Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 in review: Comet Lake provides better battery life
The Dell Latitude 12 7210 is a 2-in-1 device for businesses. The high price level of almost 2,000 Euros (~$2,386) (entry-level models ranging from 1,600 to (~$1,909) 1,700 Euros (~$2,028)) will probably make it unattractive for most consumers. This is the identically built successor to the Dell Latitude 12 7200 that we already reviewed. The test device provided to us is powered by a Core-i7-10610U processor. Competitors include the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 and the Lenovo Yoga Duet 7.
Possible contenders in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
89.5 % | 03/2021 | Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 i7-10610U, UHD Graphics 620 | 850 g | 9.35 mm | 12.30" | 1920x1280 | |
88.1 % | 02/2020 | Microsoft Surface Pro 7 i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU) | 790 g | 8.5 mm | 12.30" | 2736x1824 | |
87.1 % | 11/2020 | Lenovo Yoga Duet 7 13IML05-82AS000WGE i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620 | 1.2 kg | 9.2 mm | 13.00" | 2160x1350 |
Case - A metal chassis for the Latitude
Dell has opted for a rather stylish silver-gray metal case for the Latitude 12 that can't shake off a certain resemblance to the Surface Pro 7's chassis. The stand of the tablet unit can be adjusted in infinite positions and allows a maximum aperture angle of about 150 to 160 degrees. The tight hinges prevent the stand from collapsing.
The included keyboard dock is magnetically connected to the tablet unit. It can lie flat on the surface or be angled towards the user. The top side of the keyboard dock is made of a single piece of metal; the underside is made of soft plastic.
The device doesn't reveal any weaknesses in terms of workmanship. The gap dimensions are in order, and there are no material protrusions. The device doesn't show any weaknesses in terms of stability either. The tablet unit can be twisted a bit, but the whole situation is still within limits. The dock can be twisted to a greater extent.
The Latitude weighs a bit more than the Surface Pro 7 both with and without the keyboard dock attached. The latter is also somewhat more compact. The Yoga Duet 7 is on par with the Latitude, but it's not directly comparable due to its different aspect ratio (16:10).
Connectivity - Thunderbolt 3 on board
The Latitude comes with one USB Type-A port (USB 3.2 Gen 1) and two USB Type-C ports (2x Thunderbolt 3). The latter support Power Delivery and DisplayPort via USB-C. Good: Since both USB-C ports can be used for power supply, one Thunderbolt 3 port remains free for other things (external display, docking station, external GPU).
SD card reader
The microSD memory card reader (reference card: 64 GB Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC) is among the fast models with transfer rates of 153.9 MB/s (transfer of 250 jpg image files of 5 MB each) and 182.6 MB/s (copying of large data blocks).
SD Card Reader | |
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
Dell Latitude 7200 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II) | |
Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
Average of class Convertible (17.7 - 209, n=36, last 2 years) | |
Lenovo Yoga Duet 7 13IML05-82AS000WGE (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
Dell Latitude 7200 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II) | |
Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
Average of class Convertible (22.6 - 263, n=35, last 2 years) | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
Lenovo Yoga Duet 7 13IML05-82AS000WGE (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) |
Communication
The Wi-Fi chip (Intel AX201) supports the 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax standards and offers Bluetooth 5 functionality. The data rates determined under optimal conditions (no other Wi-Fi devices nearby, short distance between laptop and server PC) are good. There's no Ethernet port.
An LTE modem is among the optional features. Our test device doesn't feature one, though. Moreover, a modem can't be retrofitted either, because the SIM card slot, the antennas, and the necessary slot are missing.
Webcam
The webcam (5 MP) doesn't perform poorly at all and produces respectable results. There are problems with color accuracy, though. With a color deviation of almost 9, the target (Delta E less than 3) is missed. The rear-facing camera has a resolution of 8 MP.
Security
The device has a Trusted Platform Module (2.0) on board. Moreover, the device can be physically secured via a cable lock. Our test device does not have a fingerprint reader - it's available as an option.
