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BGDell Latitude 7290 The 12.5-inch compact premium model from the Latitude 7000 series
The Dell Latitude 7290 is the smallest model by screen diagonal in the 7290 / 7390 / 7490 generation of the premium Latitude 7000 series, a compact machine for people whose laptop travels with them every day. As a refurbished business laptop from ITR Bulgaria, it belongs to the rare 12.5-inch premium category that all but vanished once makers moved to larger screens.
Benefits
Why the Dell Latitude 7290 makes sense as a refurbished business laptop from the compact end of the Latitude range
The smallest screen in its generation
Its 12.5-inch screen makes the Dell Latitude 7290 the smallest by diagonal among the Latitude 7290, 7390 and 7490 in the premium Latitude line: premium class in a compact chassis. The larger screen of the 7390 fits into the same width and depth.
Magnesium lid, starting from 1.19 kg
The magnesium-alloy display back helps keep the starting weight at 1.19 kg: a machine you stop noticing in the bag by the end of the day. The exact weight depends on the configuration.
SO-DIMM memory up to 16 GB
Memory is DDR4-2133 with 7th gen Core or DDR4-2400 with 8th gen Core on a SO-DIMM slot rather than soldered, so it can be upgraded to 16 GB after purchase. Uncommon in a compact class that was already trending toward fixed memory.
42 Wh battery with ExpressCharge
A 42 Wh battery with Dell ExpressCharge returns about 80% in an hour with the laptop switched off. The feature requires a compatible system and battery. Enough to top up between two meetings in different offices.
USB-C docking, Thunderbolt 3 as an option
The USB-C port with DisplayPort connects monitors, network and peripherals over one cable through a compatible Dell dock, turning the compact laptop into a full desk setup. Thunderbolt 3 is optional; the Dell TB16 requires a configuration with it, while the WD15 uses USB-C.
MIL-STD-810G build
The chassis passes MIL-STD-810G testing for shock, vibration and temperature: useful insurance for a machine that spends more time in transit than parked on one desk.
TPM 2.0 and optional ControlVault 2
Business security with TPM 2.0 as standard and optional Dell ControlVault 2 for protected storage of passwords and biometrics. Some configurations add a separate fingerprint reader.
Intel Core 7th or 8th gen
At its core is a genuine 8th gen Kaby Lake-R processor, with a more affordable 7th gen Kaby Lake option on some units: efficient performance for documents, browser and video calls.
Backlit, spill-resistant keyboard
A Dell backlit keyboard with 1.5 mm travel and spill resistance. Several layouts are available, which matters when equipping a team across regions.
Value as a refurbished laptop
As a used laptop from the premium Latitude series, the Dell Latitude 7290 gives access to a compact premium class that is barely made anymore, at a more reasonable price.
Dell Latitude 7290: the 12.5-inch premium model from a vanishing compact class
12.5-inch business laptops were a whole class once, compact machines for people who carry their device every day without thinking of it as a burden. Today they barely exist. The line moved within a single generation: HP dropped its 12.5-inch EliteBook first and shipped the 13.3-inch HP EliteBook 830 G5, and Lenovo followed, replacing the 12.5-inch Lenovo ThinkPad X280 with the 13.3-inch Lenovo ThinkPad X390. The reason was not a whim. With thin bezels around the screen, a 13.3-inch chassis became nearly as small as an old 12.5-inch one, and the compact class lost the only thing it existed for, being smaller. The Dell Latitude 7290 is among the last members of that disappeared category.
In Dell's hierarchy, with Latitude 3000 for entry level, 5000 for the business mainstream and 7000 for the premium model, the Dell Latitude 7290 holds a curious spot: premium class, with a 12.5-inch screen in the compact body of its generation. That matters in a concrete way for someone whose working day happens on the move. The starting weight is 1.19 kg. The display back is magnesium alloy, a material Dell chose not for show but because it holds rigidity and strength at low mass; the machine does not flex when you pick it up by one corner, and it does not weigh down a bag that already carries a charger, a notebook and a phone. This is a laptop for the consultant who opens the lid on a train tray table, and for the manager who wants something discreet and serious rather than the biggest device in the room.
