Ranked third for the second consecutive year, Dell manufactures some of the best laptops that money can buy, while providing the best support for any PC provider (linked to Samsung). The company based in Round Rock, Texas, also obtained high scores in innovation and its extensive selection; Dell makes all kinds of laptop you can imagine.
Although the XPS, Alienware and Precision lines match well with competitors of similar prices, the company's main consumer and commercial laptops are mired in mediocrity. If Dell could take part of the DNA of its XPS 13 and sprinkle it on Inspiron and Latitudes, the company would end up taller.
Dell's Key Strengths
- Great First-Class Laptops: The company's XPS line continues to be a leader in laptops for consumers and prosumers, thanks to its innovative features, gorgeous designs, long-lasting battery life and bright screens.
- Game King: Dell's Alienware line is a leader in performance, features and value. Your Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming has great value, and your next G line also looks impressive.
- Custom support: If you call Dell for help, you will get your own dedicated support technology. During our technical support confrontation, the agents gave us their direct email addresses for follow-up questions.
Dell's main weaknesses
- Uninspiring Inspirations: The company's consumer laptops simply do not compare to the competition. The Inspiron are usually affordable, but suffer from a bland design and mediocre screens and keyboards.
- Unsatisfactory Latitudes: While not as problematic as their Inspiron line, Latitude business laptops from the company are simply not as attractive or innovative their competitors. However, if your company is married to Dell, you can find some decent systems. The company's Precision work stations, particularly the Precision 5520, are impressive.
Top rated laptops
Best overall: XPS 13 9370
Best game: Alienware 17
The best 15 inches: XPS 15
Reviews (31/40)
The line of computers Dell laptops is a story of two companies: it has some of the best premium gaming and gaming stations on the market, but its laptops for consumers and businesses are not inspired. The Dell XPS 13 is our favorite consumer notebook in general and has been for the past few years, while Alienware 17 and Alienware 15 dominate the game space. On the other side of the spectrum, there are laptops like the Inspiron 15 5000 Gaming, which suffers from a boring screen, weak battery life and a rigid keyboard.
The average XPS, Alienware or Precision laptop scored 3.9 out of 5 stars last year, while the Inspiron average scored 3. The typical Latitude was better, scoring 3.7. A worrying 5 out of 38 (or 13 percent) of Dell laptops got less than 3 stars.
Design (11/15)
It is the Dell XPS line that continues to push the envelope, especially the XPS 13 9370, with its white and gold chassis and almost nonexistent bezels. Made of aluminum and crystalline woven silica fiber, it is beautiful and resistant to stains.
The Inspiron line is not that inspiring. In addition to the Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming, the line is quite boring with its clone-like silver MacBook design, which is not ugly, but does not stand out from the crowd either. And although the Latitude line is incorporating the InfinityEdge screen in some of its laptops, it is still a pretty elegant presentation.
Although we love customizable lighting zones in Alienware laptops for Dell games, the overall design language is aging and an update could be used.
Support and Warranty (18/20)
Dell goes to great lengths to make sure your system has been solved by offering strong phone support, excellent social media helpers, and personalized and personalized support agents who provide you with your Direct email addresses for follow-up questions. During our Tech Support Showdown, we never stopped for a single moment when dealing with Dell, which is more than we can say for anyone else.
Not only can you update your memory and / or storage without invalidating your warranty, but if you need Dell to repair your product, it covers shipping to and from your premises. In addition, the company offers two versions of its extended warranties: with and without accidental damage coverage.
Innovation (9/10)
Dell has suffered a break in innovation in its high-end machines. The company built its flagship laptop, the XPS 13, thinner and lighter with the use of new thermal technologies, and added software that allows you to make calls and text messages and, on Android phones, control all your phone from your desk. In addition, it has just launched the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1, its first XPS convertible of that size, using Kaby Lake G.
On the front of Alienware, the company is adding a new Control Center with easy overclocking and adjustments per game. But Dell is not innovating so much in its low-level Inspiron laptops and Latitudes focused on business. On those laptops, we're still seeing the same bland designs, lackluster performance and lackluster screens that are nothing out of the ordinary.
Value and Selection (13/15)
A lot of Dell came through our lab in 2017, which shows the company's wide range of laptops that target all market segments, from kids to players and business users. There was low-end Inspiron between $ 200 and $ 800, including some, such as the Inspiron 13 5000 2 in 1, which went back to tablets. If you do not need Windows, Dell offers some Chromebooks, such as Chromebook 3189. Those who want the best of the best can opt for an XPS 13 or XPS 15, with high-quality specifications and no bezel screens.
MORE: The best Dell laptops
In business, there is a wide range of latitudes, and you can configure them with a variety of functions. Creative professionals lean towards the Precision line, with high-end workstations like the Precision 7720, which has Nvidia Quadro graphics and a Xeon CPU.
Dell is also a leader in games. The company owns Alienware, which makes some of the best premium gaming platforms that money can buy. The company also offers more affordable options, such as the Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming for less than $ 1,000. In 2018, the Inspiron Gaming line will lose the nickname "Inspiron" and will be called Dell G series.
- Winners and Results Card
- Acer
- Apple
- Asus
- Dell
- HP
- Lenovo
- Microsoft
- MSI
- Razer
- Samsung