Dell Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme
From its jutting front handle to its rubberized-bumper corners (not to mention its two-inch thickness and near-nine-pound weight), the 7424 is an imposing machine.
Camera Shutter
A sliding privacy shutter lets you cover the face-recognition webcam. There are also fingerprint and SmartCard readers for users who prefer those log-in technologies.
A Look at the Left Ports, Doors Closed...
Press the doors firmly shut and move the latches up and to the side, and the Latitude's ports are securely locked away.
...and Doors Open
One USB-C port, two USB-A ports, and an audio jack reside behind the doors on the Dell's left side.
The Passive Stylus
The supplied stylus is more accurate than a finger at navigating the Dell's resistive touch screen.
Peering at the Right-Side Ports
Along with a garage for the tethered stylus, you'll find a Blu-ray drive, SmartCard and SD card slots, and a USB 3.0 Type-A port on the Rugged Extreme's right.
More Ports Around the Back
Two Ethernet ports, two video outputs, a serial port, and the power connector occupy the rear panel.
Interfaces on the Underside
Two hot-swappable 51-watt-hour batteries and a plate for in-vehicle and desktop docks are found on the Dell's bottom.
Keyboard
The backlit keyboard offers adequate travel and a bouncy typing feel, though the Escape and Delete keys are small.
A Tricky Touchpad
Like the rest of the Rugged Extreme, the touchpad shrugs off raindrops and spills. Unfortunately, it also shrugs off precise mouse maneuvers.
Overhead View
Touchpad aside, its snappy keyboard and extra-bright screen make the Latitude a pleasure to work on.
Bring on the Elements
The Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme is built like a tank from every angle.