Among this class's quiet guarantees is a chip most owners never suspect exists. In 2003 a consortium including HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft and AMD standardized the TPM — Trusted Platform Module: a separate guardian that helps protect cryptographic keys from exposure in the operating system. For years the chip was an invisible bureaucrat; then it turned out to be the entry ticket to modern versions of Windows. The small piece of silicon in a Dell Latitude 7290 is an insurance policy signed long before it was needed.
Under the hood sits a genuine 8th gen Intel Kaby Lake-R processor, with a more affordable 7th gen Kaby Lake option on lower units; both handle documents, a browser with many tabs, email and video conferencing comfortably. Memory is DDR4 (2133 MHz with 7th gen and 2400 MHz with 8th gen) on a SO-DIMM slot and can be raised to 16 GB after purchase, a rare freedom in a class that was already moving to soldered memory at the time. Storage is M.2 NVMe and is replaceable too. The 42 Wh battery with Dell ExpressCharge returns 80% in about an hour, and the USB-C port with DisplayPort and optional Thunderbolt 3 turns the compact laptop into a full desk through a compatible Dell dock: monitors, network and peripherals over one cable. The camera is HD (720p) with a physical privacy shutter, the standard for its generation; if video presence is your top priority, the newer 1080p models are stronger here.
An honest word on the trade-offs: the Dell Latitude 7290 is compact and runs an earlier platform, and it shows. Connectivity is of its era (Thunderbolt 3 rather than Thunderbolt 4, and Wi-Fi 5), though a full-size RJ45 Ethernet port is built in. Memory tops out at 16 GB, so for heavy multitasking or 32 GB this is not the machine. And the screen is 16:9 with wider bezels by current standards. If you want more screen, the 13.3-inch Dell Latitude 7390 is the logical step up in the same series; the direct rival in the compact class is the Lenovo ThinkPad X280, the other surviving 12.5-inch premium model from the same generation; and if you are comparing against HP, there is no 12.5-inch EliteBook left, with the closest being the 13.3-inch HP EliteBook 830 G5. As a refurbished laptop from the business class, though, the 7290 has a clear case: it is a compact premium format that is rarely built today, put through technical audit and preparation by ITR Bulgaria, with a real warranty. For a buyer who cares about the small size, this is one of the few ways to get it as a business-class laptop at a sensible price.
Who it suits
Scenarios where the Dell Latitude 7290 makes the strongest sense
When compactness comes first
For someone after the smallest device that still runs full Windows and business software. The 12.5-inch body fits where a 14-inch will not: a small bag, a narrow tray, a crowded shared desk.
Carrying the device every day
A starting weight from 1.19 kg and ExpressCharge that tops up between meetings, for people who take the laptop out and pack it away several times a day and would rather not feel the weight. ExpressCharge needs a compatible system and battery, and the quoted fast charge applies with the laptop switched off.
Consultants on the move
A consultant in a different office each day leaves the dock on the desk and travels with the laptop alone. USB-C brings everything back over one cable on return: light on the road, a full workstation in place. A Thunderbolt dock such as the Dell TB16 needs a configuration with the optional Thunderbolt 3.
Managers who value a small format
A manager whose day is email, documents and reviewing reports rather than rendering or thousand-row spreadsheets. A discreet, serious machine from a premium series, without being the bulkiest device on the table.
Model highlights
A vanishing 12.5-inch compact class
12.5-inch premium business laptops are barely made today, with makers having moved to 13.3 inches as the smallest size. The Dell Latitude 7290 is among the last of that category, with a 16:9 screen for its generation.
Magnesium lid in a small format
The display back is magnesium alloy. Dell lists a thickness of 16.53–16.54 mm and a starting weight of 1.19 kg, depending on configuration. Premium materials in a compact body, with MIL-STD-810G durability.
SO-DIMM memory up to 16 GB
DDR4-2133 with 7th gen Core or DDR4-2400 with 8th gen Core on one SO-DIMM slot, upgradeable to 16 GB, as catalogued for the 13.3-inch Dell Latitude 7390 too. The memory is not soldered and can be replaced.
42 Wh battery with ExpressCharge
42 Wh and 60 Wh batteries are available, including variants with Dell ExpressCharge: about 80% in an hour with the laptop switched off. The feature requires a compatible system and battery; the 60 Wh Long Life Cycle variant does not support it. Real value on a day spent across several locations.
