More freedom with Dell's Latitude

Rating: * * 1/2

Dell Latitude 433C-260

Direct Sales Price: $2,349

Manufacturer: Dell Computer, [phone], [phone]

WIN/DOS

After initial salvos and then a retreat, Dell Computer is reentering the notebook computer marketplace. Adopted from rival AST's Bravo line (AST is the original manufacturer of the system), Dell's Latitude is a solid, mainstream notebook PC that's available in a variety of models and packages. The $2,349 Latitude 433C-260 we tested proved to be dependable-but its average performance isn't likely to revolutionize portable computing.

Tipping the scales at 6.4 pounds, the Latitude 433C is based on the 33-MHz SL-enhanced Intel 486SX. The processor has built-in power-management skills but lacks the math coprocessor of a 486DX: The Latitude...