Best Of The Best Dell Laptops In 2020
This year the Best-of-the-Best range from Dell comes across such modern devices as its Chromebooks, G-line of laptops, and Alienware gaming notebooks. Whether it’s cheap and cheerful or boundary-breaking performance, Dell has something for your needs. We have picked the best Dell laptops for the review to help you decide what system is right for you.
What Do You Expect From Dell Laptops?
- Portability
Dell laptops are classed as ultra-portable, so they’re super easy to carry around. If portability isn’t as important to you, a high-end Alienware laptop can weigh two to three times more than most of Dell’s other laptops. What is more, these machines are super powerful!
- Windows VS Chrome OS
The majority of Dell’s sub-brands are Windows-based, so you can find Windows-based Dell laptops that are perfect for business, students, entertainment, and even gaming. Looking for the cheaper laptop variant, just for web browsing, word processing, and other basic tasks, take a look at Dell’s line of Chromebooks.
- Gaming
Most Latitude and XPS models have enough power under the hood to run games to some degree, and a higher-end Precision model can do double duty as a business machine and gaming rig. If you want to really get down to the business of gaming, Dell’s Alienware line has the power you need to run newer games at higher settings. Pay attention to them!
TOP 10 Best Laptop Models From Dell
- Dell XPS 1
Best overall
CPU: 8th generation Intel Core i3 – i7
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
RAM: 4GB – 16GB
Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – 4k (3840 x 2160)
Storage: 128GB – 2TB SSD
Dell’s XPS 13 has always been considered one of the best laptops on the market, especially with the latest update. In 2019 Dell has fixed one major complaint about previous models: its webcam. The old camera was placed at the bottom of the screen instead of at the top. But Dell got the customers’ message and the 2019 XPS model returns the webcam to the laptop’s top bezel. The only real downside is that you can’t use facial recognition to log in anymore, but the laptop does have a fingerprint reader now, so you can still bypass traditional typed passwords if you want.
- Alienware Area-51M
Best for gaming
CPU: 9th-Generation Intel Core i7 – i9
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 – 2080
RAM: 64GB
Storage: 2TB SSDs + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
Probably, Alienware needs little introduction. The house that Dell adopted has been crushing benchmarks for over a decade, and the latest iteration of their gaming laptops, the Area 51-M, continues that fine tradition. A step up from the previous m17 that everyone still remember, the Area 51 sports the same 17-inch 1080p 144Hz display, but has a much larger chassis, capable of carrying hardware that rivals most desktops. Congratulations!
- Dell G3 15
Best budget Dell gaming laptop
CPU: 9th Generation Intel Core i5 – i7
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 – 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design
RAM: 8GB – 16GB
Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) Anti-glare LED Backlit Non-touch
Storage: 1TB HDD – 512GB SSD
If you want a cheap and more travel-friendly gaming laptop, the G3 15 is worth your special attention. The Dell G3 15 does a lot right for a budget notebook. It feels solid, the price is adequate and it will play most games reasonably well. It even looks good. But the display is bland, which is a shame, as games just don't look as good without vivid color. Nevertheless, you can correct this little defect with the help of display setting.
- Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 (3181) 2-in-1
Chromebooks run the race
CPU: Intel Celeron N3060
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 400
RAM: 4GB
Screen: 11.6-inch, HD (1366 x 768) touchscreen
Storage: 32GB-64GB eMMC
The Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 2-in-1 is a cheap laptop running ChromeOS. The buttery life is about 10 hours and that is a good new. Is this the laptop you'll want to carry around with you for the whole day or should you plump for another model? Look closer. The glossy, grey polycarbonate exterior feels smooth and looks sharp. Rounded edges and an impact-resistant design help cushion your 2-in-1 from the hard knocks of daily life.
- Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
Flexible laptop with a handy touchscreen and plenty of power
CPU: Intel Core i5-i7
Graphics: Radeon RX Vega M GL Graphics with 4GB HMB2 Graphics Memory
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
Like other 2-in-1s, the XPS 15 2-in-1 flips the 15.6-inch screen around so it can be used like a tablet or in tent mode. It is important to admit that the concept seemed absurd a few years ago, but not in 2020. This year this must be a key factor for all laptops. The Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 sports a thinner design than the traditional XPS 15. The overall design of the laptop is more attractive and thinner than the traditional XPS 15 laptop, but there are some compromises. For example, because the laptop is thinner there are no full-size USB ports and only four type-C ports.
