out when moving around my home or office.
Keys
The nicely back-lit keyboard is not quite full-sized. It sits in a slightly recessed tray and is really comfortable to use.
Instead of whisking away the Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys away to the land of Fn-key confusion, these have their very own homes.
I have to say that the screen reacts better than the trackpad to my digits. The buttons below it seem to play well-enough to my thumb jabs though.
After playing with the touchpads on the latest Acer Aspires, I can’t help but feel that Dell has let itself down here.
Display
The 5289’s anti-reflective, anti-smudge 12.5-inch display is bright enough for most tasks. Dell rates this at 255 nits, if that makes sense to you.
Text and videos on the 1920×1080 screen are sharp but the colours and contrast fail to make any of it ‘pop’. I think that this all lends the Latitude to long hours on working train journeys, rather than exciting movie or game action. You do get 176 pixels packed in per inch, mind you.
There is a little backlight bleeding but blacks render good and inky.
The screen responds swiftly and accurately to touch input, which is great.
When unfurled so that the screen and keyboard should lie out flat, they don’t. I can’t actually think of a time when I’d need to use it in that position but I’ve seen other convertibles manage it.
This is by no means a deal-breaker. Just thought I’d throw it out there.
Audio
The bottom front-mounted speakers produce good sound.
There were instances where the throw of sound almost tricked me in to believing that the soundstage was much wider than it actually was. This might have been down to how I had the ultrabook on my lap, or some strange Dell-magic. Either way, it was pleasing.
Acoustic tracks came though bright and crisp, albeit with pianos and vocals missing definitive low end. Chuck something on a little more complicated and involved and the speakers start to struggle to discern instruments.
For video conferencing, however, it’s plenty good enough on the clarity and focus fronts.
Longevity
Working away from walls with sockets is the mobile employee’s worst nightmare.
However, relax now. The Latitude has more stamina than a troupe of Chippendales would have you believe they had.
I have easily seen 10+ hours use or more during my weeks of commutes and lunch hour testing.
Getting a day of work and entertainment seems easily possible.
Dell Latitude 5289 review conclusion
Performance from this Latitude convertible has been impressive and consistent.
Gaming is not the 5289’s forte, but it has never claimed such.
Watching movies, updating socials and getting stuff done – this is where the Latitude is happiest. It will also keep on going whilst other similarly-priced machines will be searching for a plug socket.
The Dell Latitude 5289 fitted with the Core i5 is a reliable performer on all counts. Furthermore, it has the build quality to withstand the every-day-use of a portable device.
Dell Latitude 5289 price and availability
You can buy the Latitude 5289 now, of course, directly from Dell UK.
Prices start at a reasonable £897.
If you are looking to buy one with the same spec as reviewed here, that will cost you £1,047. With that though, you are getting a great workhorse.
