Dell Latitude 7420

Dell is an American brand that grew big on a simple idea: "build to order". Instead of building standard models for stock, from the 1980s and 90s Dell let customers choose the components they wanted: more memory, a larger hard drive, a better processor. That made the brand popular with companies and schools, because you could order exactly what you needed without overpaying for extras you didn't want.

You still see that philosophy today: Dell laptops are often functionally designed, modular in build and easy to maintain or upgrade. No frills or trendy colours, but solid business models built to last and easy to service.

In terms of design, Dell focuses strongly on business reliability and ergonomics: keyboards that are comfortable to type on, casings that can take a knock, and a wide choice of ports so the laptops fit well in an office environment. The Latitude series and the business XPS line in particular have built a reputation as "no-nonsense workhorses".

In short: where some brands emphasise design and lifestyle, Dell is known for its practical approach: laptops that do what they need to do, tailored to the user, and that you can rely on in a business or study setting.

The Dell Latitude series is developed specifically for the business market and is known for reliability, sturdiness and a long lifespan. These laptops are designed for intensive daily use: meetings, working on the move and constantly switching between office and home.

Latitudes stand out for their solid build quality, generous choice of ports and business security options such as TPM chips and fingerprint scanners. Thanks to their modular build they're also often easy to maintain and upgrade, which extends their lifespan. In terms of design the emphasis is less on looks and more on functionality: keyboards that type nicely, screens that last and casings that can take a knock.

One downside is that Latitude laptops are usually a bit more expensive than consumer models. You pay for business reliability, and with refurbished units you often get that quality for a fraction of the new price.