Accessories
The 7210 comes with the usual documents: A quick-start guide and warranty information. However, Dell has a lot of paid accessories available. Owners of the Latitude will probably find docking solutions, such as the Dell WD19TB dock, of greatest interest. At a price of about 250 Euros (~$298), the Latitude can be expanded with many ports.
BIOS
The BIOS offers many configuration options regarding security, management, hardware, and power consumption.
Maintenance
In principle, the Latitude's case can be opened. However, we refrained from doing so to avoid damaging the device. An illustrated, English-language guideline for the exact procedure can be found in the Latitude's service manual.
Warranty
The 7210 comes with a three-year on-site warranty (ProSupport, Next Business Day Onsite Service). An extension to four years costs about 73 Euros (~$87).
Input devices - Dell's 2-in-1 device offers a backlit keyboard
Keyboard
The keyboard dock houses a backlit chiclet keyboard with flat, smooth keys that have a short travel and a clear pressure point. The typing feel depends on the dock's positioning: A quite comfortable typing experience is possible when the dock is angled towards the user; but if the dock lies flat on the surface, it bounces more. The two-stage key backlight is controlled via a function key. All in all, Dell delivers a keyboard that is suitable for everyday use.
Touchpad
The smooth surface of the multitouch-capable ClickPad (10 x 5.5 cm) makes it easy for fingers to glide on it. It also responds to inputs in the corners. Furthermore, the pad has a short travel and a clear pressure point.
Touchscreen
The touchscreen (10 touchpoints) responds promptly to inputs and didn't cause us any problems. The screen can be operated both with the fingers and with the separately available Dell Premium Active Pen (PN579X, about 80 to 90 Euros (~$95 to ~$107)).
Display - IPS in the 3:2 format
The 12.3-inch touchscreen display in the 3:2 format has a native resolution of 1920x1280 pixels. Brightness (378.4 cd/m²) and contrast (1,226:1) are good. The maximum brightness drops to 319 cd/m² on battery power. Competitors like the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 and the Lenovo Yoga Duet 7 offer more in terms of brightness.
The display shows flickering at a frequency of 1,250 Hz at brightness levels of 30% and below. Due to the high frequency, even sensitive users shouldn't experience headaches and/or eye problems.
|
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 319 cd/m²
Contrast: 1226:1 (Black: 0.31 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.28 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 0.97
ΔE Greyscale 2.56 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
97% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
68.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
96.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
67.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.32
Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 Sharp LQ123N1, IPS, 1920x1280, 12.30 | Microsoft Surface Pro 7 LG Philips LP123WQ112604, IPS, 2736x1824, 12.30 | Dell Latitude 7200 SHP14A3 LQ123N1, IPS LED, 1920x1280, 12.30 | Lenovo Yoga Duet 7 13IML05-82AS000WGE CSOT T3 LEN8290, IPS, 2160x1350, 13.00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Display | -4% | 5% | 2% | |
Display P3 Coverage | 67.9 | 63.7 -6% | 71.6 5% | 68.9 1% |
sRGB Coverage | 96.8 | 95.8 -1% | 99.5 3% | 98.2 1% |
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 68.8 | 65.7 -5% | 72.6 6% | 71.1 3% |
Response Times | -64% | -55% | -82% | |
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 29 ? | 40 ? -38% | 52 ? -79% | 58 ? -100% |
Response Time Black / White * | 16 ? | 28 ? -75% | 34.8 ? -118% | 26 ? -63% |
PWM Frequency | 1250 ? | 250 ? -80% | 1645 ? 32% | |
Screen | -7% | 9% | -29% | |
Brightness middle | 380 | 435 14% | 401 6% | 450 18% |
Brightness | 378 | 422 12% | 385 2% | 411 9% |
Brightness Distribution | 86 | 90 5% | 88 2% | 83 -3% |
Black Level * | 0.31 | 0.32 -3% | 0.28 10% | 0.22 29% |
Contrast | 1226 | 1359 11% | 1432 17% | 2045 67% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 2.28 | 1.18 48% | 1.8 21% | 4.15 -82% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 3.93 | 2.27 42% | 3.4 13% | 11.49 -192% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 0.97 | 3.49 -260% | 1.1 -13% | 1.09 -12% |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.56 | 1.12 56% | 1.6 37% | 6.66 -160% |
Gamma | 2.32 95% | 2.3 96% | 2.14 103% | 2.42 91% |
CCT | 6130 106% | 6502 100% | 6702 97% | 6043 108% |
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 63 | 60 -5% | 66.6 6% | 65 3% |
Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 97 | 96 -1% | 99.4 2% | 98 1% |
Total Average (Program / Settings) | -25% /
-17% | -14% /
-3% | -36% /
-30% |
* ... smaller is better
The display shows good color reproduction and meets the target (Delta E less than 3) with a color deviation of just under 2.3. Furthermore, the display doesn't suffer from a blue tint. Improvements can be achieved by means of calibration. Color deviation drops to just under 1, and grayscales are displayed in a more balanced way. The display can't completely reproduce the AdobeRGB (63%) and sRGB (97%) color spaces.
