Dell Latitude 7490 Review — Features, Specs, Performance

Dell Latitude 7490 Review — Features, Specs, Performance & Business Use

The Dell Latitude 7490 is a premium business laptop in Dell’s long-standing Latitude series — a lineup known for its corporate reliability, robust security features, and long lifecycle support. A direct successor to the popular 7480, the 7490 improves in key areas including performance, connectivity, and usability while retaining what enterprises have come to value: strong dependability, manageable design, and excellent keyboard ergonomics.

This review covers the 7490’s design, hardware and specifications, performance, battery life, security and manageability features, and evaluates how well it fits modern business workflows.

1. Positioning & Who It’s For

The Latitude 7490 fits squarely at the intersection of mobile business performance and enterprise readiness. It is most suitable for:

Professionals on the go who need a light but capable machine
Corporate fleets requiring standardized management and security
Remote and hybrid workers seeking a balance of power and battery life
Knowledge-workers running analytics, office workloads, and conferencing
Developers & power users with moderate compute needs

It is not a gaming laptop, nor does it target high-end creative workloads like 3D rendering or 4K video editing — but it handles most mainstream and professional tasks with ease.

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2. Design & Build Quality

The 7490 maintains the Latitude DNA: understated business aesthetic, solid build quality with premium materials (magnesium and aluminum in many configurations), and a focus on durability.

Chassis & Aesthetics

Compact and professional design: Minimalistic and subtle — suitable for any business environment.
Solid construction: Minimal flex in keyboard deck and palm rest; robust hinge with little wobble.
Weight & portability: Roughly 1.34–1.47 kg (depending on screen size/battery), making it significantly portable without compromising performance.

The overall design emphasizes functionality over flair, aligning with what business users want: a machine that goes unnoticed when needed and performs reliably when called upon.

3. Display Options

The Latitude 7490 offers a variety of display configurations based on your needs:

Display Type	Size	Touch?	Resolution
Standard Panel	14.0″	No	1920×1080 (FHD)
Premium Panel	14.0″	Optional	1920×1080 (FHD)
High-End Panel	14.0″	Optional	2560×1440 (QHD)

FHD vs QHD

FHD displays are crisp, color accurate, and ideal for business productivity, conferencing, and document work.
QHD panels offer sharper details for designers, data analysts, or users who frequently work with detailed spreadsheets and charts.

All screen options have anti-glare coatings and wide viewing angles, making them usable in office lighting as well as near windows or on the go.

4. Keyboard, Trackpad & Input

Dell Latitude keyboards are widely respected in the business laptop segment, and the 7490 continues the tradition.

Keyboard

Long key travel with tactile feedback
Backlit options for low-light work
Comfortable layout with dedicated Page Up/Down keys

Trackpad

Precision tracking with Windows Precision drivers
Responsive and accurate gestures — ideal for multi-tasking

Pointing Stick

Latitude models often include the red Pointing Stick, still preferred by many business users.

These input elements combine to make the 7490 one of the more comfortable keyboards in its class — especially for long typing sessions.

5. Hardware & Specifications

The Latitude 7490 covers a wide range of configurations depending on performance and budget:

Processors

Intel 8th Gen Core i5 / i7 CPUs (U-series)
Examples:
- Core i5-8350U
- Core i7-8650U

These CPUs balance performance and power efficiency, allowing the 7490 to handle office productivity, video conferencing, multi-tab browsing, database queries, and light development work with confidence.

Graphics

Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 — capable for video playback, graphics in presentations, and day-to-day tasks.
Not aimed at 3D gaming or heavy GPU workloads; good for most business graphics needs.

Memory (RAM)

8 GB to 32 GB DDR4 — configurations vary.
On most units, RAM is user-upgradeable, though some SKU’s memory is soldered — check ordering specifics.

Storage

NVMe PCIe SSDs (256 GB–1 TB) deliver fast boot and app load times.
SSDs dramatically improve responsiveness compared to traditional SATA drives.

Connectivity & Ports

Port	Purpose
USB-C / Thunderbolt 3	Fast data, displays, docking
HDMI	External display support
RJ-45 Ethernet	Wired networking
USB-A ports	Peripherals
Headset jack	Audio in/out
Optional Smart Card / NFC	Security
microSD	Expandable storage

The inclusion of Thunderbolt 3 and HDMI makes the 7490 adaptable to modern docking stations and multi-display setups.

6. Performance

Productivity Workloads

For business applications — Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Slack, Chrome with many tabs — the 7490 performs very well:

Fast boot times
Responsive multitasking
Smooth video conferencing even with background noise suppression on

With 16 GB RAM and an i7 CPU, the system rarely feels sluggish — even with multiple apps open.

