Performance: Overall this laptop's performance was good, below that of many other models but still powerful enough for tasks such as email, word processing, web browsing, and streaming movies. Compared to other tested laptops, its speed was adequate for common tasks such as web browsing, video conferencing, and application startup. Speed was adequate when composing documents, working on data spreadsheets, and other productivity tasks, and it was so slow that it was difficult to manipulate images, edit videos, and calculate simulations. Graphical tasks run slower among other models with only integrated graphics.
Battery Life and Weight: This laptop is a fair choice for traveling. Battery life lasted 18 hours in a light load of web browsing tests, and 20 hours in a heavier load of 4K video playback tests. Results were outstanding enough to last well beyond a typical day of mixed use, lasting longer than most other similar laptops. In heavier loads, the battery lasted longer than expected, so you're less likely to need a charge as you run more performance intensive tasks. At 3.4 lbs, weight was typical for a laptop of this size category.
Ease of Use: Some features of the keyboard, touchpad, and labeling, were well-designed, and were comfortable or convenient to use. The keyboard has large keys and was comfortably sized. Its high contrast letters were easy to read. Testers liked the sturdy build of the chassis.
Display: The display quality was good overall. Colors were not reproduced as accurately as on better displays. The display was anti-reflective, so there was little or no glare when viewing in a brightly lit room or outdoors. The display has a wide viewing angle, especially important if more than one person needs to see the screen at a time, say, for a video or presentation. Its display produces a smaller array of colors than on most other tested laptops.
Useful features and attributes on this model include: The spacious [1] plenty of room for storing your music, photos, and movies. You can connect common external devices such as hard drives using USB4 Gen 3x2 (40 Gbps) for maximum performance. This laptop supports DisplayPort over USB-C for connecting to a TV or monitor.
Downsides: Some software is incompatible with the ARM processor on this model, including third-party anti-virus, cloud apps, and accessories with specialized drivers. Based on results of a CR member survey, Dell laptops of a similar price to this model stood out as being meaningfully worse than typical for experiencing certain problem areas such as poor wifi or internet connectivity.
