Dell Latitude Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop DELL Latitude 3390 Intel Review

This is a budget 2-in-1 with a fantastic screen but dated internals. The 1080p touchscreen is top-tier, but the 2018 Intel i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD are all slow and limiting. At $409, it's a good deal only if tablet mode and screen quality are your absolute top priorities over performance. For light, versatile use, it works. For anything else, look elsewhere.

Let's talk about the Dell Latitude 3390 2-in-1. This is a refurbished business laptop from 2018 that's been updated to Windows 11 Pro. It's a 13.3-inch convertible, meaning you can flip the screen around to use it as a tablet. At $409, it's squarely in the budget category, but it's trying to punch above its weight with a nice touchscreen and that 2-in-1 flexibility.

This thing is for someone who needs a portable Windows machine for basic tasks, but wants the option to doodle, watch a movie in tablet mode, or just have a more versatile form factor than a standard clamshell. It's not for power users or gamers. Think students, casual users, or maybe someone setting up a simple kiosk. The specs are dated, but the price is low, and the screen is surprisingly good.

What makes it interesting is the mismatch between its parts. You've got an 8th-gen Intel i5, which is now six years old, paired with a screen that ranks in the top 10% of all laptops we've tested for quality. It's like putting a premium tire on a used economy car. The 2-in-1 design adds a layer of utility you don't usually find at this price point, especially from a brand like Dell.

Performance is exactly what you'd expect from a 2018 ultrabook CPU. The Intel Core i5-8250U is a quad-core chip, but it's from the era before Intel really pushed performance in thin laptops. In our database, its CPU performance sits in the 23rd percentile. That means it's slower than about three-quarters of the laptops we track. For everyday stuff like web browsing, document editing, and video calls, it's fine. But you'll feel it lag if you try to run too many apps at once or open a giant spreadsheet.

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 is equally modest, ranking around the middle of the pack. This is not a machine for anything graphical. It can handle streaming video and very basic photo editing, but that's it. The 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD are also weak spots, ranking in the bottom 20% and 15% respectively. You'll want to be careful about how many browser tabs you keep open, and your file storage will need to be managed. The standout, as mentioned, is the 1080p touchscreen. It's bright, crisp, and responsive, which makes using it as a tablet actually enjoyable.

At $409, the value proposition is all about the screen and the form factor. You're paying for a great touchscreen and a 2-in-1 design wrapped in a Dell business chassis. The internals are essentially free. Compared to a new budget laptop at this price, you'd likely get a newer but slower CPU (like a modern Celeron), a worse non-touch screen, and no convertible hinge. So if the tablet mode and screen quality are your top priorities, this deal makes sense.

But you have to be okay with dated performance and limited storage. It's a trade-off. You're not getting a fast machine, you're getting a versatile one with a nice view. For the right user, that's worth the $409.

If you're looking at this, you're probably also considering other budget options. The obvious competitor is a new, cheap laptop like an HP Stream or an Asus Vivobook. Those will have newer CPUs, but they often have terrible screens, no touch capability, and plasticky builds. The Latitude 3390 wins on screen quality and build material, but loses on raw processing power.

Another path is a refurbished MacBook. You might find a 2017 MacBook Air for similar money. That would have a similar CPU, a great screen (but non-touch), and better battery life, but you're locked into macOS. For Windows users who want touch, the Dell is the pick. Finally, there's the Microsoft Surface Go series. A Surface Go 3 might be closer in price and is a true tablet-first device, but its performance is even weaker than this Latitude. The Dell gives you more of a traditional laptop experience when you need it.

Gamers, graphic designers, video editors, or anyone who needs serious computing power should skip this immediately. The GPU is integrated and weak, and the CPU is from 2018. You'll be frustrated. Also, if you need to store large files like video projects or a giant photo library locally, the 256GB SSD will fill up instantly. Look for a machine with at least a 10th-gen Intel i5 or a modern Ryzen 5, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.

Even general users who just hate slowdowns should probably skip this. If you're the type who gets annoyed when your laptop takes a second to open a new tab, the aged components here will bother you. In that case, a newer budget laptop with a slower but more modern CPU (like an Intel N-series) might actually feel more consistent, even if its peak performance isn't higher.

If you need a portable Windows machine primarily for web browsing, office apps, and media consumption, and you really value a great touchscreen for drawing or tablet use, this refurbished Dell Latitude 3390 is a solid choice for $409. The 2-in-1 design is a genuine benefit, and the screen is a luxury at this price point. Just plan to use it lightly and maybe upgrade the RAM if you can.

But if your work involves anything more demanding than basic multitasking, if you need to store a lot of files locally, or if you want a machine that feels fast and modern, skip this. Look for a refurbished laptop with a 10th or 11th gen Intel Core i5, or even a modern Ryzen 3, which will cost a bit more but perform much better. This Dell is a specialist tool, not a general-purpose powerhouse.