Dip inside and you’ve got a screaming fast Intel Core i7 processor, a GeForce GTX 880M graphics card with 8GB of dedicated memory, 16GB of system RAM, a 256GB SSD boot drive, and 1TB HDD. This 9.4 pound gaming laptop is as (relatively) sleek as it is responsive with its anodized aluminum and magnesium alloy chassis and 10-zone lighting system. There’s really only one word to describe the latest Alienware 17-inch gaming monster: impressive. Ergonomics are everything in a business machine. The inclusion of the more potent Pro version of Windows 8.1 is a nice touch, but for anyone who spends a lot of time on their laptop, the real star is the Latitude E7440’s comfortable keyboard and responsive touchpad.
The Dell Latitude E7440’s bland aesthetic won’t drop jaws the way some of the more stylish Ultrabooks will, but other than that it checks all the boxes: a 14-inch 1080p display with a Gorilla Glass touchscreen, a fast 256GB SSD paired with Core i5 processor and 4GB of RAM, yada yada yada. Kicking off this mid-year laptop rundown is one of several no-nonsense business-focused Ultrabooks.