USB-C docking and optional Thunderbolt 3
USB-C with DisplayPort and optional Thunderbolt 3, two USB-A 3.1 Gen 1, HDMI 1.4, a full-size RJ45 Ethernet port and a microSD reader. Through a Dell dock, a single cable connects monitors, network and peripherals, turning the compact laptop into a fixed workstation without losing mobility.
Business security and management
TPM 2.0 as standard, optional Dell ControlVault 2 for protected biometrics and passwords, an optional separate fingerprint reader, a smart card option and a Noble Wedge slot. The Latitude line also supports centralised IT management.
HD camera with privacy shutter
An HD (720p) webcam with a physical privacy shutter, the standard for the Dell Latitude 7290's generation. It is not 1080p like the newer Latitude models, but the shutter gives control over privacy with one move of a finger.
A sound choice as a refurbished laptop
The Latitude 7000 series was built for a long corporate life, with standardised components and good serviceability. That leaves the Dell Latitude 7290 well placed as a used laptop that has been through refurbishment and prepared for renewed business use.
Refurbished by ITR Bulgaria: what value do you get?
Buying a refurbished business-class laptop makes the most sense when the device has been through a standardised in-house refurbishment process and ships with a real warranty. That is how used laptops become refurbished laptops that can be a practical, dependable and professional alternative to new budget machines, or a far more sensible purchase than a new premium equivalent.
- ✓ Technical audit and cosmetic grading of the device against an internal standard
- ✓ Refurbishment, cleaning, quality improvement and configuration to a standard for renewed business use
- ✓ Use of original software and a configuration prepared for the model
- ✓ Packaging, a real warranty and model support from ITR Bulgaria
Ready to see what is in stock?
The Dell Latitude 7290 is a refurbished business laptop from the premium Latitude 7000 series, a compact premium format checked and prepared by ITR Bulgaria. Browse the current stock or contact us for help.
Additional information
Where this model fits in the series ▼
The Dell Latitude 7290 belongs to the Latitude 7000 series, Dell's premium business line. In the Latitude hierarchy, the 7000 sits above the 5000 (mainstream business) and well above the 3000 (entry business), with only the ultra-premium Latitude 9000 above it. That places the 7000 series directly against the HP EliteBook 800 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T and X families.
In the Latitude 7290 / 7390 / 7490 generation, the Dell Latitude 7290 is the smallest by screen, a 12.5-inch model. Next to it is the 13.3-inch Dell Latitude 7390, with the same chassis width and depth. The series also offers 14-inch models in different generations, such as the Dell Latitude 7400 and Dell Latitude 7420. So the Dell Latitude 7290 is not a lower class than those, it is the smaller size of the same premium class.
The Dell Latitude 7290 succeeds the 12.5-inch Dell Latitude 7280. After it, Dell did not continue the 12.5-inch line; the next generation moved to a 13.3-inch body in step with the market. That is one reason the Dell Latitude 7290 is among the last 12.5-inch premium Latitude machines.
Not ideal if… ▼
- You want a configuration with more than 16 GB of RAM. Dell lists the 7290 with a single SO-DIMM slot up to 16 GB, just like the 13.3-inch Dell Latitude 7390. For officially listed 32 GB, look at the 14-inch Latitude 7490 with two slots, for example.
- You need a larger screen for spreadsheets, multi-window work or long reading. The 12.5-inch format is compact by design; a 13.3- or 14-inch Latitude 7000 gives more area.
- You want the newest connectivity (Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6, an IR camera for Windows Hello). The Dell Latitude 7290 is from the Kaby Lake-R wave; newer Latitude 7000 generations add those.
- The webcam for video calls is your top priority. The Dell Latitude 7290 has an HD (720p) camera, typical for its generation. For 1080p, look at the corresponding camera options on the newer Latitude models (such as the Dell Latitude 7320 or Dell Latitude 7420).
- You need discrete graphics for video editing or 3D. The Dell Latitude 7290 relies on integrated Intel HD / UHD Graphics 620, suited to office work rather than heavy graphics.
- You need a guaranteed specific configuration (exact CPU, RAM, SSD, display or keyboard layout). Configurations vary, so it is worth checking the specific unit.
