Dell D610 Time to upgrade !

I am looking for an equivalent machine in the Dell lineup. I really like build quality on the 610- KB and TP work perfectly, All the rubber feet are in tact, battery still lasts 2 hrs.. I made the mistake of buying an ASUS G73 - Bad TP, KB, peeling rubber, etc. Just wondering what is the build quality of an equivalent Dell (15 inch screen only) which would not be used for gaming, only Web surfing, and email. Screen is crucial, I do not want to use an external monitor (no space for it). Full HD is also needed Thanks, Joe

 

I mean the direct equivalent to the D610 in today's Dell lineup is the E6420. However, if you want FHD, you'd need to move up to the E6520. The build quality is certainly better than that of the D610, but whether you actually like the overall aesthetic of the current Latitude is a different story.

 

I have an old precision M70 and the built quality is not near the E6520...it is built like a tank, it felt from the desk on the tile floor twice without any damage, just scratches.
The E6520 is good but not as "robust" as the M70 but better built than consumer laptops.

 

See, a lot of people seem to think durability implies good build quality and vice versa, but I'm not sure if that's true or not.

You take a MacBook Pro and it's got pretty much the best "build quality" you're going to find, but you sure as hell wouldn't want to drop it.

At the same time, the chassis holds up very well under normal heavy use, since the aluminum shell doesn't really crack or stain.

I would certainly be more comfortable abusing a D610, but it certainly doesn't feel as well made as a MacBook Pro.

I think what I'm trying to say is that, not only is there a distinction between build quality and durability, but there is also a distinction between durability, and perhaps "ruggedness" that people don't really define internally or externally.

 

The aluminum shell of Apple's unibody doesn't crack, but it is prone to scratches, dents and stains. The pre-unibody Macbook Pros were even worse (almost everyone was dented by the lid latch).

There's a difference of "high quality feel" and durability, and that durability isn't going to be found except on business and specially ruggerized laptops (aka Toughbooks).