Dell Latitude 6430u

Bottom line

The Dell Latitude 6430u's snappy performance and business-centric extras earn it the title of Best Reviewed business laptop, but it's a slim victory. Dell's poor tech support and the lack of a touch screen are major flaws in some critics' eyes.

Performance

Class-leading speed. Simply put, the Dell 6430u will help you burn through your to-do list faster than other business-class laptops. Experts test an upgraded version (Est. $1,300) with a third-gen Intel Core i5 processor -- the new Haswell processors hadn't hit the 6430u as of this update -- 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB solid-state drive. It boots, transfers files and races through spreadsheets faster than other business laptops, and even edits photos and videos with respectable speed.

Battery life is impressive at more than 7 hours of web surfing or video playback. Rare for Ultrabooks, the Latitude's battery is removable so you can swap in a fresh one if needed.

Ergonomics

Great keyboard, but no touch screen. Business users demand excellent keyboards, and the Dell's spill-proof, backlit version doesn't disappoint. It's generously sized, with springy, contoured keys, and testers say it feels great to type on. There's also a responsive touchpad and eraser-head pointing stick.

Yet even without a touch screen or optical drive -- although you can add an external DVD burner for $75 -- critics say the Dell's 3.7 pounds and 0.82-inch thickness is on the large side for a 14-inch Ultrabook. You do get Ethernet and VGA ports that rivals have ditched, and they're lifesavers "when faced with older projectors or an office with spotty Wi-Fi," Laptop Magazine points out.

Design

Flawless finish, but screen could be better. Testers can't stop caressing the Dell's soft-touch black finish. "It virtually eliminates fingerprints and makes gripping the notebook a cinch," says Laptop Magazine. PC World calls it "a tactile joy to use." However, the 14-inch matte display that's double-sealed against spills gets mixed reviews. There's little distracting glare and some testers like it just fine, but others say it's much less bright than other Ultrabooks and colors look washed out. There's no full-HD option; you get just 1,366 by 768 pixels, or 1,600 by 900 for an extra $50. The speakers sound decent but not spectacular, and are surprisingly loud.

Support & reliability

Strong warranty, but lousy phone support. Dell backs the Latitude 6430u with a 3-year warranty. All but the base model get on-site service after remote diagnosis of a warranty-covered problem; the base model must be mailed in for repair unless you purchase the beefier warranty. But don't count on Dell's phone support: It's "dismal" in a test at Laptop Magazine and rates dead last. Staffers can't get Dell phone techs to answer their simple questions, and one rep even fakes a sweepstakes to sell a pricey extended warranty. Neither does the brand win a Readers' Choice award at PCMag.com, which considers tech support, reliability and overall customer satisfaction.

Value

Best all-around business package. The Dell Latitude 6430u is flat-out faster than other business laptops in tests, and experts appreciate its business-friendly features. But there is that missing touch screen, which you'd get with the runner-up Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch (Est. $1,260 and up) .