2021’s Best Dell Laptops [In-Depth Review]
Table of Contents
TOP PICK 
BEST GAMING
BEST CHROMEBOOK
BEST PORTABLE
BEST BUDGET
Model
BLW's Score
96
87
90
88
87
85
MSRP
$1,799.33
$1,499.77
$399.00
Price not available
$357.00
Price not available
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-8550U 1.8 GHz
Intel Core i5-8300H 2.3 GHz
Intel Celeron N2840 2.16 GHz
Intel Pentium N3710 1.6 GHz
AMD A6-9220 2.0 GHz
Intel Pentium N3710 1.6 GHz
RAM
16GB DDR3L
8GB DDR4
4GB DDR3L
4GB DDR3L
4GB DDR4
4GB DDR3L
Hard Disk
1TB SSD
128GB SSD + 1TB HDD
32GB eMMC
500GB HDD
256GB SSD
500GB HDD
Display
13.3" UHD (3840 x 2160)
15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080)
11" HD (1366x768)
11.6" HD (1366 x 768)
15.6” HD (1366 x 768)
11.6" HD (1366 x 768)
Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 620
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
Intel HD Graphics 400
Intel HD Graphics
AMD Radeon R4
Intel HD Graphics
OS
Windows 10
Windows 10
Chrome OS
Windows 10
Windows 10
Windows 10
Weight
2.67 pounds
6.2 pounds
3.16 pounds
3.2 pounds
3.6 pounds
3.09 pounds
TOP PICK
BLW's Score
96
MSRP
$1,799.33
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-8550U 1.8 GHz
RAM
16GB DDR3L
Hard Disk
1TB SSD
Display
13.3" UHD (3840 x 2160)
Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 620
OS
Windows 10
Weight
2.67 pounds
BEST GAMING
BLW's Score
87
MSRP
$1,499.77
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i5-8300H 2.3 GHz
RAM
8GB DDR4
Hard Disk
128GB SSD + 1TB HDD
Display
15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
OS
Windows 10
Weight
6.2 pounds
BEST CHROMEBOOK
Model
BLW's Score
90
MSRP
$399.00
More Information
Processor
Intel Celeron N2840 2.16 GHz
RAM
4GB DDR3L
Hard Disk
32GB eMMC
Display
11" HD (1366x768)
Graphics
Intel HD Graphics 400
OS
Chrome OS
Weight
3.16 pounds
BEST PORTABLE
Model
BLW's Score
88
MSRP
Price not available
More Information
Processor
Intel Pentium N3710 1.6 GHz
RAM
4GB DDR3L
Hard Disk
500GB HDD
Display
11.6" HD (1366 x 768)
Graphics
Intel HD Graphics
OS
Windows 10
Weight
3.2 pounds
BEST BUDGET
Model
BLW's Score
87
MSRP
$357.00
More Information
Processor
AMD A6-9220 2.0 GHz
RAM
4GB DDR4
Hard Disk
256GB SSD
Display
15.6” HD (1366 x 768)
Graphics
AMD Radeon R4
OS
Windows 10
Weight
3.6 pounds
Model
BLW's Score
85
MSRP
Price not available
More Information
Processor
Intel Pentium N3710 1.6 GHz
RAM
4GB DDR3L
Hard Disk
500GB HDD
Display
11.6" HD (1366 x 768)
Graphics
Intel HD Graphics
OS
Windows 10
Weight
3.09 pounds
Dell is probably one of the most multi-nationally recognized names when it comes to the world of computers.
They are primarily based in the United States, and they develop and sell computers and related products worldwide.
Dell provides a wide range of technology solutions. They also pride themselves in designs to meet the needs of businesses, educational institutes and personal users.
No matter what your computing needs are, Dell is sure to have something to suit your specific requirement. If you’re considering purchasing a Dell laptop, you have come to the right place.
6 Best Dell Laptops By Category
Overall Top Pick: Dell XPS 13 UHD InfinityEdge
The choice for our overall pick of Dell’s laptops is the Dell XPS 13 UHD InfinityEdge.
This laptop has some great aesthetics, with a slim design and an almost borderless display. It not only looks good though, it performs superbly too.
Specs
- Display: 13.3 inches
- Resolution: 3840 by 2160
- Battery: 10 hours
- Ram: 16GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Processor: 4GHz Intel Core i7
- Storage: Flash Memory Solid State
- Graphics Coprocessor: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Weight: 2.67 pounds
- I/O: Thunderbolt 3 ports x 2 audio jack, microSD card slot, and USB Type-C port
- Price — Check latest price on Amazon.com
Benefits
This Dell laptop boasts the InfinityEdge display so there are virtually no borders around the screen. Teamed with ultra HD, this definitely sees your images pop more with the true colors and clear definition it displays.
