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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If budget is a primary concern, the Dell Latitude 14 7490 may be appealing due to its lower price point. The Dell is also known for solid build quality and a good balance of performance and battery life, suitable for standard business or academic tasks. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 typically offers a more modern design, possibly better screen quality, and higher performance that can be beneficial for more intensive tasks like 3D work or programming. However, you'll have to consider if these enhancements are worth the higher cost. The ThinkPad may also feature a longer battery life and can often include a more portable design, which is excellent for those who travel frequently. Assess if the performance gains and additional features of the Lenovo justify its higher price or if the Dell's affordability and competent functionality align better with your needs. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Dell Latitude 14 7490
- The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13.
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.2
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for general use, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is somewhat better.
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 offers ample performance for general use with its Intel i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 14-inch screen with good brightness and color coverage, while being quite portable and having a battery life that supports typical workday use. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, with a comparable AMD Ryzen 7 processor and equally sizable RAM, provides a slightly smaller yet higher-resolution screen in a 16:10 aspect ratio, offering improved screen real estate and portability due to its lighter weight, as well as a longer battery life and higher-quality keyboard, making it also well-suited for general use tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.5
7.3
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is deemed better for engineering and design due to its superior AMD Ryzen processor and AMD Radeon GPU, which outperform the Dell Latitude 14 7490's Intel i7 CPU and Intel UHD Graphics, and also because it offers a higher screen resolution and color accuracy which is crucial for detailed design work. While the Dell has a slightly greater portability score and longer battery life, these factors are less critical than processing power and screen quality for engineering and design tasks.
Software Development
7.1
7.7
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for software development, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.7
7.0
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 14 7490 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Latitude's screen offers sufficient clarity and brightness for everyday tasks, but for tasks like engineering and design, although it provides an adequate range of colors, it falls short for gaming and 3D work due to a lack of smooth motion and visual precision. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 displays vibrant colors and crisp text for general and professional tasks, supporting a wide color spectrum which is beneficial for color-sensitive work, but for gaming, it doesn't refresh fast enough to keep up with fast-paced action. In contrast to the Lenovo, the Dell's display doesn't support as wide a color range, making it less ideal for color-critical engineering and design work, despite having a decent resolution and brightness.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent portability, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has very good build quality, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$300
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has a price of $300 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.9
6.3
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is poor.
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are considered fair for gaming and 3D due to their respective integrated GPUs, which offer reasonable but not high-end performance for these tasks. While both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, the Lenovo has a slightly more powerful GPU, providing modestly better graphics capabilities, but neither is designed for intensive gaming or 3D applications which generally require higher performance dedicated GPUs and faster screens.
Content Creation
7.3
7.8
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Battery
9.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has 10 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
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How the Dell Latitude 14 7490 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 14 7490 | Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$300 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2018 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13'' x 8.7'' x 0.8'' | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.11 lbs | 2.78 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13" | 11.59" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.7" | 7.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-8650U | AMD Ryzen 7 6850U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 51.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 305 nits | 379 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Latitude 14 7490
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Henry T. Casey | April 2018
"The Dell Latitude 7490's got the speed you need (and then some), a keyboard that's comfortable enough for writing all day long and a battery that supports a full 8-hour workday. If only the display were brighter and it managed heat better. If you need every minute of battery life you can get, the extended-battery version of the Lenovo ThinkPad T480 lasts 8 hours longer than the Latitude 7490, but its display is much less colorful."
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Brian Westover | September 2022
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
Get a great deal on the Dell Latitude 14 7490 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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