- Dell Alienware m15
The best stylish Dell model
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i7 – 9th-generation Intel Core i7
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti – RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design
RAM: 8GB – 32GB
Screen: 15.6" OLED UHD (3840 x 2160) 60Hz
Storage: 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD – 1TB SSD + 1TB SSD
Do you like large laptops? Comparing the Gigabyte Aero 15 and the Alienware 15, the last one is larger in all dimensions. Gigabyte’s system is only 22mm thick and weighs just a tad over 2.0kg. It’s also smaller due to slimmer bezels. The Alienware 15 doesn’t give you that awesome slim-bezel design that we’ve been seeing from other laptops, which keeps it larger than its competitors. It is better to say this new unit is a big step forward for Alienware but it’s still got a way to go until it matches the best from its competitors. Something like the MSI GS65 is nearly a pound lighter and for some people that could be a better option, indeed.
- Dell Alienware 17 R5
The most expensive Dell laptop
CPU: Intel Core i9-8950HK
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM)
RAM: 32GB
Screen: 17.3-inch QHD (2,560 x 1,440)144Hz
Storage: 246GB PCIe M.2 SSD, 1TB 7,200RPM HDD
Opening the lid, you're greeted by a full-size traditional keyboard glowing with anticipation. The keyboard is sandwiched between a massive touchpad and the watchful eyes of the glowing alien head power button. The 17.3-inch panel sits above the glossy plastic strip housing the Tobii Eye Tracker. What is that? This unique technology provides an interesting way to interact with both your games and the Windows desktop. Currently compatible with over 100 games, the integrated sensors track your eyes, allowing you to control the camera and autoaim with a simple glance. How powerful the laptop is? Tricked out with an overclocked Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 GPU with 8GB of VRAM, you expect nothing but the highest frame rates, and the Alienware definitely meets your requirements.
- Dell Latitude 7490
A great combo of Intel’s new silicon and a honed design
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i3 – i7
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
RAM: 4GB – 16GB
Storage: 128GB SSD – 512GB SSD
In short, you’ve got the old body and a new engine. The 14-inch Dell Latitude 7490 retains the same design as last year's Latitude 7480 but sports a new quad-core U-series CPU. The Core i7-8650U is a significant upgrade over the dual-core chip in the previous iteration. Does the increase in power warrant an upgrade? Dell's Latitude laptops are popular choices for business and government entities, and with good reason. The new Latitude 7490 maintains the design of its older brother, the 7480, but the internals have been upgraded. That can be a wise solution and the best acceptable price for business. The new quad-core design brings significant gains in performance, albeit with some sacrifice to power consumption. Don’t even compare. The new dell model is better than the previous one.
- Dell G5 15 5590
Dell’s value gaming laptop
CPU: up to 9th generation Intel Core i7-9750H
Graphics: up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q
RAM: 8GB – 16GB
Screen: 15.6 inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS 300-nits – 15.6 inch FHD(1920 x 1080) 300nits IPS Anti-Glare LED with 144Hz refresh rate
Storage: 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD – 1TB SSD
Anyway, literally out of the box the Dell G5 15 5590 mostly impresses. The chassis is a mix of metal and plastic and feels extremely robust. The monochrome-backlit keyboard, likewise, is absolutely rock solid. Put simply, this is a portable that feels like it can take a beating. Also, the laptop can boast its remarkable battery life for a gaming system. The Bad Features like Thunderbolt 3, four-zone RGB keyboard and a 144Hz display are only available with higher-end graphics. To conclude, G5 is one of the best mainstream gaming laptops you can find thanks to its strong performance, a variety of component options and a more travel- and user-friendly design.
Are Dell Laptops Good?
Talk to anyone who's owned a Windows laptop over the last twenty years, and chances are they will have probably had a Dell at some point – if not at home, then probably for business. Dell may not have the cred of a manufacturer like Apple, but it’s hard to deny the company’s continued devotion to the humble laptop.
So, are Dell laptops any good? Well, yes – depending on what you opt for. Go for a high-end XPS or G Series model, and you’ll be more than happy with your experience. Opt for a cheaper model Dell, and you’ll be making some compromises on build quality and design, but it will still get the job done.