The sound output is great and the in-built speakers perform well. The keyboard is well-designed and comfortable to use with soft-touch keys. Add this together with the touchpad and you are sailing through tasks with precise and accurate navigation.
Dell has also introduced a new cooling system which won’t see long tasks slowing down the CPU as seen in older versions.
It has had a major improvement on the connection side too, with the addition of Thunderbolt 3 ports. The Thunderbolt ports support a four-lane PCI. This means you can use the laptop with an external graphics card for some serious gaming.
An ideal laptop that will suit all needs both professional and personal. Plus, with easy adaption, it will even meet the needs of gaming enthusiasts. See Also: 10 Best Laptop Brands
Drawbacks
Dell has moved the webcam on this new XPS and it is now in the center at the bottom. While this is an improvement to the previous placement at the corner it still provides more of a “nose-cam” view. Having said that, you can get much better angles and the image quality is certainly on a par with other laptops.
The slimmer design is great but has resulted in Dell ditching the standard USB and full-size SD card reader. It does have a major improvement on the connection side though.
Extra Features
- Audio jack
- MicroSD card slot
- Built-in Mics
Buying Advice
Featuring InfinityEdge and full HD, it is easy to see why this was our overall choice. The introduction of a new cooling system offers good improvement in performance, so you won’t be seeing your CPU slow down when carrying out those long tasks.
Yes, the slimmer design means we don’t have some of the former connections but with the inclusion of Thunderbolt 3 ports we can’t complain.
Falling at the higher end of the price range could be a downside for some.
However, when you consider all it includes, the price you pay is reflected in the quality you’re getting in both performance and viewing.
Best Dell Chromebook: Dell Chromebook 11
Chromebooks are fast becoming popular, particularly in education institutes. Designed for ease of use and portability they are the ideal companion for students.
Dell recognizes this and as always aim to meet this ever growing need. Our choice of the best Dell Chromebook has to be this one.
Specs
- Display: 11 inches
- Resolution: 1366 by 768 pixels
- RAM: 2 or 4GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Processor: 2.48 GHz Celeron N3060
- Storage: 32GB Flash Memory Solid State
- Graphics Coprocessor: Intel HD Graphics 400
- Weight: 3.16 pounds
- I/O (input/output) — USB 2.0 port and USB 3.0 port
- Price — Check latest price on Amazon.com
Benefits
This Chromebook has a robust build and, although boring in design, it should withstand drops, spillages, dust and dirt. Dell has certainly taken a measured approach when creating this Chromebook to ensure it is both strong and durable.
The robust design does make it heavier and bulkier than some other Chromebooks, but it is still light enough to carry around.
It has an 11.6-inch display that is perfect for viewing and is powered by an Intel Celeron processor. It is available with 2GB or 4GB memory options.
Even when multitasking, with numerous tabs open, you will find it performs speedily and the boot and wake-up times are fast.
The battery life is excellent and will definitely last you throughout the day. This makes it ideal for students or those who spend lots of time browsing and watching content but don’t want a larger bulky laptop.
Drawbacks
It’s not as aesthetically pleasing as some other Chromebooks and could put some younger buyers off.
It works using Chrome OS and the drawback of this is that you need an internet connection to access the majority of apps.
Extra Features
- Bluetooth
- Headphone jack
- Integrated webcam
- Stereo speakers
- SD card reader slot
Buying Advice
Although it’s doesn’t have a funky or fashionable design, it is strong and robust. These qualities are good for something which will be carried around and see lots of use. It is ideal if you need it to stand up to the abuse a classroom and school bag can throw at it.
It has a great display and performs well when multitasking. Excellent battery life will keep you working the whole day through.
The small size makes it more ideal for kids and students or for those looking for something more portable.
Although heavier than some Chromebooks it is still easy to carry around. At such an affordable price you certainly won’t go wrong with this Chromebook.
Best Portable: Dell i9168-3270
You want a portable laptop to be lightweight and robust but you also want it to include a good line-up of specifications.
For these reasons, our choice of best portable Dell laptop is the Dell i9168-3270.
Dell never fails to amaze with their great designs and technology and this is another of their excellent products. It also has a design that will catch the eye of those looking for technology that is more aesthetically pleasing.
