The best Dell Inspiron laptops 2021

The Dell Inspiron laptop line just got a huge refresh: five new models, spanning four display sizes (13-inch, 14-inch, 15-inch and 16-inch) and even including a 2-in-1 (360-degree convertible). Starting prices range from $550 to $950.

How do you decide which is best for you? We haven’t reviewed any of these models yet (many haven’t actually shipped yet), but we can walk you through their specs and features, and make some recommendations. (Be sure to check our roundup of the best laptops for complete reviews and ratings of models from Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer and more.)

As we walk through the main specifications, keep in mind the limitations of the lower-end options. For instance, the Core i3 processor has a much lower boost clock than the Core i5 and Core i7 CPU options, meaning it will lag more in intensive tasks. You probably wouldn’t wish one with just 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD upon anyone unless they don’t do much, and don’t store anything locally. 

One more note: Windows 10 S is an option on some Inspiron SKUs. If your computing needs are basic, Windows 10 S may work just fine for you. However, if you want to branch out from Microsoft products, your options are limited to what’s available in the Windows Store—leaving many major third-party applications out of the picture. 

Dell Inspiron 13: Portability and power

Consider the Dell Inspiron 13 5310 if you need something small and light. Despite its size Dell offers a number of options among its primary components (including an entry-level discrete GPU), and a generous selection of ports. 

The latter is especially important, because it’s not fun to work on a 13-inch display all the time. An HDMI port, plus USB-C and Thunderbolt ports, means you can plug in a display directly or use a hub to add even more connectivity. 

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Speaking of storage, there are two Intel Optane Memory H20 options with large SSDs. We tested the earlier generation of Optane technology and found it could help speed up some storage tasks. But if you’re not juggling piles of files, you could live without it.

Models appear to be trickling out gradually. We found a higher-end SKU with the Core i5 CPU and Iris Xe graphics, 8GB of RAM, FHD+ display, and 512GB SSD for $780 on AmazonRemove non-product link. This is a solid midrange choice, nothing to complain about—you could work and even game a little bit on it.

Dell Inspiron 13 5310 specifications

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• CPU: 11th-gen Intel Core i3-1125G4, Core i5-11300H, Core i7-11370H
• Memory: 8GB or 16GB LPDDR4x
• GPU: Intel UHD (Core i3), Intel Iris Xe or Nvidia GeForce MX450 (Core i5/Core i7)
• Display: 13.3-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1920×1200) WVA (Wide Viewing Angle), or 13.3-inch 16:10 QHD+ (2560×1600) WVA, both with maximum brightness of 300 nits
• Storage: M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD (128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB), Intel Optane Memory H20 32GB with 512GB or 1TB SSD
• Connectivity: One HDMI 1.4, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5Gbps, also known as SuperSpeed USB), two Thunderbolt 4, one 3.5mm combo audio jack
• Networking: Intel Wi-Fi 6 2×2 (Gig+), Bluetooth 5.1
• Webcam: 720p
• Dimensions & weights: With integrated graphics, 11.68 x 8.27 x 0.55-0.625 inches and starting weight of 2.75 pounds. With discrete graphics, 11.68 x 8.27 x 0.55-0.68 inches and starting weight of 2.78 pounds.  
• Battery options: A 4-cell, 54Whr battery will be available initially, and a larger 4-cell, 64Whr battery will be available later.
• Colors: Platinum Silver, Peach Dust (shown above)
• Starting price: $599

Dell Inspiron 14: Practical, with AMD or Intel

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The Dell Inspiron 14 is a good choice for many people because it offers a decent amount of screen real estate for work or play, and it’s not too heavy—weight becomes an issue as you move to laptops with 15-inch or larger displays. 

This mainstream model even offers a surprise: your choice of AMD or Intel CPUs. The models are basically identical otherwise, but there’s one noticeable difference: The Intel version (Inspiron 14 5410) has a Thunderbolt 4 port, while the AMD version (Inspiron 14 5415) does not. Thunderbolt is an Intel technology, so it’s not surprising that its rival may lack it.

The Inspiron 14’s starting price of $550 is tempting, but mind the specs. We would not recommend getting a model with just 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, no matter how cheap. Also, the 41Whr battery option could disappoint you if you want to work off-grid for extended periods. We’ll offer more detailed recommendations once models become available. 

Inspiron 14 5410 (Intel)

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• CPU: 11th-gen Intel Core i3-1115G4, Core i5-11300H, Core i7-11370H
• Memory: 4GB to 32GB DDR4
• GPU: Intel UHD (Core i3), Intel Iris Xe or Nvidia GeForce MX450 (Core i5/Core i7)
• Display: 14-inch FHD (1920×1080) LED WVA (Wide Viewing Angle), choice of 250 nits’ maximum brightness, or 300 nits with ComfortView Plus 
• Storage: M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
• Connectivity: One HDMI 1.4b, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5Gbps, also called USB SuperSpeed), microSD card reader, one 3.5mm combo audio jack. Core i3/i5 models have two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10Gbps, also called Superspeed USB 10Gbps), while Core i7 models have two Thunderbolt 4.
• Networking options: 802.11ac with Bluetooth 1×1 or 2×2; Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 2×2 (Gig+).
• Webcam: 720p
• Dimensions: 12.65 x 8.38 x 0.67-0.71 inches
• Starting weight: 3.22 pounds.  
• Battery options: 3-cell, 41Whr or 4-cell, 54Whr
• Colors: Platinum Silver, Peach Dust (shown above)

Inspiron 14 5415 (AMD)

