Dell Latitude 5480 Review: A Durable Business Laptop for 2025

Introduction

The Dell Latitude 5480 is a 14-inch business laptop designed for professionals, students, and anyone looking for a durable, reliable, and affordable productivity machine. It combines portability, robust build quality, and practical features, making it a strong contender in the business laptop segment. Equipped with a 7th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB DDR4 RAM, and a 256 GB SSD, it provides smooth multitasking, faster boot times, and responsive performance for office applications, online learning, and everyday computing.

By 2025, refurbished Dell Latitude 5480 laptops have gained popularity due to their cost-effective pricing, consistent reliability, and productivity-focused features. While it does not match the latest ultrabooks, AMD Ryzen laptops, or Apple Silicon machines in raw performance, it remains an ideal choice for users who need a dependable device without spending a premium.

Whether for students, small businesses, or professionals working remotely, the Latitude 5480 continues to deliver the essential tools required for daily computing tasks. In this review, we will explore its specifications, design, performance, and why it still holds value in 2025.

Specifications Overview

Design and Build Quality

The Dell Latitude 5480 boasts a professional and functional design ideal for business environments. Its matte finish and sturdy build make it resistant to daily wear and tear, while its lightweight 1.34 kg form factor allows for easy portability in backpacks or briefcases.

The 14-inch chassis strikes a balance between portability and usability, providing enough screen space for spreadsheets, presentations, and other productivity tasks. The keyboard deck is firm, and the hinges feel solid, ensuring long-term durability for daily opening and closing.

Compared to older Latitude models, the 5480 is slimmer and lighter, providing enhanced portability without compromising structural integrity. Its practical design is ideal for professionals and students who need a reliable laptop on the move.

Display

The 14-inch display features a resolution of 1366×768 with a 60 Hz refresh rate. While not Full HD, it is adequate for everyday office tasks, web browsing, and streaming videos. Colors are serviceable for standard business work, though they are not vibrant enough for professional creative tasks such as photo editing or graphic design.

For day-to-day productivity, the display provides clear text and functional visuals. The screen is best suited for users whose priority is portability and performance over premium visual fidelity.

Performance and Everyday Usage

Powered by a 7th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with 4 cores, the Dell Latitude 5480 delivers reliable performance for most office and academic tasks. Combined with 8 GB DDR4 RAM and a 256 GB SSD, the laptop boots quickly, applications load efficiently, and multitasking is smooth.

Users can comfortably run Microsoft Office, multiple browser tabs, email clients, and video streaming platforms. The Intel HD Graphics 620 supports basic video playback and light graphics tasks, making the laptop suitable for business and educational use.

While it is not designed for gaming or heavy creative workloads, the combination of processor, RAM, and SSD ensures consistent and dependable performance for everyday computing tasks.

Keyboard and Trackpad

Dell’s Latitude series is known for its comfortable keyboards, and the 5480 continues this tradition. The keys are well-spaced, responsive, and provide good tactile feedback, making typing for long hours comfortable and fatigue-free.

The trackpad is smooth, accurate, and supports multi-touch gestures such as scrolling and zooming. While an external mouse may be preferred for extended use, the built-in trackpad is reliable for everyday navigation and productivity.

Battery Life

The Dell Latitude 5480 offers decent battery life, providing 7–8 hours under light to moderate use. This makes it suitable for a full day of work, study sessions, or meetings without frequent recharging.

Refurbished units purchased in 2025 may show some battery degradation, but replacement batteries are available at affordable prices. The SSD and energy-efficient Intel Core i5 processor contribute to reasonable power consumption, ensuring longer usage on the go.

Compared to modern ultrabooks that offer 12+ hours, the Latitude 5480 is not class-leading, but it is sufficient for business and student users who primarily work near a power source.

Connectivity and Ports

The Latitude 5480 offers a well-rounded selection of ports for business users, including:

• 2 × USB 3.0 ports for external drives and peripherals
• HDMI port for connecting external monitors or projectors
• Audio jack for headphones or speakers
• Ethernet port for stable wired network connections

Although it lacks USB-C or Thunderbolt ports, the existing connectivity meets the needs of most office and academic environments.

Security and Reliability

While the Latitude 5480 does not include advanced biometric features, it supports Windows security features such as passwords, PINs, and system encryption. The robust chassis ensures durability during daily use, while Dell’s reliability makes it suitable for business, education, and home office environments.

Why the Dell Latitude 5480 Still Matters in 2025

Refurbished Dell Latitude 5480 laptops remain popular for several reasons:

• Affordable refurbished pricing
• SSD storage for improved speed and responsiveness
• Comfortable and durable keyboard
• Adequate port selection for business and office tasks
• Lightweight and portable design

For those seeking a cost-effective, reliable, and durable laptop for everyday productivity, the Latitude 5480 offers excellent value even against modern budget laptops.

Comparison with Similar Laptops

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Lightweight and portable design
• SSD storage improves boot times and responsiveness
• Durable build quality suitable for business use
• Adequate port selection for everyday productivity
• Comfortable and reliable keyboard

Cons

• Display resolution is not Full HD
• Lacks USB-C and Thunderbolt connectivity
• Not suitable for gaming or heavy graphics work
• Refurbished battery life may vary

Why Buying Refurbished Makes Sense

Purchasing a refurbished Dell Latitude 5480 is an excellent choice for budget-conscious buyers. Refurbished laptops are tested, cleaned, and often upgraded with SSDs or new batteries, ensuring they function reliably. Students, professionals, and small businesses benefit from the affordable pricing, dependable performance, and durability of refurbished units. Additionally, choosing refurbished laptops contributes to sustainability by extending the life of high-quality hardware.

Conclusion

The Dell Latitude 5480 continues to be a strong contender in the business and budget laptop segment. With reliable performance, solid build quality, SSD storage, and practical features, it provides excellent value for students, professionals, and anyone seeking a dependable laptop. While it may not compete with the latest ultrabooks or Apple Silicon devices, its refurbished units remain a smart and affordable choice in 2025.

FAQs

Q: Is the Dell Latitude 5480 suitable for students in 2025?
A: Yes, it is ideal for office applications, research, online learning, and light multimedia tasks.

Q: Can it run modern productivity software efficiently?
A: Yes, with the Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, and SSD, it handles most office applications and web tasks smoothly.

Q: Can the RAM be upgraded?
A: No, this model does not support RAM expansion, so users are limited to the pre-installed 8 GB.

Q: How long does the battery last on refurbished units?
A: Typically 7 to 8 hours depending on battery health. Replacement batteries are affordable and restore performance.

Q: Is it worth buying refurbished instead of a new budget laptop?
A: Yes, it offers reliability, SSD performance, and portability at a lower cost, making it a strong value for money.