Specs
- Display: 11.6 inches
- Resolution: 1366 by 768
- Battery: 9 hours
- RAM: 4GB DDR3L SDRAM
- Processor: 1.6 GHz Pentium N3700
- Storage: 500 GB SATA
- Graphics Coprocessor: Intel Integrated Graphics
- I/O: USB 3.0 and HDMI out
- Weight: 3.2 pounds
- Price — Check latest price on Amazon.com
Benefits
Available in a great choice of funky colors there is sure to be one to suit all tastes. It’s made from durable plastic with strong 360 degree hinges. The hinges are sturdy and allow an easy transition from a laptop to a tablet.
The keyboard is well laid out and comfortable to use, which is not often the case in a small laptop. The touchpad gives a firm click with each press and responds accurately.
You will see some good performance from this laptop that will allow you to multitask. Switching between tabs and viewing videos with ease and seeing a minimal lag.
The integrated webcam works pretty much the same as others. There is nothing amazing about it but it will allow you to take selfies much like the quality you get on most laptops. Check Related Article: Best Apple Laptops
Drawbacks
The display is not as magnificent as some other portable laptops and it’s not great for use outdoors in the sunlight. Having said that, for a low budget price, it is more than acceptable for viewing on the go or at home.
Extra Features
- Bluetooth
- microphone/headphone jack
- MicroSD card slot
Buying Advice
You get a choice of colors which is great for those fashion-conscious tech users. Made from durable plastic it is strong and easily transitions between laptop and tablet. This makes it a versatile piece of equipment.
While the display is not as high quality as some, the performance is good and will allow you to multitask with ease. You get a great keyboard that is comfortable to use and it also has a responsive touchpad. When buying a small laptop this is usually an area that lags behind so it makes this one above average in this area.
All this, along with a great price tag, makes it is simple to see why we chose it.
Best Budget: Dell Inspiron 3565
For the best budget laptop from Dell, we chose the Inspiron 3565. Not only does it come at a great price, it includes some good specifications too.
This is a laptop that will have you multitasking with ease. Compared to other laptops of the same size the Inspiron is thinner and lightweight, so it’s easy to take anywhere.
Specs
- Display: 15.6 inches
- Resolution: 1366 by 768
- Battery: 5 hours
- RAM: 4GB SD
- Processor: 2.5 GHz AMD A6
- Storage: 500GB HDD
- Graphics Coprocessor: AMD Radeon R4
- I/O: USB 3.0 x 2 port and USB 2.0 x 1 port
- Weight: 3.6 pounds
- Price — Check latest price on Amazon.com
Benefits
The dual-core processor will allow for good performance and is ideal for home and office use. Although it only includes 4GB of RAM, this is more than suitable for a moderate amount of multitasking.
With the 4-cell battery included, you will see up to 5 hours of battery life. The design is plain but the unit is strong and durable and, as it is lightweight, it’s good for moving around too.
It has a good amount of storage that will allow you to save a reasonable amount of photos and documents. There will also be enough room for a few larger files too, like HD movies.
Drawbacks
The display is entry-level quality with narrow viewing angles, but as it is a budget price, we can’t have it all. It will allow you to see decent quality movies and the AMD Radeon graphics will provide some basic gaming qualities.
There is no backlight behind the keyboard but again, something we can no doubt easily live with for the price.
Extra Features
- Headphone/microphone combo jack
- DVD writer
- Camera
- Stereo speakers
- Bluetooth
- SD card reader
Buying Advice
It is a nice lightweight and thin design, built with durable plastics and for the price boasts some really good specifications.
It has an efficient dual-core processor that will allow moderate multitasking. Although it may not be the best display, you will be able to view decent content. The graphics included are good and will even support basic gaming.
For home or office, this is a great budget laptop that is more than suitable for routine computing and browsing.
Best For Gaming: Dell Gaming Laptop G5587-5859
For gaming, we chose this power-packed machine which is ready for performance.
Equipped with the best technology around it is certain to fire the enthusiasm of any gamer. A gaming laptop that seems to be staying well ahead of competitors in both technology and price.
Specs
- Display: 15.6 inches
- Resolution: 1920 by 1080
- Battery: Consumer
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4
- Processor: 3.9 GHz Intel Core i5
- Storage: 128 GB Solid State Drive (Boot) + 1TB 5400RPM Hard Drive (Storage)
- Graphics Coprocessor: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
- I/O: USB 3.0 x 3 ports
- Weight: 6.2 pounds
- Price — Check latest price on Amazon.com
Benefits
With the IPS FHD 15.6 inch display you will definitely see some visual delights. Plus, with the inclusion of anti-glare panels your gaming won’t be disturbed, no matter what surroundings you’re in.
