Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 Review: A Premium 2-in-1 Experience or Just Expensive?
Dell’s Inspiron range has always been a popular choice for budget-conscious buyers seeking a balance of features and affordability. However, the company’s new 16-inch Inspiron 2-in-1 series aims to cater to a more discerning audience, promising a premium experience for both productivity and entertainment. We put the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 through its paces to see if it lives up to its aspirations and whether its price tag is justified.
Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 Price in India:
The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 comes in two configurations:
- Base variant: Rs. 1,00,990 (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, Full HD display)
- Higher-end variant: Rs. 1,40,990 (Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce MX550 GPU, 4K OLED display)
Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 Design:
The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 exudes a minimalist aesthetic, sporting a sleek Platinum Silver finish. The metal lid is bare, save for a subtly etched Dell logo. While the laptop is undeniably heavy, weighing over 2kg, it manages to maintain a slim profile, with a thickness under 20mm, preventing it from feeling like a bulky brick.
The sides of the laptop are angular, yet softened with rounded edges, ensuring a comfortable grip. The base boasts an array of ports, including a full-sized SD card slot, two USB 3.2 (Gen1) Type-A ports, a headphone jack, HDMI 1.4, and two Thunderbolt 4.0 ports.
The palm rest area and trackpad offer ample space. Despite the sizeable footprint, the keyboard layout isn’t quite full-sized, but the keys are well-spaced, and the backlighting provides excellent visibility through the gray keycaps. Large speaker vents flank either side of the keyboard, reminiscent of Apple’s MacBook Pros. The power button doubles as a fingerprint sensor, while the higher-end variant includes an infrared camera for Windows Hello facial recognition.
The 16-inch display dominates the front, boasting a taller 16:10 aspect ratio compared to the standard 16:9. It features touch input, a 60Hz refresh rate, and Full HD (1920×1200) resolution. The display is rated at 300 nits of brightness, sufficient for home use. While the bezels on the left and right are slim, the top and bottom bezels are somewhat thicker. Above the display sits a 1080p webcam with a physical privacy shutter for added security. A fabric layer beneath the display covers the two front-firing speakers.
The base variant of the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 comes with a 65W power adapter and some documentation. A Dell stylus, however, needs to be purchased separately.
Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 Specifications and Software:
The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 is powered by Intel’s 13th Gen CPUs. The base variant features an Intel Core i5-1335U processor with 10 CPU cores, 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and 512GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. It is further equipped with a 6-cell, 86WHr battery, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth.
The laptop runs Windows 11 Home and comes preloaded with Dell apps such as SupportAssist and MyDell. It also includes a full license for Microsoft Office Home and Student 2021 and a 15-month subscription to McAfee Antivirus.
Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 Performance and Battery Life:
The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 delivered consistently impressive performance during our review. The generous vents on the bottom and between the hinges ensure excellent airflow throughout the system. During casual tasks, the laptop remained exceptionally quiet and cool, with the fans only kicking in when performing more intensive operations, such as running benchmarks or gaming.
The convertible nature of the laptop allows for flexibility in usage. Tent mode became a personal favorite for consuming video content, especially when wanting to save desk space. However, the lack of physical volume buttons on any side of the laptop necessitates relying on the touchscreen for volume control, which can be inconvenient at times.
The large display excels in showcasing videos, although reflections can pose a minor issue. The speakers produce clean highs and decent bass, offering a pleasant audio experience. While the sound quality is commendable, the maximum volume could be higher. Given that this variant incorporates onboard graphics, it is not designed for hardcore gaming. However, casual games from the Microsoft Store can be enjoyed. The webcam provides decent quality, but the image tends to become grainy in low light conditions.
The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 generated robust benchmark scores relative to its configuration. Cinebench R20 yielded 631 and 3,056 points in its single- and multi-core tests, respectively. PCMark 10 returned a score of 4,915 points, while 3DMark Time Spy achieved 1,351 points. Real-world tests also reflected positive results. Encoding a 1.3GB AVI file to H.265 MKV took just 56 seconds, and the BMW test scene in Blender rendered in 7 minutes and 4 seconds.
The battery life of the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 was exceptionally long. The laptop complies with the Intel Evo platform, guaranteeing a high standard of performance and all-day battery life. In the Battery Eater Pro test, the laptop surpassed three hours, a remarkable feat and well above average. This translates to exceptional real-world battery life, consistently averaging eight to nine hours of usage during our testing.
Verdict:
The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 is a well-constructed, high-performing convertible laptop offering exceptional battery life. However, it comes at a substantial price point. While the 2-in-1 form factor and touchscreen display are attractive features, if these aren’t essential, the standard Inspiron 16 might be a more budget-friendly alternative. Other 16-inch laptops with comparable configurations are often available at lower prices. Considering the price and configuration, bundling a stylus with the laptop would have been a welcome inclusion.
Beyond the high price tag, the Inspiron 16 2-in-1 is marred by few other significant drawbacks. Its weight and bulk make it somewhat cumbersome to carry, and the lack of physical volume buttons in other modes could be perceived as a minor inconvenience. Overall, the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 is a capable 2-in-1 laptop, but its high price and lack of bundled stylus make it a difficult recommendation for most users.
