Dell Venue 11 Pro i5: Review

Dell has launched its Venue 11 Pro i5 Windows hybrid tablet targeting the businesses needs. Thus the device focuses more on productivity as compared to its looks and media element. It’s a versatile device meant for performing variety of tasks. Removable and swappable battery is its one of the strong points as it makes the device more apt for long business trips. The device is available with numerous configuration options in terms of storage that include 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB. It costs $429.99 for 32 GB, $459.9 for 64 GB and $799.99 for 128 GB. 

Design & Build Quality

Dell Venue 11 Pro has been designed with an intensive focus on functionality than style. Its back panel has soft-touch texture which makes gripping over the device strong. It is smudge and fingerprints resistant as it doesn’t have the glossy plastic surface. A magnesium alloy frame surrounds the soft-touch panel, which offers further strength. 

Apart from offering a great build to the device, Dell has also tried to induce versatility into the device. It is one of the few tablets featuring a full-size USB 3.0 port. For further connectivity, it also has a microSD card slot and HDMI connector. Dell Venue 11 Pro i5 is perhaps the only or one among the very few tablets with a removable rear that supports swappable batteries allowing you to have power backups during your long trips. 

Dell Venue 11 Pro i5 is a bulky machine that weighs 772g, which is in fact 200g heavier than the Asus Transformer Book T100. But taking advantage to the weight, Dell has kept the display wider, i.e 10.8 inch. While the wide screen allows you to enjoy your movies and graphics in a better way, it is also true that this device is too large to be handled with one hand for a long time. But if that is not your concern and you have no issues in using your both hands, then you will love working on this slate. 

Screen & Sound Quality

Thankfully, Dell Venue 11 Pro i5 doesn’t have the firmware issues, which earlier versions of Venue devices had and as a result those devices had dim screens. The issue has got fixed now. This slate has 1,920 x 1,080 IPS Full HD screen with 389 nits. The quality of the display delivers impressive results but not of the standard that Retina-searing Surface Pro 2 has. Surface Pro2 has 422 nits brightness. However, the contrast ratio of the new Dell venue is 992:1, which is close to Surface. This means, you can enjoy broad range of colors on the display. 

This Dell slate has sRGB gamut coverage of 94.5%, which means its screen is very much capable of handling image-based work. Dell has not designed Venue 11 Pro as a media machine perhaps that is why its two speakers in spite of producing high-volume audio doesn’t get extraordinary in terms of quality. 

Performance

Our Venue 11 Pro is packed with Intel Core i5-4210Y which is of course one of the best processors available in the market. It has the latest Haswell hardware with modest specifications: Hyper- a Turbo peak of 1.9GHz and Threaded cores clocked to 1.5GHz. The device can perform satisfactorily as its Core i5 chip is strong enough to get the job done, but you can’t get too demanding with this tablet. The Windows 8 OS operates without any lag and even Metro-based apps run smoothly. Office apps and other apps run smoothly but the tablet gets little compromising against too sensitive software. 

Battery Life

The device has a 36Wh battery, which has been augmented by a 28Wh unit. It can last for around 11 hours and 55 minutes if the screen brightness is set at 40% brightness. With its 11 hours of battery, you can do web browsing, run productivity tools and also play videos. Thus, in terms of battery Venue 11 Pro delivers great results as it easily beats the eight-hour capacity of the Microsoft Surface. But if you use sole battery behind the screen, then Dell’s lifespan might get dipped by 1 hour or so.

Keyboard & Trackpad

There are indeed no cons about the Venue 11 Pro's keyboard, in fact it is good. Its scrabble-tile keys are placed with enough space in between. The keys are big enough and allow you to do rapid tapping. The typing comfort offered by this slate is strongly impressive because not many ultrabooks have been able to deliver the typing comfort of that standard. The same appreciation goes to the touch-screen keyboard, but out of two, the physical keyboard is better. The Venue is also the match of the physical keyboard included with the Asus Transformer.

The track-pad complements the keyboard very well as it is very wide and its smooth surface lets you work on it conveniently. The two buttons are large and strongly responsive just like the track-pad. 

Technical Specification

Product Type:     Tablet PC	Processor Manufacturer:     Intel
Graphics Controller Manufacturer:     Intel	Graphics Controller Model:     HD Graphics
Bluetooth:    Yes	Wireless LAN:     Yes
Maximum Battery Run Time:     10 Hour	Solid State Drive Capacity:     256 GB
Storage:    32/64/128	Operating System Architecture:     64-bit
Front Camera/Webcam:     Yes	Processor Model:     i5-4300Y
Colour:     Black	Operating System:    Windows 8.1 Pro
Screen Size:     27.4 cm (10.8")	Screen Resolution:     1920 x 1080
Standard Memory:    8 GB	Width:     297.7 mm
Depth:     176.8 mm	Screen Mode:     Full HD

Wrap Up

If you are looking for just a performing hybrid tablet, then undoubtedly, Dell is offering a great deal in form of Dell Venue 11 Pro i5. It is a high-end business device that got enough power, thanks to its swappable battery. Moreover, it has a good screen with 389 nits, apart from its keyboard that works pretty well. Dell offers the device with several options in terms of specifications, prices and accessories. In one word, this Windows 8.1 tablet is a cheaper and excellent alternative to Surface Pro 2.