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
16 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 4 ms rise | |
↘ 12 ms fall | ||
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 32 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
29 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 4 ms rise | |
↘ 25 ms fall | ||
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 33 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). |
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM detected | 1250 Hz | ≤ 30 % brightness setting | |
The display backlight flickers at 1250 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 30 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 1250 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17898 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. |
The viewing-angle stable IPS panel can be read from any position. Outdoors, however, the glossy display surface often prevents this.
Performance - Sufficient for office and Internet
The Dell Latitude 12 7210 is a 12.3-inch 2-in-1 business device that offers enough computing power for office and Internet applications. Various configurations are available.
Test conditions
Dell's Power Manager provides temperature profiles that affect the device's temperature and performance development. We used the "Optimized" profile that is active out of the box. Moreover, the "Ultra Performance" profile doesn't result in a performance increase.
Processor
Dell equips the Latitude with a Core-i7-10610U quad-core processor (Comet Lake). The CPU operates at a base speed of 1.8 GHz. An increase to 4.3 GHz (four cores) or 4.9 GHz (one core) is possible via Turbo.
The Cinebench benchmarks' multithread tests are run at 2.7 to 3.2 GHz for a short time. The single-thread tests are run at 1.6 to 4.2 GHz. On battery power, the clock rates are 1.8 to 2.2 GHz (multithread) and 1.4 to 2.2 GHz (single-thread), respectively.
We check whether the CPU Turbo is used consistently when plugged in by running the Cinebench R15 benchmark's multithread test in a loop for at least 30 minutes. Turbo is used to a relatively low extent.
All in all, the benchmark results are okay, but they won't knock anyone's socks off. The performance gain compared to the Whiskey Lake Core i5 processor of the predecessor is modest.
* ... smaller is better
System performance
The fast system doesn't cause any problems, and the installed hardware offers sufficient performance for office and Internet applications. Moreover, the PCMark results are decent. The soldered RAM (16 GB, LPDDR3-2133) in the Dell device runs in dual-channel mode. A storage expansion is not possible.
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3425 points | |
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 3756 points | |
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 4900 points | |
PCMark 10 Score | 4120 points | |
Help |
DPC latencies
In our standardized latency monitor test (web browsing, 4K video playback, high-load Prime95), we were able to observe irregularities with DPC latencies. The system doesn't seem to be suitable for real-time video and audio editing.
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
Lenovo Yoga Duet 7 13IML05-82AS000WGE | |
Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 |
* ... smaller is better
Storage
A 512 GB NVMe SSD (M.2-2230) from Western Digital serves as the system drive and delivers good transfer rates.
Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 WDC PC SN530 SDBPTPZ-512G | Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe | Dell Latitude 7200 WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G | Lenovo Yoga Duet 7 13IML05-82AS000WGE Lenovo UMIS RPJTJ256MEE1OWX | Average WDC PC SN530 SDBPTPZ-512G | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6 | 1% | -17% | -10% | 0% | |
Write 4K | 182.7 | 131.3 -28% | 131.9 -28% | 118 -35% | 151.9 ? -17% |
Read 4K | 51.4 | 52.4 2% | 45.47 -12% | 53 3% | 47.7 ? -7% |
Write Seq | 1303 | 1613 24% | 1021 -22% | 1208 -7% | 1516 ? 16% |
Read Seq | 1450 | 1613 11% | 1085 -25% | 1625 12% | 1604 ? 11% |
Write 4K Q32T1 | 342.9 | 411.6 20% | 444.9 30% | 431 26% | 360 ? 5% |
Read 4K Q32T1 | 523 | 415.6 -21% | 366.6 -30% | 356 -32% | 464 ? -11% |
Write Seq Q32T1 | 1776 | 2340 32% | 1458 -18% | 1278 -28% | 1810 ? 2% |
Read Seq Q32T1 | 2378 | 1568 -34% | 1640 -31% | 1949 -18% | 2428 ? 2% |
Write 4K Q8T8 | 410.9 | 437.2 | |||
Read 4K Q8T8 | 1033 | 988 | |||
AS SSD | -39% | -4% | -30% | -25% | |
Seq Read | 2185 | 1881 -14% | 1294 -41% | 1629 -25% | 2136 ? -2% |
Seq Write | 1731 | 703 -59% | 856 -51% | 694 -60% | 1456 ? -16% |
4K Read | 46.28 | 52.3 13% | 42.52 -8% | 47.87 3% | 35.3 ? -24% |
4K Write | 161.6 | 154.1 -5% | 141 -13% | 107 -34% | 143.6 ? -11% |
4K-64 Read | 1021 | 1048 3% | 983 -4% | 411 -60% | 687 ? -33% |
4K-64 Write | 1125 | 703 -38% | 1183 5% | 377 -66% | 652 ? -42% |
Access Time Read * | 0.069 | 0.069 -0% | 0.057 17% | 0.068 1% | 0.076 ? -10% |
Access Time Write * | 0.046 | 0.221 -380% | 0.026 43% | 0.035 24% | 0.1053 ? -129% |
Score Read | 1286 | 1288 0% | 1155 -10% | 614 -52% | 936 ? -27% |
Score Write | 1460 | 927 -37% | 1410 -3% | 550 -62% | 941 ? -36% |
Score Total | 3389 | 2826 -17% | 3142 -7% | 1441 -57% | 2328 ? -31% |
Copy ISO MB/s | 1555 | 1160 -25% | 1387 -11% | 1074 -31% | 1395 ? -10% |
Copy Program MB/s | 468.5 | 454.7 -3% | 449.5 -4% | 532 14% | 486 ? 4% |
Copy Game MB/s | 841 | 991 18% | 1059 26% | 730 -13% | 968 ? 15% |
Total Average (Program / Settings) | -19% /
-24% | -11% /
-9% | -20% /
-23% | -13% /
-16% |
* ... smaller is better
Continuous load read: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
Graphics card
Intel's UHD Graphics 620 graphics core takes care of graphics output. The GPU supports DirectX 12 and operates at speeds of up to 1,150 MHz. The 3DMark results are at a normal level for this GPU.
3DMark 11 Performance | 2247 points | |
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 72369 points | |
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 9612 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 1258 points | |
3DMark Time Spy Score | 505 points | |
Help |
Gaming performance
Handling computer games isn't the 7210's main focus. Nevertheless, the device can bring one or the other game smoothly onto the screen - at low resolutions and low quality settings. This includes titles that only have moderate hardware requirements - for example, Dota 2 Reborn, Valorant, The Sims 4, and Farming Simulator 2019.
low | med. | high | ultra | |
BioShock Infinite (2013) | 75.9 | 40.9 | 33.6 | 10.8 |
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 76.3 | 46.9 | 20.6 | 18.4 |
Far Cry 5 (2018) | 15 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
Strange Brigade (2018) | 31 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 13.9 |
Emissions - Dell computer remains quiet and cool
Noise emissions
The device operates quietly over the entire load range. In idle usage, the fan usually stands still, and silence prevails. Furthermore, it doesn't rev up excessively under load. We registered a maximum sound pressure level of 34.5 dB(A).
