Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard is now in stock at Mascom International for KSh 3,500, sold as an original Dell OEM part that arrives brand new and sealed. It replaces a worn, sticky or liquid-damaged keyboard on the 14-inch Latitude 3420 and brings back key illumination you switch on from the function row. The Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard comes with its factory ribbon cabling attached, so a technician connects it rather than modifying anything. Collect yours at Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD, or order it for delivery anywhere in Kenya.
Schools, NGOs and county offices bought the Latitude 3000 series in bulk because it was affordable and sturdy, and many of those machines have been in daily use since 2021. The keyboard usually gives out first. Letters stop working after a tea spill, keycaps go missing in shared labs, or the backlight dies. Replacing the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard costs a fraction of a new laptop and returns a teacher, field officer or clerk to work within an afternoon. The light matters most at night, when a blackout leaves a headteacher finishing report forms on battery power alone.
Unlike other electronics retailers in Kenya that push unbranded compatible boards, Mascom International stocks the original Dell part. Key feel, spacing and backlight brightness therefore match every other machine in your fleet. ICT officers buying for several laptops tell us matching parts make support simpler, because each replaced Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard behaves the same way. Order one for a single laptop or a batch for a school computer lab, and pay on arrival in any of Kenya's 47 counties. Send your model label on WhatsApp first, and we confirm the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard fits before dispatch.
Common Questions About the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard
Which laptops does the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard fit?
The Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard fits the 14-inch Dell Latitude 3420, the model it was made for. Several parts suppliers also list the same backlit board for the Latitude 3320 and the Vostro 5410. The older Latitude 3410 comes from an earlier chassis generation, so do not assume it fits. Before you pay, send Mascom International a WhatsApp photo of the label under your laptop and of your current keyboard. We confirm the match from Nairobi before anything is dispatched.
Does the backlight on the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard help during power cuts?
Yes, the backlight is the main reason to choose this keyboard over a plain one when blackouts hit Kenya after dark. The room goes black, but the laptop keeps running on battery, and lit keys let you type without holding a torch or phone light. Teachers marking late, county clerks finishing returns and NGO officers writing evening reports all keep working. You switch the light on or off from the function row, and turning it off in daylight saves battery for the next outage.
Is an original Dell keyboard better than a cheaper compatible one?
An original Dell keyboard is the safer choice for institutions that need their laptops to last several more years. Compatible boards sold around Nairobi often vary in key travel, letter printing and backlight brightness, and some arrive with cables that sit slightly off the connector. The Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard from Mascom International is the OEM part, so it matches the factory fit and the other laptops in your fleet. A cheaper board that fails within months usually costs more once you pay for a second repair.
How much does it cost to replace keyboards across a school or county office fleet?
Each Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard costs KSh 3,500 at Mascom International, so 10 laptops cost KSh 35,000 and 25 laptops cost KSh 87,500 in parts. That spend keeps the existing Windows setup, user accounts and school or county software untouched. Procurement officers can request a written quotation by email or WhatsApp for LPO or tender files. Tell us how many units you need, and we confirm stock in writing before you raise the order.
Is this keyboard brand new, or pulled from another laptop?
This Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard is brand new and has never been fitted to another laptop. Pulled keyboards, salvaged from scrapped machines, often hide worn keycaps, a weak backlight or a creased ribbon cable that fails months later. A new board starts with clean letter printing, firm key springs and a backlight with its full working life ahead. For a school lab or county registry where many people share each machine every day, that fresh start matters more than on a personal laptop.
Can I install the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard myself?
Installation suits a trained technician or a confident hobbyist with a precision screwdriver set. Like most current Latitude models, the keyboard is fitted from inside the chassis rather than clipping in from the top. You open the base cover, disconnect the battery and work through several internal parts first. Dell publishes the full Latitude 3420 service manual on its support website, with every step in order. ICT technicians who service their own fleets usually handle it, and individual owners can ask our team about fitting at the store.
How do I confirm my laptop is a Latitude 3420 before ordering?
Turn the laptop over and read the label, which shows the model name and a seven-character Service Tag. Typing that Service Tag on Dell's support website confirms the exact model and original configuration. Many Latitude 3000-series machines look alike from outside, and donor-funded or county batches sometimes mix the 3410, 3420 and 3520 in one store room. Send the label photo to Mascom International on WhatsApp, and we confirm the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard is correct before it leaves Nairobi.
Who should buy the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard, and who should skip it?
Buy the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard if your laptop still runs well but has dead keys, missing caps, a spill confined to the keyboard or a failed backlight. Skip it if the palmrest is cracked, the touchpad is broken or the hinges are loose, because those faults need a palmrest assembly or a fuller repair. If the laptop also has a tired battery and a slow drive, putting the money toward one of Mascom International's used Dell Latitude or HP EliteBook laptops may serve you better.