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 5300U,AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, Ryzen 7 5700U 
• Memory: 4GB to 32GB DDR4
• GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
• Display: 14-inch FHD (1920×1080) LED WVA (Wide Viewing Angle), choice of 250 nits’ maximum brightness, or 300 nits with ComfortView Plus 
• Storage: M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
• Connectivity: One HDMI 1.4b, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5Gbps, also called USB SuperSpeed), two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10Gbps, also called Superspeed USB 10Gbps), microSD card reader, one 3.5mm combo audio jack. 
• Networking options: 802.11ac with Bluetooth 1×1 or 2×2; Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 2×2 (Gig+).
• Webcam: 720p
• Dimensions: 12.65 x 8.38 x 0.67-0.71 inches
• Starting weight: 3.18 pounds.  
• Battery options: 3-cell, 41Whr or 4-cell, 54Whr
• Colors: Platinum Silver, Peach Dust 

Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1: It’ll flip for you

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The Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 already offers the versatility of a 360-degree hinge, so you can flip the notebook into tent, kiosk, or tablet modes. But along with its clamshell 14-inch Inspiron cousin, it’s one of the very few laptops currently announced that offers a choice of either AMD or Intel processors. 

AMD’s Ryzen 5000 laptop CPUs have garnered high ratings from PCWorld and other technology sites, so they’re a viable option to the dominant Intel. Which one you choose depends on what you do—each CPU family has its strengths, which are expressed succinctly in Microsoft’s recommendations for choosing AMD or Intel CPUs in the Surface Laptop 4. The AMD versions may also cost less than the Intel versions, but as no models are on sale yet in the United States, we don’t have further details other than a general starting price of $729.

Here are the main specifications for both the AMD and Intel models:

Inspiron 14 7415 2-in-1 (AMD-based)

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U or Ryzen 7 5700U 
• Memory: 8GB, 12GB, or 16GB DDR4
• GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
• Display: 14-inch FHD (1920×1080) WVA (Wide Viewing Angle) touch
• Storage: M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD (128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB)
• Connectivity: One HDMI 1.4b, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5Gbps), one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (5Gbps) with PowerDelivery and Video, 3.5mm combo audio jack
• Networking: Intel Wi-Fi 6 2×2 (Gig+), Bluetooth 5.0
• Webcam: 720p
• Dimensions: 12.66 x 8.32 x 0.64-0.71 inches
• Weight: 3.43 pounds (based on 54Whr battery)
• Colors: Pebble Green, Mist Blue

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Inspiron 14 5410 2-in-1 (Intel-based)

• CPU: 11th-gen Intel Core i3-1125G4, Core i5-1135G7, Core i7-1165G7
• Memory: 4GB, 8GB, 12GB, or 16GB DDR4
• GPU: Intel UHD (Core i3), Intel Iris Xe or Nvidia GeForce MX350 (Core i5/Core i7)
• Display: 14-inch FHD (1920×1080) WVA (Wide Viewing Angle) touch
• Storage: M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD (128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB)
• Connectivity: One HDMI 1.4b, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5Gbps), one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (5Gbps) with PowerDelivery and Video, 3.5mm combo audio jack
• Networking: Intel Wi-Fi 6 2×2 (Gig+), Bluetooth 5.0
• Webcam: 720p
• Dimensions: 12.66 x 8.32 x 0.64-0.71 inches
• Weight: 3.31 pounds with 3-cell, 41Whr battery, 3.43 pounds with 4-cell, 54Whr battery
• Color: Platinum Silver

Dell Inspiron 15: Living larger

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If the Dell Inspiron 15 looks like a larger version of the Dell Inspiron 14, you’re not far off the mark. While the 15.6-inch display creates enough room to add a dedicated numeric keypad, the configurations are otherwise nearly identical to those of its 14-inch cousin, right down to the choice of AMD or Intel CPUs. The Inspiron 15 even has the same starting price of $550.

The choice boils down to priorities. If you simply want a bigger display more than anything else, the Inspiron 15 offers that. The tradeoff is in weight: The Inspiron 15 weighs about 3.6 pounds, which will feel heavy in your bag. 

Here are the main specifications for the Inspiron 15 5510, which is the only model currently available in the United States. While the starting price is $550, the two models available on Amazon are higher-end: For $730, Core i5 with Iris Xe, 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSDRemove non-product link; and for $900, Core i7 with 8GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and Nvidia GeForce MX450Remove non-product link.

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Dell Inspiron 15 5510 specifications

• CPU: 11th-gen Intel Core i3-1115G4, Core i5-11300H, Core i7-11370H
• Memory: 4GB to 32GB DDR4
• GPU: Intel UHD (Core i3), Intel Iris Xe or Nvidia GeForce MX450 (Core i5/Core i7)
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920×1080) LED WVA (Wide Viewing Angle), choice of 250 nits’ maximum brightness touch/non-touch, or 300 nits non-touch with ComfortView Plus 
• Storage: M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
• Connectivity: One HDMI 1.4b, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5Gbps, also called USB SuperSpeed), SD card reader, one 3.5mm combo audio jack. Core i3/i5 models have one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10Gbps, also called Superspeed USB 10Gbps), while Core i7 models have one Thunderbolt 4.
• Networking options: 802.11ac with Bluetooth 1×1 or 2×2; Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 2×2 (Gig+).
• Webcam: 720p with privacy shutter
• Dimensions: 14.02 x 9.01 x 0.57-0.71 inches
• Starting weight: 3.6 pounds.  
• Battery options: 3-cell, 41Whr or 4-cell, 54Whr
• Colors: Platinum Silver with Carbon or Titan Gray keyboards; Mist Blue
• Starting price: $550

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: For creators like us

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The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus is a consumer laptop with ambition. Its configuration is designed for what Dell calls “hobbyist creators,” with high-end parts you’d expect to see in machines costing much more. It will also have a very attainable starting price of $950. It’s not due to ship until June 3 in North America, so watch this space for more information on the Inspiron 16 Plus as it nears availability.