Dell Latitude 7285 (i5-7Y57, 256 GB, 3K) Convertible Review

For the original German review, see here.

With its price, the Dell Latitude 7285 belongs to the high-end convertibles. It is based on a very energy-efficient dual-core CPU, the Intel Core i5-7Y57, which is an entry-level model at the same time. Anyone who likes it a little faster can also get the Dell Latitude 7285 with an Intel Core i7-7Y75. Both of the processors are dual-core CPUs of the Kaby-Lake family.

The package includes the tablet as well as a high-value keyboard dock, which turns the device into a laptop in no time. As a useful feature, the keyboard dock also contains an additional battery, which improves the battery life considerably. Also included is the Active Pen, whose functions are very versatile and will be continuously expanded by future Windows updates. Of course, all that has its price: at 2,300 Euros (~$2740; in the US it is available for about $1650), the Dell Latitude 7285 as equipped for our test is not really affordable. For the top configuration with the faster processor, 16 GB RAM, and 512 GB of storage, the price rises up to 2,900 Euros (~$3450). Here we should also mention that these prices already take a 35% rebate by the manufacturer into account.

The comparison devices are primarily high-priced, current convertibles from well-known manufacturers. The following table shows the comparison devices and their most important technical information.

Display

12.30 inch 3:2, 2880 x 1920 pixel 281 PPI, 3K Sharp IGZO with Corning Gorilla Glass 4, native pen support, SHP1482 (LQ123Z1), IPS LED, SHARP (SHP1482), LQ123Z1, anti-reflective, anti-smear coated, glossy: yes, detachable screen

Mainboard

Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH

Storage

Toshiba KBG20ZMS256G, 256 GB

, M.2 NVMe SSD, 206 GB free

Soundcard

Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio

Connections

2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, Audio Connections: stereo, Card Reader: microSD, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: gyroscope, Noble lock slot

Networking

Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2, DW5811e Snapdragon X7 LTE, LTE

Size

height x width x depth (in mm): 19 x 273.2 x 208.5 ( = 0.75 x 10.76 x 8.21 in)

Battery

54 Wh Lithium-Ion, tablet 34 Wh + keyboard dock 20 Wh

Operating System

Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit

Camera

Webcam: 720p
Primary Camera: 0 MPix user-facing
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix world-facing

Additional features

Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Dell Active Pen, Dell keyboard dock, power supply, McAfee Small Business Security, 30-days trial version, 36 Months Warranty

Weight

1.362 kg ( = 48.04 oz / 3 pounds), Power Supply: 262 g ( = 9.24 oz / 0.58 pounds)

Price

2300 EUR

Links

Dell homepage
Dell notebook section

Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

Case

The Dell Latitude 7285 impresses with elegance and perfect workmanship. All the surfaces have a soft-touch finish, which conveys a very high-value impression. The convertible, which consists of the tablet plus keyboard dock, is kept completely in black. Only a relief with the Dell Logo ornaments the tablet on the back.

In terms of stability, the device convinces with a very good stiffness, which makes warping it almost impossible. The Dell Latitude 7285 also shines in the pressure test due to its good build. We only found some small carelessness in the keyboard dock, which can be pressed in a small amount. However, this can be considered normal, so that it does not give cause for any negative points in our evaluation.

The magnetic connection between tablet and dock is so strong that you have to use both hands to separate the two components. In contrast to the Dell XPS 12 9250, the angle of the tablet can be adjusted without any problem. Due to the removable display, Dell foregoes their well-known 360-degree hinges. As a special feature, the keyboard dock offers an additional battery, which prolongs the battery life considerably.

Features

The connection equipment is good and includes current, future proof connections. Unfortunately, there are no additional connections in the keyboard. All the connections are on the tablet, with most of them on the left side. We can easily recognize the two USB Type-C connections that support Thunderbolt 3. Those serve as the charging ports at the same time, to run the device with an external power supply. Right next to them are the slots for a microSD and a Micro-SIM card, which both have a protective cover. On the right side, we find only the provision for a Noble security lock to secure the device.

Due to space constraints, the device does not offer a standard USB connection but the corresponding adapter is included.

SD Card Reader

The microSD card reader communicates at USB 2.0 speeds, which causes the Dell Latitude 7285 to fall slightly behind the competition. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga and the Dell Latitude 12 5285 have card readers that achieve much better transfer rates at USB-3.0 speeds.

With our reference storage card (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501), the Dell Latitude 7285 achieved 29.7 MB/s on average when copying JPG files and 30.5 MB/s in sequential reads. Those are not top values by any means, and anyone who often transfers larger amounts of data with the card reader should consider an external solution.

Display

The 3K display by Sharp offers a resolution of 2880x1920 pixels, which with a visible area of 12.3 inches corresponds to a pixel density of 281 ppi. The front of the touch display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4, which ensures that it is scratch proof to a high degree. To counter reflections on the smooth glass surface, the display of the Dell Latitude 7285 is covered with an anti-reflective coating. In addition, an anti-smear coating assures that smears can be removed easier from the surface.

During our measurements, the Sharp panel achieved a very good average brightness of 490 cd/m². Only the Dell Latitude 5285 can keep up here with 522 cd/m². With only 85% in the brightness distribution, the Dell Latitude 7285 loses some important points in our evaluation. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga can shine here and move to the top with 95%. To regulate the brightness, the Dell Latitude 7285 uses PWM, which we measured at 922 Hz with a brightness of 20%. In a completely black display, there is also some visible clouding around the edges, which is not very strong though.