Benchmarks & Real-World Tests

CPU-intensive tasks (compiling code, large spreadsheets): Above average for ultrabooks.
Media editing (light Photoshop, Illustrator tasks): Capable, though not optimized like dedicated mobile workstations.
Multitasking: Excellent — multiple workspaces, dual monitors, and heavy browser use do not slow the system.

Battery Life

Latitude laptops are designed for mobility. The 7490’s battery life varies by configuration:

In typical office workflows (mixed email, office apps, web), expect 8–12 hours
Video playback or heavier tasks see shorter runtimes

Power profiles, display brightness, and peripheral use influence battery endurance — but the 7490 remains competitive with its peers.

7. Security & Manageability

A major strength of the Latitude line is enterprise-grade security.

Built-In Security Features

Windows Hello (IR camera) — secure biometric login
Fingerprint reader (optional)
TPM 2.0 — hardware security module
Smart Card / NFC — additional authentication
Dell Data Protection — encryption and endpoint security
BitLocker support
Firmware TPM & BIOS protection

Manageability

Dell Command Suite — deploy and manage fleets with automation
BIOS configuration tools for IT administrators
Support for enterprise imaging and provisioning

These features make the 7490 especially attractive to IT teams responsible for deploying and securing laptops at scale.

8. Connectivity

The 7490 supports modern networking standards:

Wi-Fi & Wireless

Wi-Fi 802.11ac / 802.11ax (depending on SKU)
Bluetooth 4.2 / 5.0 for accessories

Wired Networking

Gigabit Ethernet via LAN port
Optional WWAN with LTE (depending on configuration)

Mobile broadband options (WWAN) add true cellular connectivity — useful for traveling professionals or field workers with intermittent Wi-Fi.

9. Audio & Webcam

Webcam

720p HD webcam; some SKUs include infrared sensor for Windows Hello.
Good for standard business conferencing; not high-end quality but sufficient.

Audio

Built-in stereo speakers — adequate for meetings
Dual microphones for voice clarity in calls

For better audio in large rooms, external headsets or conferencing equipment outperform the built-in setup.

10. Real-World Usage Scenarios

Business Professionals

Excellent everyday productivity
Reliable for CRM, office suites, email, and reporting tools
Lightweight for travel and commuting

Developers & Analysts

Handles IDEs and scripting well
Great choice for SQL queries, automation tasks, and data review

Remote Workers

Great battery life
Strong network and webcam for virtual meetings
Enterprise security features protect corporate data

Educational Use

Strong for research, writing, online learning platforms
Durable for frequent handling

11. Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

Enterprise-grade security & manageability
Excellent keyboard and trackpad
Solid performance for business workloads
Lightweight and portable
Wide connectivity (TB3, HDMI, USB-A, Ethernet)
Good battery life
Professional design and durable chassis

Weaknesses

No dedicated GPU — not for 3D / GPU-heavy workloads
Webcam quality basic for high-end conferencing
Price premium compared with consumer laptops
Audio quality modest

12. Comparisons

Compared to Dell XPS 13/15:

Latitude focuses more on enterprise features and durability
XPS targets premium consumer audience with sleeker design and higher-end displays

Compared to ThinkPad T480/T490:

Similar enterprise focus
Varies by keyboard feel and port selection

Compared to HP EliteBook 840:

Comparable business capabilities
Latitude often edged in keyboard feel and durability

13. Lifespan & Support

Dell’s Latitude series is known for long hardware lifespans and long-term support:

ProSupport / ProSupport Plus options
On-site service availability
Firmware updates via Dell Update utility

This longevity is critical for large organizations with 3–5-year refresh cycles.

14. Pricing and Value

Depending on configuration (CPU, RAM, SSD, display), the Latitude 7490 sits in the upper mid-range business laptop tier. It is more expensive than consumer laptops but delivers features — especially manageability and security — that justify the premium for corporate environments.

15. Final Verdict

The Dell Latitude 7490 is an outstanding laptop for business and productivity users:

Strong performance for office workloads
Excellent build quality and durability
Enterprise security & management
Good battery and portability

While not tailored for heavy graphics or gaming, the 7490 is more than capable for the vast majority of modern professional tasks. It excels in enterprise environments, remote work scenarios, and productivity-focused use cases where reliability, security, and lifespan matter.

Summary Table

Category	Rating
Build & Design	★★★★☆
Performance	★★★★☆
Keyboard & Input	★★★★★
Security & Enterprise Features	★★★★★
Battery Life	★★★★☆
Business Value	★★★★☆