Carla Thornton

Dell Latitude C800

Dell's latest desktop replacement for multimedia pros adds built-in wireless networking. Joining the Inspiron 4000 and Inspiron 8000 notebook lines--and another C-series laptop, the C600--the Latitude C800 integrates Dell's TrueMobile wireless LAN mini-PCI card. The small internal card (which connects to an antenna that Dell has built in to the three notebook lines since last fall) enables 802.11b-compliant wireless local area networking when you add an access point. Dell has two access points available: the $899 TrueMobile 1150 Wireless Access Point for the office, and a $299 Wireless Network Hub for the home. The C800 is the first in Dell's Latitude line of business notebooks to boast a 15-inch screen and a native resolution of 1400 by 1050. Like Dell's consumer-oriented Inspiron 8000, it accommodates two internal optical drives at once. Our unit came with a fixed 8X/4X/24X CD-RW drive on the side and a removable 8X DVD-ROM drive in front. The latter can be swapped out for the floppy drive or an extra-cost Zip 250 drive, a second hard drive, or a second battery. Dell rounds out the C800's multimedia-friendly configuration with an IEEE 1394 (or FireWire) port--useful for fast downloads from digital video cameras and other equipment--plus two USB ports, a huge (for a notebook) 32MB chunk of video memory, and an equally chunky 32GB hard drive.
The C800 has a 2-inch-thick case and, including its AC adapter, weighs 9.4 pounds--it will definitely wear a groove in traveling shoulders. Even after plugging a hollow weight-saver into its modular bay it still weighs a hefty 7.8 pounds. Moreover, the C800's stubborn screen latch almost requires two hands to open. Documentation could be better, too. The unit ships with a thin printed manual; most information is stored in a difficult-to-search HTML user guide. But the C800's most annoying drawback is its lack of built-in standard network connections. The TrueMobile wireless LAN mini-PCI card sits in the internal mini-PCI bay normally occupied by the combination modem and ethernet network interface card. You'll have to use an extra-cost modem/NIC combination PC Card to add standard connectivity. Alternatively, you can order your notebook with a combo modem/NIC mini-PCI card and add wireless 802.11b networking with a TrueMobile PC Card.
The big C800 lives large. It sports an imposing all-black case, with two oversize side-by-side fan vents on the back to help keep it cool. The keyboard boasts a fine layout, but typing is loud. The notebook's super-size LED status lights for battery, power, and hard drive, located in the screen hinge, are so big and bright they could guide a 747 in for a landing. If you need to lock your data away, the hard drive easily slides out of the notebook's side. The Latitude C800's PC WorldBench 2000 score of 166 is a shade above the average score of 162 for a laptop equipped with a Pentium III-850/700 processor and running Windows 2000.
The Latitude C800 will suit companies willing to shell out extra money for a decked-out portable that lets graphics pros wander the building on a wireless network.

Buying Information

Dell Latitude C800 PC WorldBench 2000 score of 166, Pentium III-850/700 CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, 256KB L2 cache, Windows 2000 Professional, 15-inch active screen, ATI Mobility M4 graphics chip with 32MB of SGRAM, 32GB hard drive, 8X DVD-ROM drive, 8X/4X/24X CD-RW drive, built-in network adapter, touchpad and eraserhead pointing devices, 9.4 pounds (including AC adapter and phone cord). Three-year parts and labor warranty; free, unlimited 24-hour tech support. $ 3643 PC WorldBench 2000 score of 166, Pentium III-850/700 CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, 256KB L2 cache, Windows 2000 Professional, 15-inch active screen, ATI Mobility M4 graphics chip with 32MB of SGRAM, 32GB hard drive, 8X DVD-ROM drive, 8X/4X/24X CD-RW drive, built-in network adapter, touchpad and eraserhead pointing devices, 9.4 pounds (including AC adapter and phone cord). Three-year parts and labor warranty; free, unlimited 24-hour tech support. 800/388-8542 http://www.dell.com