The Dell Latitude 3390 (starts at $599; $908 as tested) is the least expensive convertible 2-in-1 in the company's Latitude line of business machines.
Sporting a 13.3-inch 1080p touch display and an IR camera for facial recognition, it offers a competent feature set for everyday productivity.
Based on Dell's consumer-grade Inspiron 13 5000 (5379) 2-in-1, the Latitude 3390 adds a USB-C port for docking stations and includes an onsite warranty.
This convertible ultimately falls short of our expectations, though, with its bulky design and quick-draining battery.
It's much larger and heavier than our current Editor's Choice pick for a midrange convertible, the Lenovo Yoga 720, which costs less.
An Unassuming 2-in-1
The matte plastic exterior of the Latitude 3390 is unlikely to turn heads.
That might be the intent with a business-use machine, but there's no getting away from the fact that this 2-in-1 is about as utilitarian as they come.
The chassis feels stiff enough, but the lid is flexible and could use reinforcement.
As with most convertible 2-in-1s, the Latitude 3390 works best in Laptop mode.
Its 3.47-pound weight makes it feel like a thick slab in Tablet mode.
The Lenovo Yoga 720 ($849.99 at Lenovo) is just 2.83 pounds by comparison.
In addition to being heavy, the Latitude 3390's 0.77 by 12.76 by 8.85 inch frame is closer in size to what we expect on 14-inch notebooks.
There's a fair level of connectivity packed into the Latitude 3390.
The USB-C port on its left edge supports power delivery and DisplayPort, but not Thunderbolt 3.
The power jack, an HDMI video output, a USB-A 3.1 port, and an audio combo jack round out what's over there.
Note the power jack isn't the same diameter as you'll find on Dell's Latitude 5000 and 7000 series models.
The full-size SD card reader on the right edge is more practical than a microSD reader.
Cards insert fully, so you don't have to take them out to put the Latitude in your bag.
The right edge also has a USB-A 2.0 port, a Noble Wedge cable lockdown notch, plus the volume rocker and the power button at the front.
Investing in a docking station or adapter is required if you want Ethernet.
A Qualcomm 802.11ac wireless card and Bluetooth 4.1 personal wireless are standard, and were problem-free in our testing.
No-Cost Backlit Keyboard
The backlit keyboard on our review model is a $0 configuration choice on the Latitude 3390, so be sure to get it.
The key travel is shallow but still provides a positive typing experience.
The lack of dedicated Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys is a mild turn off, as they should be dedicated keys on a notebook this size.
The smooth, appropriately sized surface of the Latitude 3390's buttonless touchpad and its energetic clicking action make it more than usable.
On the flip side of this convertible, its twin speakers radiate muffled but sufficiently loud sound.
Good-Looking Screen
There's no doubt about it: The Latitude 3390 has a nice-looking display.
You'd otherwise be out of luck, as no upgrades are available.
The vibrant picture is courtesy of its high contrast and color saturation.
We found even its minimum brightness is more than visible in darker environments.
Its full HD (1,920-by-1,080) resolution is ideal on a 13.3-inch diagonal screen.
The display supports 10 touch points, but pen input is a no-go since the Latitude 3390 lacks a digitizer.
The 720p webcam above the display has average video quality.
That's not the only camera on this rig; an IR camera sits beside it, which is standard across Latitude 3390 configurations.
It allows for facial recognition via the Windows Hello feature in Windows 10.
Dell unfortunately doesn't offer a fingerprint reader on this model, which is something businesses may look for.
What's Inside?
Components inside the Latitude 3390 are standard-fare.
The Intel Core i3-7130U dual-core processor and 8GB of memory in our $908 review unit have plenty of performance for office productivity.
They're a step up from the Pentium 4415U dual-core and 4GB memory combo in the $599 base model.
Newer eighth-generation Core i5 quad-core CPUs are available as upgrades, with configurations running about $100 more than our review unit.
Regardless of the CPU, the Latitude 3390 is saddled with Intel HD integrated graphics across all configurations.
Storage-wise, Dell offers the Latitude 3390 with a traditional 2.5-inch hard drive or an M.2 format solid-state drive (SSD).
It's one or the other; if you opt for the M.2 SSD, it sits in the 2.5-inch bay in a caddy, as there's no dedicated M.2 SSD slot on the motherboard.
