Dell Latitude ST Tablet PC Review: New Tablet No Competition for HP, Apple
Dell has announced the opening of a pre-order option for its newest tablet, the Dell Latitude ST, over the weekend. But the device is clunky for the price, and experts predict it does not stand a big chance with HP and Apple on the competitive tablet market.
The Windows 7-powered tablet features a 10.1-inch touch screen with a 1280 x 800 pixels resolution, an Intel Atom processor supported by 2GB of RAM and a range of applications that are supposed to be business- and work-environment friendly. Because the main audience that Dell is aiming at is the enterprise. Other features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, optional GPS, and 3G.
The device weighs 2 pounds, which, as experts point out, is more than HP Slate which weighs 1.8 pounds, and the 1.33 pound iPad 2. The Dell tablet is also heavier than some competing Windows tablets.
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The tablet costs $859 and up, and that is where, as experts estimate, the main problem lies.
Tablet Crunch has slammed the new device in its review.
"Ultimately, people in business know that the iPad is really the only tablet they need for their enterprise needs. I don’t see very many people spending nearly $900 on a Windows tablet when they can get an iPad for less than that," the publication wrote.
Geek.com predicts that the Windows 7-powered tablet might appeal to corporate IT people, however, that very same fact might “present at least as many drawbacks as it does benefits.” The tech expert claims that things like battery life, price, and app support work to the device’s disadvantage.
"Windows 7 was not designed to run on tablets," writes Will Shanklin. "Windows 8 on tablets still has some question marks, but we know it’s being tailor-made to run on them."
Crazy Engineers.com complain about the weight of the tablet, which is "making if hefty," which is to be its major disadvantage, in the publication's opinion.
In addition to the alluring iPad, the Dell tablet will have to also face HP’s newest Slate 2, which launched last week.
The 1.5 pound tablet is intended mostly for business use. It will be available for $699 and is expected to be available worldwide later this month, HP announced in a press release Thursday. The HP 3115m, the lightweight version, will be available starting at $429 and is expected to be launched Nov. 11 in the Americas only.
