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Dell Inspiron 15 7000

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The Inspiron 15 7000 is a mid-range laptop from the Cameron line, but that doesn’t mean it’s not built well. The model I reviewed is built from stamped aluminum, a nice upgrade over the 7590, which uses magnesium alloy. That makes the 7591 solidly built for a laptop at this price point, with no significant flex or bend in the lid, keyboard deck, or frame.

That’s very important for the laptop you want to open. Scalability is not just a feature for tinkerers. You can save money upgrading it yourself, and you can even extend its life – as long as you’re willing to dig a little deeper.

Flip the laptop over, and you’ll find standard Phillips screws (no hex screws require special tools). Remove those (the rear three can only be loosened and remain in the chassis), and you can carefully remove the cover and reveal the inside.

You can save money upgrading it yourself, and you can even extend its life.

There you’ll find two RAM slots, a second M.2 PCIe slot for an SSD and a 2.5-inch bay for a third. Once you’ve installed a single stick of RAM, you’re running in single-channel memory mode, and that has a significant impact on performance. Plug in a second matching module, and you switch to a dual-channel mode for significantly faster memory performance.

Add a second M.2 SSD, and you can configure RAID 0 (classified) or RAID 1 (mirroring) for better performance and more storage, redundancy, and greater reliability. Finally, you can add a third drive in 2.5-inch format for additional storage.

As we mentioned, that’s an unusual level of access and upgrade for an ultrabook. You have to turn to an expensive high-end laptop like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 to find a laptop that lets you add a second SSD with RAID support. Some other laptops like the Dell XPS 15 let you swap out the RAM and SSD (single), but the Inspiron is the only laptop in its class that lets you add up to two drives.

Surprisingly, although the Inspiron 15 7000 is nicely expandable, it’s not too big or heavy. It weighs 4.12 pounds, lighter than the XPS 15’s 4.5 pounds but heavier than the ThinkPad’s 3.76 pounds. At 0.78 inches thick, the Inspiron is a bit thicker than some higher-end models, but not by much. You’re not stuck in a bulky laptop to gain the ability to upgrade.

Connectivity, which also affects how well you can equip a laptop, is very good. You get three USB-A ports, a USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3 support, a full-size HDMI 2.0 port, and a microSD card reader. Plugin the Thunderbolt 3 dock, and you can connect to multiple 4K displays and a host of other peripherals. However, wireless connectivity has been a step behind, with only Wi-Fi 5 instead of the newer Wi-Fi 6 standard with Bluetooth 5.0.

Performance

I ran our usual performance benchmarks before adding a second 8GB RAM module, and performance – as expected – was disappointing.

For example, before adding the additional RAM, Inspiron scored 1,071 points in Geekbench 5 in single-core mode and 3,864 in multi-core mode. After adding the RAM, those numbers went to 1,124 and 4,695. Compare that to the Lenovo Yoga C940 15 with the same CPU and dual-channel RAM at 1,106 and 5,117.

The upgrade didn’t affect our more realistic testing much. In Handbrake, I encoded a 420MB video to H.265 to test content creation performance. Before the upgrade, the Inspiron took 3 minutes to complete the test; Then, it took two minutes and 50 seconds. Lenovo C940 took 2 minutes 17 seconds.

So adding a second RAM module and switching to dual-channel mode boosted performance in Geekbench by 12% and put the laptop up to speed with its competition. The gain was only about 6% in the Handbrake test. The memory I bought was from Crucial; an 8GB DDR4-2666MHz stick of RAM only costs about $30. That makes this one of the less expensive performance upgrades I’ve seen in a while.

Looking at SSD performance, I didn’t notice a difference with the RAM upgrade. The Western Digital PCIe offers the same average performance as the Intel Optane-equipped SSD in the Lenovo Yoga C940 and is behind the much faster SSD in the XPS 15 and ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2.