Choosing the right size / form factor ▼
12.5-inch class (Dell Latitude 7290): the smallest by diagonal in the 7290 / 7390 / 7490 generation. Right when compactness and low weight matter above everything: daily carrying, narrow desks, small bags. Trade-off: less screen area and a 16 GB RAM ceiling.
13.3-inch class (Dell Latitude 7390): a bit more screen in a body with the same width and depth as the 7290, with one SO-DIMM slot and up to 16 GB RAM per Dell's catalogue. The natural step up if 12.5 inches feels tight.
14-inch class (Dell Latitude 7400 / Dell Latitude 7420 and similar): the most balanced for documents and video conferencing; more area and newer features, in a larger body.
Form factor: the Dell Latitude 7290 is a standard clamshell laptop with no 360-degree hinges, so no touch or tablet mode. If you need a convertible, look at Dell's separate 2-in-1 lines.
Alternative models ▼
Within Dell:
Dell Latitude 7390 is the 13.3-inch version of the same premium series. More screen in the same chassis width and depth as the 7290, but likewise one RAM slot up to 16 GB per Dell's catalogue. The logical step up if the 12.5-inch format feels too small.
Dell Latitude 7280 is the previous 12.5-inch generation. A more affordable refurbished option on an older platform. A good pick on a tight budget if the compact size is what you are after.
Cross-brand alternatives (12.5–13.3″, premium business class):
Lenovo ThinkPad X280 is the direct 12.5-inch rival from the same generation, the other surviving compact premium model before Lenovo also moved to 13.3 inches with the Lenovo ThinkPad X390. A classic Lenovo ThinkPad design with TrackPoint, an alternative for buyers who prefer that ecosystem and keyboard.
HP EliteBook 830 G5: HP had already left the 12.5-inch class by this point, so there is no direct 12.5-inch HP EliteBook rival. The closest is the 13.3-inch HP EliteBook 830 G5, premium HP in a slightly larger size with the HP ecosystem (HP Sure Start, Wolf Security).
Note: do not compare the Dell Latitude 7290 with the Dell Latitude 3000 or HP ProBook lines; they sit in a different, lower business class with a different target group.
Refurbished by ITR Bulgaria: what value do you get? ▼
The Dell Latitude 7290 is a model where refurbishment by ITR Bulgaria has clear logic. The Latitude 7000 series was designed with a long corporate life cycle in mind: components are standardised, memory and SSD can be replaced, and serviceability allows professional refurbishment with a dependable result.
After refurbishment, the used laptop is prepared for renewed business use: technical audit, cleaning, configuration, original software and packaging with a real warranty. For companies equipping their staff, and for people who value a compact premium format, that is the difference between an unchecked used laptop and a refurbished business laptop with real support from ITR Bulgaria.
Frequently asked questions ▼
Is the Dell Latitude 7290 a good choice as a used laptop?
Yes, for a concrete reason. The Latitude 7000 is Dell's premium business line, built for corporate use with a long life cycle, which makes it well suited to refurbishment. On top of that, the Dell Latitude 7290 offers something barely made today: a compact 12.5-inch premium format. As a refurbished laptop, it gives access to that class at a more reasonable price than a new model.
What is the difference between the Dell Latitude 7290 and the Dell Latitude 7390?
Mainly the screen and its options. The Dell Latitude 7290 is 12.5-inch with an HD panel, while the Dell Latitude 7390 is 13.3-inch with FHD variants. Their width and depth are identical; Dell's starting weights are 1.19 and 1.17 kg respectively and depend on the configuration. Both have one SO-DIMM slot with a catalogued capacity of up to 16 GB RAM. Both are from the same premium series, so the choice is more between different screens and equipment than between two footprint sizes.
Can the memory and storage be upgraded?
Yes. Memory is DDR4-2133 with 7th gen Core or DDR4-2400 with 8th gen Core on a SO-DIMM slot and can be replaced up to 16 GB; it is not soldered. The SSD is M.2 NVMe and can be swapped too. This is one reason the model is convenient to refurbish and configure to need.
What configurations does the Dell Latitude 7290 come in?
The model is found with Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 from the 7th or 8th generation (some with vPro), RAM from 4 to 16 GB, and NVMe SSDs of varying capacity. The display is HD (1366x768), and several keyboard layouts exist. Some units add a fingerprint reader or smart card. It is worth checking the specific unit.