Most laptops running Chrome OS are aimed at students or consumers, but this week Google introduced its Chromebook Enterprise initiative designed to make its platform viable for enterprise users as well, thus challenging Microsoft's Windows. Dell is the first major PC maker to launch Chromebook Enterprise notebooks designed for businesses and supporting appropriate security, management, and deployment features.

The Chromebook Enterprise systems introduced this week are Dell’s Latitude 5300 2-in-1 Chrome convertible notebook with a touch-sensitive Full-HD 13.3-inch display as well as Latitude 5400 Chrome laptop with a 14-inch HD or Full-HD monitor with or without touch support. Both machines come in a post-industrial carbon fiber chassis that features carbon fiber reinforced polymer LCD back and has passed 17 MIL-STD tests. The laptops are 19.3 ~ 19.6 mm thick and weight 1.36 ~ 1.47 kilograms depending on the model. As for battery, Dell will offer options with a 42 Wh, 51 Wh, 60 Wh, or 68 Wh battery packs. This is truly a wide enterprise offering.

Dell’s Latitude 5300 2-in-1 Chrome and Latitude 5400 Chrome notebooks are based on Intel’s 8th Generation Core (also Pentium or Celeron) processors with up to four cores as well as Intel UHD Graphics 610/620 paired with up to 32 GB of DDR4-2666 memory as well as an SSD of up to 1 TB capacity (that’s a lot for a Chromebook!). As for connectivity, the laptops are equipped with 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, an optional Intel XMM 7360 4G/LTE modem, a GbE (5400-series only), a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port with DisplayPort as well as power delivery for docking, two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, one HDMI 1.4 port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5-mm connector for headsets. Multimedia capabilities of the mobile PCs include a webcam, stereo speakers, a microphone array, and other essentials.

Being aimed at business and enterprise users, Dell’s Latitude 5300/5400-series Chrome notebooks also feature the H1 secure microcontroller, verified boot, a spill resistant keyboard, and other features. Pre-installed software includes Google’s Chrome Enterprise Upgrade with Console, VMware’s Workspace One, Dell’s Data Guardian Cloud, Dell’s Safe Data, as well as Dell’s ProSupport Plus.

Dell's Chromebook Enterprise Notebooks
  Chromebook 5300
2-in-1
Chromebook 5400
Clamshell
Display Diagonal 13.3" with touch 14" HD with/without touch
Resolution 1920×1080 1366×768 without touch
1920×1080 with/without touch
Brightness 255 cd/m² 220 cd/m²
CPU 8th Gen Core
Celeron/Pentium
Graphics UHD 620 (Core/Pentium)
UHD 610 (Celeron)
RAM up to 32 GB DDR4-2666 (two slots)
Storage M.2-2230 NVMe/PCIe SSD, up to 1 TB
Wi-Fi Intel Dual-Band Wireless-AC 9560 802.11ac Wi-Fi module
Bluetooth BT 5.0
WWAN Intel XMM 7360 Global LTE-Advanced (optional)
GbE No Yes
USB 1 × USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C for data, charging, display output
2 × USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A
1 × USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C for data, charging, display output
3 × USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A
Webcam 720p optional 720p with shutter
Other I/O HDMI 1.4, microSD, TRRS connector for audio, speakers, microphone
Battery 42 Wh Express Charge
60 Wh Express Charge
60 Wh Long Life Battery
42 Wh Express Charge
51 Wh Express Charge
68 Wh Express Charge
68 Wh Long Life Battery
Dimensions Thickness 16.9 - 19.3 mm
0.66 - 0.76 inches
19.6 - 20.85 mm
0.77 - 0.82 inches
Width 305.7 mm | 12 inches 323.05 mm | 12.7 inches
Depth 207.5 mm | 8.16 inches 216 mm | 8.5 inches
Weight 1.36 kilograms | 3 pounds 1.47 kilograms | 3.24 pounds
Battery Life ?
Price (starting at) $819 $699 for 1366x768

Dell started sales of its Latitude 5300 2-in-1 Chrome as well as Latitude 5400 Chrome laptops this week. The convertible machine starts at $819, whereas the non-convertible notebook starts at $699.

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Source: Dell

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  • sireangelus - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link

    it's always baffling on how a chromebook "is enough is ok does everything i need" but if you were to tell them to use linux and chrome on an existing laptop they would go batshit crazy because"nothing works as intended"
  • patel21 - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link

    that't true, I bet if google had applied all their might after an actual linux distribution, what a shot in the arm would linux get from it man. I would mind them integrating all their services in the OS and even an optional locked down version for education and such.
  • patel21 - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link

    would --> wouldn't
  • PeachNCream - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link

    Google is already doing a lot by supplying source code back to the community which is a good thing. However, I would prefer if the company stayed well away from making a Linux distro. The last thing Linux needs is Google's spyware and data mining motivations perverting even more operating systems into being nothing but home phoning zombie boxes.
  • Guspaz - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link

    There’s a hell of a lot more going into a Chromebook (particularly things that an enterprise might care about) than “Linux running chrome.”
  • HStewart - Thursday, August 29, 2019 - link

    One thing that baffles me about Chromebook is why have that not put in Qualcomm processor, it just seems like a better combination that using Windows on Qualcomm and having all those emulating issues.

    It probably a porting issues with Linux
  • HStewart - Thursday, August 29, 2019 - link

    I personally have no desire for either a Windows for Qualcomm ( Microsoft says ARM but Qualcomm is only thing it runs on ) or a Chrome laptop

    But I would serous consider Chrome Laptop using Qualcomm processor. It may have something that Android does not offer very well.
  • sorten - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link

    Would be a sad state of affairs to have to cope with a Chromebook in the enterprise.

    I honestly thought that the Chromebook would be less expensive than the typical Windows corporate laptop, but $800 for a two generations old Celeron processor?! That's almost the same price as my last quad core Lenovo laptop.
  • DigitalFreak - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link

    In theory, Chromebooks should make excellent mobile thin clients. Unfortunately they're just too damned expensive.
  • Dizoja86 - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link

    No laptop over $300 should have a 1366x768 display in 2019.

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