Dell's E-series notebooks to hit in June

Dell's Latitude E-series overhaul is now due for June and will represent a sweeping change to its lineup, according to a roadmap leak supplied by Engadget. The new-look systems will ship immediately alongside the launch of Intel's Centrino 2 and use the faster, cooler processors of the platform to slim down the design compared to existing models. Previous leaks have also pointed to a brushed-metal surface and a better hinge similar to that from the XPS line.

Five models will make up the initial launch: the E6400 and E6500 will represent the mid-range and use only Intel processors in 14- and 15.4-inch designs, respectively; a toughened model, the E6400 ATG, will replace the Latitude D630 ATG for outdoors travelers and field workers. Budget E5400 and E5500 models will share the same screen sizes but include lower-cost parts, including the choice of AMD processors in the form of the E5400a and E5500a.

Ultraportable E4200 (12-inch) and E4300 (13-inch) models will arrive along with the second wave of Centrino 2 in September and will use both ultra-low and low voltage Core 2 processors. The E4200 will likely go without an optical drive while the E4300 is most likely to compete against the Lenovo ThinkPad X300, which claims to be one of the thinnest full-feature notebooks on the market.

Prices have not been set, though the systems will likely represent direct replacements for existing D-series Latitudes at their respective price points.