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This refurbished Latitude 5480 is mainly a sturdy, business class laptop for basic everyday use, with the Latitude build quality, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and Thunderbolt 3 standing out. The older 7th gen i5 is the big limitation, since it is not officially supported for Windows 11 and may need hacks that can complicate updates and drivers. Battery life and long term reliability are also concerns on an 8 to 9 year old refurb. It makes the most sense for light tasks, Linux, or plugged in use.
office and printing users who need legacy Windows software (like older x86 apps that won't run on ARM) because a ~$160 refurb Latitude "would do the trick" for basic office tasks, printing, and school use.
people who are comfortable running Linux instead of relying on Windows 11 updates because commenters say to install a Linux distro and update the BIOS, and then it becomes a good daily PC.
buyers who want a simple, mostly "set it and forget it" machine for ~99% typical use because one commenter says not being able to update to Windows 11 can be a "blessing in disguise," with good battery life and solid 16GB RAM for everyday tasks.
tinkerers building an eGPU/Thunderbolt setup for an LLM-agent style "dialog console" because the laptop has a Thunderbolt 3 port and support even though the CPU performance is weak by today's standards.
non-technical buyers who plan to stay on Windows 11 because the i5-7300U isn't officially supported and commenters warn that bypassing can lead to losing Windows updates/drivers and getting "stuck," requiring a reinstall.
buyers who care about long-term longevity and modern performance because multiple commenters call out that the CPU is nearly 10 years old and that a refurb at this age is likely to have aging components (battery, fans, hinges, SSD lifespan, etc.).
people expecting it to feel fast and last well into 2026 for more than basic tasks because commenters say the 2-core/4-thread i5-7300U is insufficient beyond things like video and online banking.
anyone counting on strong battery life and efficiency on the go because commenters expect old batteries and older CPU efficiency to make battery life quite poor, with the laptop only being suitable for specific scenarios plugged in.
buyers who want the best value for the money because commenters say it's a bad deal compared with other listings (like 11th-gen processors) at around the same price.
It can be a workable refurb for basic office, printing, and web use, especially with 16GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. But the CPU is 7th-gen and nearly 10 years old, so many see it as poor value versus newer used or even new budget laptops.
Yes. Its age and unsupported Windows 11 CPU make it a better fit for Linux or other lighter-use setups, and the Latitude build quality is a plus for that role. It can work well as a basic daily PC or media machine when paired with a Linux distro and BIOS updates.
No. The i5-7300U is not on Microsoft's supported Windows 11 Intel processor list, so installing Win11 requires a bypass. That can leave the machine vulnerable to future update or driver issues, especially for non-technical buyers.
Likely yes. The batteries are expected to be aged, so runtime may be far below original capacity, and the older CPU is much less efficient than modern chips. It is better suited to use while plugged in than as a long-unplugged laptop.
Yes, it has a Thunderbolt 3 port and support. That makes it useful for eGPU setups or other docked workstation-style uses, even though the i5-7300U itself is weak by modern standards.
My family is currently using a Asus 15.4" terrible 720p screen with 8gb of ram. It had a 320gb hard drive in it.
The laptop was used at my previous job from out secretary back in maybe 2010. She had it about 7 years, it costed $399. Then we took it after she upgraded and the only thing I changed was tolhe hard drive and out an SSD. Nothing crazy just a used 120gb SSD.
My kids do all the office stuff, Amazon shopping, printing for school on there just fine.
I think it has Windows 10 or whatever was before that.
I'm looking for a new laptop but can't get one of these ARM ones because they won't do what my old laptop does...the Instacam video software. It will not run on an arm processor.
So for $160 this would do the trick. I still would prefer 16gb ram/1 tb hard drive because video eats up a lot of space. I have a network drive that we all backup but I'd still rather have the overhead on the laptop. I've been trying to find something in the $450-550 range and only 14". I wanted something smaller.
Just FYI this cpu isn't supported for windows 11. Yes you can technically bypass it but I can make a 100% guarantee that in the near future it will no longer do windows updates. Ask how I know? I've had to work on machines that were stuck and effectively blocked from Microsoft despite being able to run windows 11. They stopped receiving all the updates including drivers. I've seen machines become essentially stuck because of this. It's not worth it. Windows has to be reinstalled. Most people are not tech savvy enough to figure this out. I don't recommend it.
What generation were the processors in those computers? Or if you can link me to a "processor watch list" or something like that. I'm very interested in knowing which ones/what platforms Microsoft stops supporting.