Technical Specifications
Core Function and Key Layout
- Full replacement keyboard for the 14-inch Dell Latitude 3420, restoring every letter, number and function key in one part.
- Standard Dell chiclet key design keeps the spacing and travel your staff and pupils already know by touch.
- Function row carries the media, screen brightness and backlight shortcuts, so daily controls keep working after replacement.
- Fresh keycaps with sharp letter printing help pupils and new staff who still look down at the keys.
- Replaces boards with dead letters, stuck keys or tea-spill damage without the cost of replacing the whole laptop.
- Restores reliable typing for daily work on KRA iTax returns, eCitizen applications and school management systems.
Backlight Illumination for Low-Light Work
- Built-in backlight shines up through the key legends, so every letter stays readable in a dark room.
- Switched on and off from the function row, letting users save battery by turning it off in daylight.
- Keeps report writing, data entry and email moving during evening blackouts while the laptop runs on battery.
- Removes the need to hold a phone torch over the keys, freeing both hands for proper typing.
- Suits staff working late in school staffrooms, county registries and field offices without steady lighting.
- Helps university students finishing assignments at night in hostels where the lights go off before the work does.
Compatibility and Model Matching
- Made for the Dell Latitude 3420, the 14-inch Latitude 3000-series model introduced in 2021.
- Several parts suppliers list the same board for the Latitude 3320 and Vostro 5410; confirm by photo first.
- Not intended for the Latitude 3410, which uses an earlier chassis, so check your label before ordering.
- Confirm your model from the label under the laptop or the Service Tag on Dell's support website.
- Fleets standardised on the Latitude 3420 need only one stock part to cover every machine in the batch.
Build Quality and Daily Durability
- Original Dell OEM construction matches the factory key feel and fit across the rest of a Latitude fleet.
- Firm key switches stand up to shared use in school labs where many pupils type on one machine weekly.
- Black finish matches the Latitude 3420 deck, so a repaired unit looks the same as its neighbours.
- Sealed packaging keeps the board clean of the dust common in rural school stores and upcountry offices.
- Fresh ribbon cabling avoids the creases and worn contacts typical of pulled second-hand keyboards.
- A matching OEM board keeps the keyboard and touchpad area level, so palms rest evenly during long typing sessions.
Installation and Connection
- Connects to the system board through factory ribbon cabling for keys and backlight, with no soldering involved.
- Fitted from inside the chassis, so the base cover and several internal parts come out before the swap.
- Dell's Latitude 3420 service manual on its support website lists every removal and refitting step in order.
- Disconnecting the battery before starting protects the system board from an accidental short during the swap.
- Institutional ICT technicians can usually finish the job in one sitting with a basic precision tool kit.
- Testing every key and the backlight before closing the base cover saves a second opening later.
Inclusions and Sourcing
- One Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard per order line, with its ribbon cabling already attached.
- Sold as the keyboard alone, so palmrest, touchpad and screws stay with your existing laptop chassis.
- Sourced as an original Dell part rather than an unbranded copy, giving consistent results across a fleet.
- Written quotations available for schools, NGOs and county offices processing LPOs or tender paperwork.
- Pay-on-arrival delivery lets procurement teams inspect each keyboard before any money changes hands.
Package Contents
Each keyboard travels in protective packaging, so it reaches your office flat and free of dust:
- Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard, brand new
- Factory ribbon cabling attached to the keyboard
- Mascom International receipt and warranty card
The palmrest, touchpad and screws are not included, because the keyboard transfers into your existing chassis. Institutions ordering several units receive each keyboard packed individually, which keeps them protected in a store room until your technician is ready.
Warranty
The Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard carries a 6-month Mascom International warranty on manufacturing defects, including dead keys and backlight failure under normal use. Liquid spills, physical damage and faults caused during installation fall outside cover. Claims are handled at our Nairobi CBD service desk at Old Mutual Building, Kimathi Street, on presentation of your Mascom International receipt.
Buying the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard from Mascom International
Mascom International stocks the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard in black at our Nairobi CBD location: Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street. Walk in Monday through Saturday between 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM to inspect the part, or bring your laptop's label so we can match it on the spot.
Three ways to order:
- Call/WhatsApp +254 708 852 521
- Email info@mascomintl.com
- Order through www.mascomintl.com
Pay-on-arrival delivery reaches every Kenyan county. Nairobi and its environs receive the Dell Latitude 3420 Backlit Keyboard the same day. Nakuru, Eldoret, Kakamega, Kisii, Mombasa, Kisumu and all other major towns receive it within 1 business day. Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Lamu, Tana River, and Turkana receive delivery within 2-3 business days. Your school bursar or county storekeeper inspects the keyboard and pays only when it arrives.
Each keyboard comes with the 6-month Mascom warranty stated above.
Mascom International serves schools, NGOs and public offices nationwide with genuine laptop parts, written quotations for procurement files, and direct after-sales support from our Kimathi Street store.