The 256GB M.2 SSD in our tester offers quick start-ups and file access.
The business-class nature of this Latitude precludes any bloatware, with just Windows 10 Pro and a few Dell apps present.
A one-year warranty with onsite service is standard.
The single cooling fan on the Latitude 3390 remains off most of the time.
It can be heard when it turns on in a quiet room, but you'll have to listen for it.
The chassis rarely heats up, and when it does, it isn't hot enough to cause discomfort.
Subpar Battery Life
The Latitude 3390 took a backseat in PCMark 8, where it could only match the performance of the Acer Spin 7 (SP714-51-M4YD) ( at Amazon) .
The 4.5-watt Core i7 in that machine was handily outperformed by the Latitude 3390's 15-watt Core i3 in the Cinebench R15 and Handbrake tests, but the Core i3 was no match for the newer Core i5-8250U quad-core in the Dell Inspiron 5379.
As noted, that CPU is available as an upgrade on the Latitude 3390.
See How We Test Laptops
The biggest disappointment with the Latitude 3390 is its battery life.
A time of only 6 hours, 16 minutes is wholly unremarkable next to the 12-hour showing from the Lenovo Yoga 720 or the equally impressive 11 hours and 39 minutes from by the Samsung Spin 7 (2018) .
The Dell Inspiron 5379 had worse battery life yet.
The results from our 3D and gaming tests show the Latitude 3390 keeping pace but, like the other units, its scores don't raise any expectations of playing today's AAA-level titles.
Integrated Intel graphics aren't meant for that, anyway.
Coming Up Short
Try as it might, the Latitude 3390 doesn't make the bar for what we expect in a modern 2-in-1 convertible notebook.
Its gorgeous screen simply doesn't make up for the bulky build or dismal battery.
Our top midrange 2-in-1 remains the Lenovo Yoga 720, which offers a sleeker design, better build quality, and nearly twice the battery life.
Cons
Below average battery life.
Heavy and bulky.
No built-in fingerprint reader.
Display doesn't support pen input.
View More
The Bottom Line
The business-aimed Dell Latitude 3390 2-in-1 convertible laptop has a reasonable feature set, but its subpar battery life and bulky build keep it further down our list.
The Dell Latitude 3390 (starts at $599; $908 as tested) is the least expensive convertible 2-in-1 in the company's Latitude line of business machines.
Sporting a 13.3-inch 1080p touch display and an IR camera for facial recognition, it offers a competent feature set for everyday productivity.
Based on Dell's consumer-grade Inspiron 13 5000 (5379) 2-in-1, the Latitude 3390 adds a USB-C port for docking stations and includes an onsite warranty.
This convertible ultimately falls short of our expectations, though, with its bulky design and quick-draining battery.
It's much larger and heavier than our current Editor's Choice pick for a midrange convertible, the Lenovo Yoga 720, which costs less.
An Unassuming 2-in-1
The matte plastic exterior of the Latitude 3390 is unlikely to turn heads.
That might be the intent with a business-use machine, but there's no getting away from the fact that this 2-in-1 is about as utilitarian as they come.
The chassis feels stiff enough, but the lid is flexible and could use reinforcement.
As with most convertible 2-in-1s, the Latitude 3390 works best in Laptop mode.
Its 3.47-pound weight makes it feel like a thick slab in Tablet mode.
The Lenovo Yoga 720 ($849.99 at Lenovo) is just 2.83 pounds by comparison.
In addition to being heavy, the Latitude 3390's 0.77 by 12.76 by 8.85 inch frame is closer in size to what we expect on 14-inch notebooks.
There's a fair level of connectivity packed into the Latitude 3390.
The USB-C port on its left edge supports power delivery and DisplayPort, but not Thunderbolt 3.
The power jack, an HDMI video output, a USB-A 3.1 port, and an audio combo jack round out what's over there.
Note the power jack isn't the same diameter as you'll find on Dell's Latitude 5000 and 7000 series models.
The full-size SD card reader on the right edge is more practical than a microSD reader.
Cards insert fully, so you don't have to take them out to put the Latitude in your bag.
The right edge also has a USB-A 2.0 port, a Noble Wedge cable lockdown notch, plus the volume rocker and the power button at the front.
Investing in a docking station or adapter is required if you want Ethernet.
A Qualcomm 802.11ac wireless card and Bluetooth 4.1 personal wireless are standard, and were problem-free in our testing.
