Today, Dell announced the Dell Latitude 9330, a 13.3-inch convertible laptop optimized for videoconferencing, with controls baked into the touchpad and a camera that slides shut when not in use.
The Latitude 9330, like many laptops, already includes universal mic controls in the row of function keys at the top of the keyboard. That key can be used to turn the mic on and off for all applications. But a secondary “key” — more like a region of the touchpad — can also be used to mute or unmute yourself during a video call. Three other webcam “buttons” can be used to open a chat window, share your screen, and enable or disable the camera.
The Latitude 9330 will be part of the new generation of laptops that use Intel’s 12th-gen “Alder Lake” processor, including vPro options. Dell offers both Windows 11 Home and Pro, as well as a Windows 11 “Downgrade” option that is actually just a Windows 10 image.
Dell
Otherwise, however, it’s the videoconferencing experience that sets the Latitude 9330 apart. For one thing, the included webcam is full HD, recording a 1080p image as well as logging you in via Windows Hello. (If that’s not enough, Dell is also one of the few vendors to sell a 4K webcam, the Dell 4K UltraSharp, one of our best webcams of 2022.) The laptop also includes Intel’s IPU6 technology for improved clarity, assisted by four noise-cancelling mics and four speakers, two of which fire up and down. What’s rather nifty is what Dell calls SafeShutter, which uses an electromagnetic shutter to snap a physical barrier over the webcam when it’s not actively being used.
The Latitude 9330 also includes what Dell calls Onlooker Detection, a technology that uses the webcam to detect when someone may be standing behind you, reading your screen — as well as “Look Away Detect,” where the webcam “sees” you looking away. In both cases, the laptop can either obscure your data or dim your screen, both for security and to save power. Dell has had a feature like the latter for a few years, which “looks” to see if you looked away or walked away and will turn off your display. Windows Hello is then used to unlock your PC.
Otherwise, the Latitude 9330 specs are dialed up a bit; the display isn’t 1080p or even 1440p, but a 2560×1600 touch display, with Gorilla Glass 6 DX protecting it. The display also outputs 500 nits maximum, suitable for working outdoors — with or without the optional Qualcomm Snapdragon X20 LTE modem. Memory options range up to 32GB LPDDR5 (5200MHz) with up to a terabyte of M.2 storage or a 256GB self-encrypting drive.
The Latitude 9330 will ship worldwide in June, with pricing to be announced just before the shipping date.
Author: Mark Hachman, Senior Editor
As PCWorld's senior editor, Mark focuses on Microsoft news and chip technology, among other beats. He has formerly written for PCMag, BYTE, Slashdot, eWEEK, and ReadWrite.