It has dual-fan technology and robust cooling vents, allowing it to remain cool under pressure. This makes it a much quieter machine, so it will not disturb your gaming concentration with the noise of loud fans.
The graphics of NVIDIA GeForce and the huge 6GB GDDR5 memory will allow the gamer to see those games coming to life. You will feel like your images are bursting from the screen so you can fully immerse in the game.
With the MaxxAudio Pro system you will hear the clear and crisp sounds and with Smartbyte included, it will make the sound theater-like. This results in creating an all round epic gaming experience that all enthusiasts will love.
Drawbacks
In all honesty, there are no real downsides and for a gaming laptop at this price, you are getting a great deal.
A good gaming laptop is normally more than double this price so for what you get here it is definitely impressive.
Extra Features
- Thunderbolt 3 port
- Headphone/mic jack
- Noble lock security slot
- 2-in-1 SD/MicroMedia card slot
- HDMI port
Buying Advice
This laptop has superb graphics and an amazing display. Your gaming experience will certainly be heightened. Team this with excellent audio quality and gamers will experience a new and exciting level of gaming.
The connectivity possibilities are endless. This goes to further enhance gaming opportunities.
The price of this machine is really good too, compared to many other gaming laptops and has a good price to boot.
There is practically nothing displeasing about this laptop and it is “hands down”, the best gaming laptop from Dell.
Best 2-in-1: Dell Inspiron N3710
With a stylish and elegant compact design, the Dell Inspiron N3710 is our choice for the best 2-in-1 laptop.
It is ideal for those wanting to achieve simple tasks like internet browsing and watching video content.
A cool design with cute curved edges, Dell have added some good specifications to compliment the cool look.
Specs
- Display: 11.6 inches
- Resolution: 1366 by 768
- Battery: 7.5 hours
- RAM: 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Processor: 1.6 GHz Pentium
- Storage: 500 GB Mechanical Hard Drive
- Graphics Coprocessor: Intel HD Graphics
- I/O: USB 3.0 x 1 port, USB 2.0 x 1 port and HDMI
- Weight: 3.09 pounds
- Price — Check latest price on Amazon.com
Benefits
It has a pleasing design and the fact it is a 2-in-1 is even better as you get optional usage. It is fairly priced and you can achieve good connectivity with the input/output ports Dell has included in the design.
Although the keyboard is small, it is really good to type on, the touchpad is not so pleasing but more on that later.
Dell has added a substantial hard drive as standard, giving you the space you need for music, movies, photos and more.
Drawbacks
The display is somewhat disappointing and seems slightly washed out. The touchpad also had me disappointed. While it isn’t the worst I have used it is definitely not the best. The response time is slow, so completing tasks and moving between screens can be annoying.
Sadly, this is often the catch when shopping for a low-budget laptop, they have to cut corners to save costs. I think they chose the wrong corners to cut in this case, especially with regard to the display.
Extra Features
- Webcam
- Bluetooth
- Micro SD card reader
- Stereo speakers
- HDMI port
- Touch display
- Headphone/microphone jack
Buying Advice
While the display and touchpad are a little disappointing, this is still a great 2-in-1 laptop for the price you pay. Plus let’s face it, the touchpad not being as responsive as we would like, is not a major deal-breaker, is it?
It has a good amount of memory which is ideal for storing your media and it is powered by an adequate Pentium processor. The laptop has a comfortable to use keyboard, that will prove efficient when completing numerous tasks on your laptop.
Capable of moderate amounts of multitasking, this laptop is probably more ideal for students and personal use.
A small business could find it useful if they didn’t want spend too much money.
Final Thoughts
With Dell being a well-known brand in the computing world they are often the laptops that people look to buy.
That is why we have tried to make it easier for you by reviewing the best in each category. If you are armed with the relevant information, it makes your decision as to which one to buy easier.
When buying a laptop, don’t just think about the budget.
Consider how you will use it and what you will use it for. Understanding your computing needs will equip you to make a decision that will lead you to the best laptop for your needs and avoid disappointment in the future.
About the Author Marcus
Marcus has a graduate degree in computer engineering and has many years of experience in cutting-edge technology research and development in both startups and Fortune 500 corporations. In his free time, he enjoys RTS gaming.
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