Noise Level
Idle |
| 25 / 25 / 25 dB(A) |
Load |
| 28.7 / 34.5 dB(A) |
| ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min: , med: , max: Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 25 dB(A) |
Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 i7-10610U, UHD Graphics 620 | Microsoft Surface Pro 7 i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU) | Dell Latitude 7200 i5-8365U, UHD Graphics 620 | Lenovo Yoga Duet 7 13IML05-82AS000WGE i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620 | Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Average of class Convertible | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Noise | -15% | -9% | 1% | -15% | -5% | |
off / environment * | 25 | 30.3 -21% | 28.8 -15% | 25.4 -2% | 29 ? -16% | 24 ? 4% |
Idle Minimum * | 25 | 30.3 -21% | 28.8 -15% | 25.4 -2% | 29.1 ? -16% | 24.3 ? 3% |
Idle Average * | 25 | 30.3 -21% | 28.8 -15% | 25.4 -2% | 29.1 ? -16% | 24.4 ? 2% |
Idle Maximum * | 25 | 30.3 -21% | 28.8 -15% | 25.4 -2% | 29.7 ? -19% | 25.4 ? -2% |
Load Average * | 28.7 | 31.4 -9% | 30.1 -5% | 30 -5% | 33.5 ? -17% | 34.5 ? -20% |
Load Maximum * | 34.5 | 33.7 2% | 30.1 13% | 27.5 20% | 36.1 ? -5% | 40.3 ? -17% |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
Our stress test (Prime95 and FurMark run for at least an hour) is mostly run by the CPU and GPU at 1,000 MHz and 700 to 800 MHz, respectively. Higher speeds are only reached in the first few minutes of the test. The stress test represents an extreme scenario, though. We use it to check whether the system remains stable even under full load.
We can't really speak of a temperature rise in the Latitude 12. Under full load (stress test), the temperatures are clearly below 40 °C (~104 °F) at all measuring points. The rates are even lower in everyday use.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.5 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 36.2 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.4 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 29.1 °C / 84.4 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-1 °C / -1.8 F).
Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 i7-10610U, UHD Graphics 620 | Microsoft Surface Pro 7 i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU) | Dell Latitude 7200 i5-8365U, UHD Graphics 620 | Lenovo Yoga Duet 7 13IML05-82AS000WGE i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620 | Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Average of class Convertible | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heat | -16% | -2% | 4% | -13% | -14% | |
Maximum Upper Side * | 37.5 | 40.1 -7% | 42.5 -13% | 33.6 10% | 41.1 ? -10% | 40.6 ? -8% |
Maximum Bottom * | 36.2 | 41 -13% | 39.4 -9% | 33.9 6% | 44.3 ? -22% | 43.2 ? -19% |
Idle Upper Side * | 25.7 | 31.7 -23% | 23.8 7% | 24.8 4% | 26.8 ? -4% | 28.3 ? -10% |
Idle Bottom * | 24.3 | 28.8 -19% | 22.8 6% | 25.4 -5% | 27.7 ? -14% | 29.2 ? -20% |
* ... smaller is better
Speakers
The stereo speakers produce decent sound that hardly has any bass, though. In addition, the maximum volume is relatively low. Headphones or external speakers have to be used for a better sound experience.
Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 audio analysis
(-) | not very loud speakers (68.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (14% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 27% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 65% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 28% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 64% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Energy management - The 7210 offers good battery life
Energy consumption
The 2-in-1 device doesn't show any issues in terms of energy consumption. The maximum idle power consumption is 8.4 watts. During the stress test, the value increases up to 46.9 watts. The USB Type-C power adapter's output is 45 watts.