No-Cost Backlit Keyboard
The backlit keyboard on our review model is a $0 configuration choice on the Latitude 3390, so be sure to get it.
The key travel is shallow but still provides a positive typing experience.
The lack of dedicated Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys is a mild turn off, as they should be dedicated keys on a notebook this size.
The smooth, appropriately sized surface of the Latitude 3390's buttonless touchpad and its energetic clicking action make it more than usable.
On the flip side of this convertible, its twin speakers radiate muffled but sufficiently loud sound.
Good-Looking Screen
There's no doubt about it: The Latitude 3390 has a nice-looking display.
You'd otherwise be out of luck, as no upgrades are available.
The vibrant picture is courtesy of its high contrast and color saturation.
We found even its minimum brightness is more than visible in darker environments.
Its full HD (1,920-by-1,080) resolution is ideal on a 13.3-inch diagonal screen.
The display supports 10 touch points, but pen input is a no-go since the Latitude 3390 lacks a digitizer.
The 720p webcam above the display has average video quality.
That's not the only camera on this rig; an IR camera sits beside it, which is standard across Latitude 3390 configurations.
It allows for facial recognition via the Windows Hello feature in Windows 10.
Dell unfortunately doesn't offer a fingerprint reader on this model, which is something businesses may look for.
What's Inside?
Components inside the Latitude 3390 are standard-fare.
The Intel Core i3-7130U dual-core processor and 8GB of memory in our $908 review unit have plenty of performance for office productivity.
They're a step up from the Pentium 4415U dual-core and 4GB memory combo in the $599 base model.
Newer eighth-generation Core i5 quad-core CPUs are available as upgrades, with configurations running about $100 more than our review unit.
Regardless of the CPU, the Latitude 3390 is saddled with Intel HD integrated graphics across all configurations.
Storage-wise, Dell offers the Latitude 3390 with a traditional 2.5-inch hard drive or an M.2 format solid-state drive (SSD).
It's one or the other; if you opt for the M.2 SSD, it sits in the 2.5-inch bay in a caddy, as there's no dedicated M.2 SSD slot on the motherboard.
The 256GB M.2 SSD in our tester offers quick start-ups and file access.
The business-class nature of this Latitude precludes any bloatware, with just Windows 10 Pro and a few Dell apps present.
A one-year warranty with onsite service is standard.
The single cooling fan on the Latitude 3390 remains off most of the time.
It can be heard when it turns on in a quiet room, but you'll have to listen for it.
The chassis rarely heats up, and when it does, it isn't hot enough to cause discomfort.
Subpar Battery Life
The Latitude 3390 took a backseat in PCMark 8, where it could only match the performance of the Acer Spin 7 (SP714-51-M4YD) ( at Amazon) .
The 4.5-watt Core i7 in that machine was handily outperformed by the Latitude 3390's 15-watt Core i3 in the Cinebench R15 and Handbrake tests, but the Core i3 was no match for the newer Core i5-8250U quad-core in the Dell Inspiron 5379.
As noted, that CPU is available as an upgrade on the Latitude 3390.
See How We Test Laptops
The biggest disappointment with the Latitude 3390 is its battery life.
A time of only 6 hours, 16 minutes is wholly unremarkable next to the 12-hour showing from the Lenovo Yoga 720 or the equally impressive 11 hours and 39 minutes from by the Samsung Spin 7 (2018) .
The Dell Inspiron 5379 had worse battery life yet.
The results from our 3D and gaming tests show the Latitude 3390 keeping pace but, like the other units, its scores don't raise any expectations of playing today's AAA-level titles.
Integrated Intel graphics aren't meant for that, anyway.
Coming Up Short
Try as it might, the Latitude 3390 doesn't make the bar for what we expect in a modern 2-in-1 convertible notebook.
Its gorgeous screen simply doesn't make up for the bulky build or dismal battery.
Our top midrange 2-in-1 remains the Lenovo Yoga 720, which offers a sleeker design, better build quality, and nearly twice the battery life.
Cons
Below average battery life.
Heavy and bulky.
No built-in fingerprint reader.
Display doesn't support pen input.
View More
The Bottom Line
The business-aimed Dell Latitude 3390 2-in-1 convertible laptop has a reasonable feature set, but its subpar battery life and bulky build keep it further down our list.
