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Thin and light latitude with built in ethernet jack
Hi, we are looking for a latitude model that is pretty thin and light, around 14 to 15 inches, 1080p display, that has a built in ethernet jack. We are not interested in USB to Ethernet adapters.
For example the Latitude 7400 is a decent size but its out of the question - no ethernet jack.
Let me know what model number laptops have this feature.
Thanks.
jphughan
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February 28th, 2020 07:00
The still-available predecessor to the Latitude 7400, namely the Latitude 7490, has built-in Ethernet. Otherwise, thin and light systems with Ethernet is a nearly extinct combination because Ethernet jacks are tall, which is why even the Latitude 7490 implemented a hinge design for the Ethernet connector.
Other than that, the thin and light XPS systems don’t have Ethernet, so the only other business options would be lower series Latitude systems (3000/5000) or the Precision systems, but they won’t really be thin and light, and the Precisions are also expensive.
There are some options on the Lenovo side since they tend to hang onto legacy ports longer than Dell for a given class of laptop.
aryzen
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September 22nd, 2020 11:00
I came across this topic because looking for newer models with the same spec as original poster.
In my opinion, latest Latitude models without an ethernet jack have become average consumer grade laptops, so I wouldn't call those laptops "business" anymore. The run for becoming thinner would be understandable in case of any other models but not Dell's business laptops main line. The build quality has also reduced a bit, say compared to 2015 models such as E7450, which had all its internal components wrapped in EMF protection layers and had external (hot-swappable) battery.
I am not sure why Dell thinks ethernet ports are not usable anymore by business users and would have liked to hear a better explanation than just "because Ethernet jacks are tall". I am sure there are still lots of users who require ethernet port in their business laptops for their weekly/daily routines, mainly in IT industries.
Another point to underline is Dell develops at least 10 different Latitude models yearly, half of which are completely useless, e.g. 2-in-1 or Mainstream ones. I don't really understand why they couldn't maintain at least one model with the ethernet jack AND swappable battery, instead of flooding around ~35% of mostly useless modifications in the models spectrum, that are very unlikely to be used for business. Is it global crisis impact or something else?
jphughan
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September 22nd, 2020 14:00
@aryzen Well in fairness, if the goal is "thin", then dropping something "because it's tall" seems like a pretty reasonable explanation to me. Wanting something to be thin and wanting it to have a tall connector are diametrically opposed goals. This has occasionally been worked around (and is currently being worked around on some Lenovo ThinkPad models) by having a proprietary slim Ethernet connector that requires a breakout dongle that provides an RJ45 connector. But is that really better? You can usually find USB/USB-C to Ethernet adapters from third parties for less than these dongles cost from Dell/Lenovo, and those adapters will work with any system that has the requisite USB/USB-C port rather than only the systems that have your vendor's proprietary connector. The only reason the proprietary slim connector has sometimes been implemented is because it allows you to use the system's internal Ethernet chip rather than relying on a separate Ethernet controller built into the USB adapter. Using the internal Ethernet controller can be useful for Intel vPro and PXE booting, and also for sites that monitor systems on the network by their MAC address, since if the system connects through a dock that has its own Ethernet chipset, then you see the dock's MAC address rather than the system's. But that has since been solved by both Dell and Lenovo offering docks that support PXE booting and MAC Address Passthrough, the latter of which allows the system to override the MAC address of the dock's Ethernet chipset with its own for the duration of its connection to the dock.
And speaking of docks, most businesses who rely on Ethernet do so on-site, where they will likely have docking stations. Of course now with the advent of USB-C displays, especially those that support daisy chaining to add more displays and still retain single cable connectivity, even the need for docks may diminish. But Dell has already responded to that by offering USB-C displays that have built-in Ethernet interfaces that the attached system can use when connected to the display via USB-C. And those support MAC Address Passthrough too.
But if you want a Latitude system with built-in Ethernet through a proper RJ45 connector, the following Latitude models are on sale as of this writing and all of them include it:
3410
3510
5300
5310
5400
5410
5411
5500
5510
5511
If those aren't thin enough for your liking, then the fact that some of those already incorporate a "hinged" RJ45 connector design to slim down the connector should make it clear why you can't have something as thin as you want and an RJ45 connector in the same system.
And it's not as if Dell is the only vendor doing this. Take a look at the latest ThinkPad models and you will find that RJ45 connectors are disappearing there, and so is even the proprietary thin Ethernet connector. For example, the X1 Extreme Gen 2 had the latter, but the Gen 3 that just launched doesn't.
habadeer
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July 17th, 2023 05:00
Thanks for the list of models. Like the OP this was what I was looking for. You can also add the 5491 to the list which sports a full size Ethernet port. I don't much care for the hinge. In my experience they are clumsy to deal with and prone to breaking. Unlike the OP, I'm not as interested in super duper thin. Just as thick as is required for a full size Ethernet port is fine with me. I just don't want to worry about carrying around an Ethernet dongle.
Add to the list:
5491 - Full size RJ45
5401 - Hinged RJ45