Off / Standby | 0.36 / 4.4 Watt |
Idle | 3.2 / 5.3 / 8.4 Watt |
Load |
27 / 46.9 Watt |
Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 i7-10610U, UHD Graphics 620 | Microsoft Surface Pro 7 i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU) | Dell Latitude 7200 i5-8365U, UHD Graphics 620 | Lenovo Yoga Duet 7 13IML05-82AS000WGE i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620 | Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Average of class Convertible | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Consumption | -42% | -7% | 13% | -17% | -54% | |
Idle Minimum * | 3.2 | 4.4 -38% | 3.3 -3% | 3.1 3% | 3.81 ? -19% | 5.39 ? -68% |
Idle Average * | 5.3 | 8.7 -64% | 5.8 -9% | 5.7 -8% | 6.94 ? -31% | 8.17 ? -54% |
Idle Maximum * | 8.4 | 9.6 -14% | 6.5 23% | 8.7 -4% | 8.75 ? -4% | 11.2 ? -33% |
Load Average * | 27 | 44 -63% | 37 -37% | 20.5 24% | 35 ? -30% | 47.2 ? -75% |
Load Maximum * | 46.9 | 61 -30% | 51.3 -9% | 22.6 52% | 47.5 ? -1% | 66.1 ? -41% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery life
The Dell convertible achieves runtimes of 8:09 hours and 11:16 hours in our Wi-Fi test ( accessing websites via a script) and video test (the short film Big Buck Bunny (H.264, Full HD) running in a loop), respectively. The device's power-saving features are disabled here, and the display brightness is set to about 150 cd/m². In addition, the wireless modules are disabled during the video test.
Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1 i7-10610U, UHD Graphics 620, 38 Wh | Microsoft Surface Pro 7 i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), 45 Wh | Dell Latitude 7200 i5-8365U, UHD Graphics 620, 38 Wh | Lenovo Yoga Duet 7 13IML05-82AS000WGE i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, 39 Wh | Average of class Convertible | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battery Runtime | -16% | -16% | -20% | 5% | |
Reader / Idle | 1365 | 690 -49% | 768 -44% | 1112 ? -19% | |
H.264 | 676 | 403 -40% | 489 -28% | 494 -27% | 769 ? 14% |
WiFi v1.3 | 489 | 586 20% | 417 -15% | 523 7% | 569 ? 16% |
Load | 111 | 115 4% | 106 -5% | 95 -14% | 121.7 ? 10% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
The current Dell 2-in-1 device for businesses can be categorized as being a "product update". The predecessor's chassis is still used, but Comet Lake CPUs are used instead of Whiskey Lake ones. However, the performance increase is modest. Tiger Lake or Ice Lake would have at least increased graphics performance significantly.
The Latitude 12 7210 is a well-rounded 2-in-1 device for businesses.
Nevertheless: The combination of the Core i7-10610U processor, 16 GB of RAM (dual-channel mode; on-board, not expandable), and a 512 GB NVMe SSD equips the device for all intended usage scenarios. Positive: The unit always works quietly and hardly heats up.
The 7210 offers practical battery runtimes of 8 to 11 hours, which corresponds to an increase of 1 to 3 hours compared with the predecessor - with the same battery capacity. Power is supplied via a USB-C power adapter that can be plugged into both Thunderbolt 3 ports. Good: One slot remains free for other devices (external display, docking station, external GPU).
The touchscreen display (1920x1280 pixels, IPS) offers stable viewing angles, good color reproduction, and very decent color-space coverage. The brightness and contrast meet their respective targets. Not only can the touchscreen be operated with the fingers but also with the separately available Dell Premium Active Pen (approx. 80 to 90 Euros (~$95 to ~$107)).
Price and availability
The Dell Latitude 12 7210 is currently available in the configuration that we tested (Core i7-10610U, 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD) at a price of $2,355 on Walmart. Alternatively, you can also find it in Dell's online store.
Dell Latitude 12 7210 2-in-1
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03/15/2021 v7
Sascha Mölck