However, add a second SSD and configure RAID 0, and you will see a significant increase in storage speed. That’s another performance upgrade that’s quite unusual for an ultrabook, and only Lenovo can match.

where can you get a Dell Inspiron 15 7000 online

Dell Inspiron 15 7000- 15 Inch FHD Touchscreen, Intel Core i7, 8GB Memory, 512GB Solid State Drive, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home (Latest Model) – Silver: Buy it now

Dell Inspiron 15 7000, 15.6” FHD Display, 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, 256 SSD HD, 8GB RAM (i7590-7865BLK-PUS): Buy it now

Design and display

Upgradability is good, but the Inspiron still needs to perform as well as a laptop. The good news is that in most cases, it’s a solid offer.

The keyboard is comfortable, has plenty of travel, and the mechanism is flexible. It’s not quite on par with the keyboards of expensive laptops like the XPS 15 and HP Specter x360 15 or the new MacBook Pro 16’s Magic Keyboard, but it’s good enough for fast typing.

The touchpad is also above average, with plenty of space for a Windows 10 trackpad (though not like the large version on the MacBook) and Microsoft Precision touchpad drivers. Windows 10’s multitouch gestures work just fine and are a pleasure to use.

Next is the screen. At 15.6 inches, Full HD is a bit less sharp than I would have liked. For me, 1440p or 4K is the much-preferred resolution for these larger panels. However, the monitor that Dell chose for the Inspiron won’t bother you in day-to-day use. It’s very bright at 323 nits, although the contrast is only 820:1. That’s well below the 1000:1 threshold we’d like to see.

Color gamut averages 74% AdobeRGB and 98% sRGB, but color accuracy is unsatisfactory at 4.52 (1.0 or less is considered excellent). It would help if you did not depend on this laptop to perform precise photo editing.

The panel on the Lenovo Yoga C940 is similar, with better contrast and color accuracy but slightly less impressive color accuracy. If you want a more subtle panel of colors, you’ll have to upgrade to a laptop like the Dell XPS 15 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme.

In the end, battery life also matters, and this is where you make a real compromise for the extra storage option. If you opt for the 2.5-inch drive bay, then you’re limited to a 56-watt battery – like the battery in my review unit. If you give up that bay, then you can fit in a 97-hour battery, similar to the XPS 15.

That harms battery life. The Inspiron fell behind the Lenovo Yoga C940, for example, by an hour in our web browsing test at around 6 hours and in our video loop test by just under 10 hours. However, the Inspiron did surprisingly well in our demanding Basemark web benchmark test at 4:40, an hour longer than the Yoga.

Game performance

My review unit was equipped with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 instead of a GTX 1650, an optional upgrade. The GTX 1050 was quite popular just a year or two ago, and it provides a passable experience when playing casual games and modern titles at lower resolutions and graphical details.

I ran our usual gaming benchmarks, and the Inspiron performed in line with other laptops running the GTX 1050. I saw 52 frames per second (FPS) in Fortnite at 1080p, detailed graphics high, and 41 FPS at Epic. Meanwhile, the Inspiron managed 77 FPS in Civilization VI at 1080p and Medium and 40 FPS in Ultra.

That isn’t a dedicated gaming laptop, so be prepared for reduced resolution and graphic detail.

In a heavier game like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the Inspiron hit 32 FPS at 1080p and High and dropped to an unplayable 17 FPS in Ultra High detail. Overall, these results average around 10-15 FPS less than newer GTX 1650-equipped laptops, including the Dell XPS 15 and Asus ZenBook 15 UX534. If you plan on gaming more on this laptop, you’ll want to upgrade to that faster card.

The Inspirion 15 7591 can handle itself in casual gaming and can even get in with modern titles. But this isn’t a dedicated gaming laptop, so be prepared to ditch the resolution and graphic detail for the best experience.

Battery Life

Battery life is an important consideration for any laptop, and the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 performs reasonably well in this department. The laptop is equipped with a 4-cell, 56Wh battery, which provides enough power to get through a typical workday on a single charge. In real-world usage, which includes web browsing, streaming videos, and working on documents, the laptop can last around 7-8 hours.