I didn't do a lot of research on this model, but I believe it was released in 2017 -- making it 8-9 years old. That's a brutal age for a refurbished laptop, as there WILL be parts of it falling apart by this point. Fans, bearings, batteries, screen brightness, hinges, SSD lifespan, etc. I'd even be concerned with capacitor lifespans given how Dell cuts corners whenever they can!
I mean, it's your $166 to spend, but I think you'd be wasting any money spent. These keyboards probably have more flex than a trampoline, and I promise you the trackpad feels like pushing a telephone pole through mud.
And I've seen on ebay (in the past, feel free to do your own homework on this) "refurbished"/used Dell 11thgen laptops with similar specs for similar pricing or less. And then for around double this price, you can nab a M1 Macbook Air with a 13.3" 2.5k retinal 2560x1600 screen, a very nice keyboard, best-in-industry trackpad, and it sips power (2-8w idling). That's a far better and more capable machine, unless for some magical reason you're running antiquated software that's "Microslop Windoze Cop-iLot Ayy-Eye only".
Last edited by LavenderPickle7682 January 8, 2026 at 07:36 PM.
This just isn't a good deal. The batteries are going to be oldddddd and only hold a fraction of their original charge, the CPU power efficiency is a substantial ways off more modern stuff. Thus battery life will likely be quite poor. This might be enough machine for a few specific use scenarios tethered to a power cable, but certainly not most.
What generation were the processors in those computers? Or if you can link me to a "processor watch list" or something like that. I'm very interested in knowing which ones/what platforms Microsoft stops supporting.
Community Reviews
This refurbished Latitude 5480 is mainly a sturdy, business class laptop for basic everyday use, with the Latitude build quality, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and Thunderbolt 3 standing out. The older 7th gen i5 is the big limitation, since it is not officially supported for Windows 11 and may need hacks that can complicate updates and drivers. Battery life and long term reliability are also concerns on an 8 to 9 year old refurb. It makes the most sense for light tasks, Linux, or plugged in use.
The Latitude build quality can support long-term daily use when paired with a Linux setup and BIOS updates.
The 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD configuration can cover everyday tasks without immediately feeling constrained.
Thunderbolt 3 support can enable an eGPU workflow for an LLM-agent style console use case.
The laptop can fit legacy x86 software needs where ARM-based systems cannot run required applications.
The i5-7300U is not officially supported for Windows 11, and bypassing can lead to future update and driver issues.
The CPU age and limited core/thread count can make the machine feel underpowered for more demanding needs by 2026.
Refurbished hardware from this era can suffer from aging components like batteries, hinges, and fans that affect day-to-day feel.
The deal can be less attractive because newer used options with newer processors may appear around similar pricing.
Common Questions (5)
AI-generated summary based on comments from the community. Updated ago
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The laptop was used at my previous job from out secretary back in maybe 2010. She had it about 7 years, it costed $399. Then we took it after she upgraded and the only thing I changed was tolhe hard drive and out an SSD. Nothing crazy just a used 120gb SSD.
My kids do all the office stuff, Amazon shopping, printing for school on there just fine.
I think it has Windows 10 or whatever was before that.
I'm looking for a new laptop but can't get one of these ARM ones because they won't do what my old laptop does...the Instacam video software. It will not run on an arm processor.
So for $160 this would do the trick. I still would prefer 16gb ram/1 tb hard drive because video eats up a lot of space. I have a network drive that we all backup but I'd still rather have the overhead on the laptop. I've been trying to find something in the $450-550 range and only 14". I wanted something smaller.
I didn't do a lot of research on this model, but I believe it was released in 2017 -- making it 8-9 years old. That's a brutal age for a refurbished laptop, as there WILL be parts of it falling apart by this point. Fans, bearings, batteries, screen brightness, hinges, SSD lifespan, etc. I'd even be concerned with capacitor lifespans given how Dell cuts corners whenever they can!
I mean, it's your $166 to spend, but I think you'd be wasting any money spent. These keyboards probably have more flex than a trampoline, and I promise you the trackpad feels like pushing a telephone pole through mud.
And I've seen on ebay (in the past, feel free to do your own homework on this) "refurbished"/used Dell 11thgen laptops with similar specs for similar pricing or less. And then for around double this price, you can nab a M1 Macbook Air with a 13.3" 2.5k retinal 2560x1600 screen, a very nice keyboard, best-in-industry trackpad, and it sips power (2-8w idling). That's a far better and more capable machine, unless for some magical reason you're running antiquated software that's "Microslop Windoze Cop-iLot Ayy-Eye only".
The deal lasted for an entire day, but it's all gone now.
Just two days before this post
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