For users who need even longer battery life, the 11th Gen Intel processors feature improved power efficiency, which helps extend battery life during light tasks and idle periods. Additionally, Dell’s power management settings and adaptive battery optimizer can further enhance battery longevity by adjusting performance based on usage patterns.

The laptop also supports fast charging, allowing the battery to reach up to 80% capacity in just an hour. This feature is particularly useful for users who are constantly on the go and need to quickly recharge their device between meetings or classes.

Connectivity

The Dell Inspiron 15 7000 offers a comprehensive selection of ports and connectivity options to cater to various user needs. On the left side of the laptop, you’ll find:

On the right side, there are:

The inclusion of a USB Type-C port with Power Delivery and DisplayPort support is a welcome addition, providing versatile connectivity options for charging, data transfer, and connecting external displays. The HDMI 2.0 port allows for easy connection to external monitors or TVs, making it convenient for presentations or entertainment purposes.

Wireless connectivity is handled by Intel Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.1, ensuring fast and reliable wireless performance. Wi-Fi 6 offers improved speed, range, and capacity compared to previous Wi-Fi standards, making it well-suited for crowded networks and high-bandwidth applications.

Audio

Audio quality is another area where the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 performs well. The laptop features stereo speakers tuned by Waves MaxxAudio Pro, delivering clear and balanced sound. The speakers are located on the bottom of the laptop, which can sometimes result in muffled audio when placed on a soft surface. However, the sound quality remains good for general use, whether you’re watching movies, listening to music, or participating in video calls.

For users who require better audio quality, the 3.5mm headphone jack provides a reliable option for connecting external headphones or speakers. Additionally, the laptop’s built-in dual-array microphones offer clear voice capture, making it suitable for video conferencing and voice calls.

User Experience

The overall user experience with the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is positive, thanks to its combination of performance, design, and features. The laptop’s keyboard is comfortable to type on, with backlighting that enhances usability in low-light conditions. The touchpad is responsive and supports multi-touch gestures, providing a smooth and intuitive navigation experience.

The laptop’s 2-in-1 design, available in certain configurations, adds versatility to its use cases. The 360-degree hinge allows the device to be used in laptop, tent, stand, or tablet mode, catering to different needs and preferences. This flexibility is particularly useful for users who frequently switch between typing, presenting, and drawing.

Software

The Dell Inspiron 15 7000 comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro, depending on the configuration. Windows 10 offers a familiar and user-friendly interface, along with access to a wide range of applications and services. Dell also includes its suite of software utilities, such as Dell Mobile Connect, which allows seamless integration with smartphones, and Dell Power Manager, which helps optimize battery performance.

While the pre-installed software is generally useful, some users may find the inclusion of third-party bloatware to be unnecessary. Fortunately, these applications can be easily uninstalled to free up system resources and storage space.

Conclusion

The Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is a versatile and powerful laptop that caters to a wide range of users. Its sleek design, solid build quality, and feature-rich specifications make it a strong contender in the mid-to-high-end laptop market. With options for Intel’s 11th Generation Core processors, up to 16GB of RAM, and fast NVMe SSD storage, the Inspiron 15 7000 delivers robust performance for productivity, multimedia, and casual gaming.

The laptop’s 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display offers vibrant colors and wide viewing angles, while the optional 4K UHD display provides even sharper visuals and better color accuracy. The inclusion of a USB Type-C port with Power Delivery and DisplayPort support, along with comprehensive connectivity options, ensures versatile connectivity for various use cases.

Battery life is adequate for a typical workday, and the fast charging feature is a welcome addition for users on the go. The keyboard and touchpad provide a comfortable and responsive user experience, while the 2-in-1 design adds versatility for different usage scenarios.

While the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 faces competition from other laptops in its category, it stands out with its performance options, build quality, and feature set. It offers good value for money, making it a solid choice for students, professionals, and casual gamers alike.

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