Dell has been giving a lot of attention to its XPS, Alienware, and Precision laptops in recent years. But this fall the company is refreshing its mainstream Inspiron lineup by bringing some premium features to its mid-range laptops.
The new Inspiron 13 7000 series 2-in-1 is getting a spec bump with support for Intel’s new Whiskey Lake-U processors. But it also now feature an all metal chassis, narrow top and side screen bezels, and improved cooling. It also has a spill-resistant keyboard and a precision touchpad.
Dell did manage to keep the camera above the screen, wagering that mainstream customers are willing to trade a slightly thicker bezel for a better camera placement than you’ll find on the XPS 13 (which has a super-slim top bezel, but a camera that’s awkwardly placed below the screen).
The Dell Inspiron 14 5000 series 2-in-1, meanwhile, is also getting an updated design and new features including slightly slimmer side borders, 8th-gen processor options, and improved thermal routing borrowed from the 7000-series.
Inspiron 13 7000 series 2-in-1 (7386)
Dell is updating all of its 7000-series laptops including ts 15 and 17 inch models. But as usual, I’m most intrigued by the smallest of the bunch.
The Inspiron 13 7386 2-in-1 measures 12.1″ x 8.4″ x 0.5″ and weighs about 3.2 pounds, has narrow screen borders, and Whiskey Lake-U processor options.
Here’s a run-down of the specs:
- Intel Core i5-8265U and Core i7-8565U CPU options
- 13.3 inch 1920 x 1080 pixel (220 nits) and 3840 x 2160 pixel (300 nts) IPS display options
- FHD screen is standard in silver model, UHD screen available on black version
- 8GB or 16GB of RAM (soldered)
- 128GB to 1TB of PCIe NVMe solid state stroage
- Dual mics, Alexa and Cortana far-field support
- HDMI 2.0
- USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C
- USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A
- MicroSD card reader
- 38 Whr battery
- Modern Standby support
- Dell Cinema and Dell Mobile Connect
- Fingerprint reader/power button (there’s a sticker in the photos, but it’s removable)
- Active pen support (sold separately)
The Dell Inspiron 7386 2-in-1 should be available October 2nd for $880 and up.
Dell is also updating its 15 and 17 inch Inspiron 7000 series 2-in-1 laptops.
The 15 inch model has similar specs to its smaller sibling, but it’s available with optional NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics with 2GB or 4GB of GDDR5 memory and it supports both an M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD and a 2.5 inch hard drive. Dell will offer dual storage configurations, and some models will include Intel Optane memory plus a hard drive.
The Dell Inspiron 15 7586 2-in-1 measures 0.6 inches thick and has a starting weight of 4.4 pounds. Models with full HD displays will come with a 42 Whr battery, and customers who opt for a 4K display will get a higher capacity 56 Whr battery.
Dell also offers a 17 inch model that comes standard with NVIDIA GeForce MX150 (2GB) graphics and a 56 Whr battery. That model also has dual storage support, but it does not support pen input and there’s no 4K option. It’s also a substantially heavier machine, weighing in at 6.4 pounds. But it’s still just over 0.6 inches thick.
The 15 inch model will sell for $880 and up, and the 17 inch version is $1100 and up. Both launch Oct 2nd.
Inspiron 5000 series 2-in-1
The Inspiron 14 5000 comes in two configurations.
The more attractive of the two is the Inspiration 14 5481, which measures 12.9″ x 9.2″ x 0.8″, weighs 3.9 pounds, and has a full HD IPS display.
Dell also offers an entry-level 5481 model that has a 1366 x 768 pixel TN display and which measures 13.2″ x 9.2″ x 0.8″ and weighs 4.2 pounds.
Both feature Whiskey Lake-U processors, but unless your budget is super-tight, I’m not sure why you’d opt for the bigger, heavier model with the lower-resolution display and limited viewing angles. So let’s just take a look at the more interesting 5482 model.
In addition to slimmer borders, Dell has added a metal top to the keyboard area, offered an optional fingerprint sensor, and added a USB Type-C port. The lid and base of the laptop are still plastic though.
Here’s a run-down of the specs/options
- Intel Core i3-8145U, Core i5-8265U, and Core i7-8565U CPU options
- Intel UHD 620 and NVIDIA GeForce MX130 (2GB) graphics options
- 4GB to 32GB or DDR4-2666 memory (the RAM is upgradeable)
- Up to 2TB of hard drive storage and/or up to 256GB of M.2 PCIe storage
- Intel Optane memory compatible
- HDMI 1.4b
- 2 x USB 3.1 Gen-1 Type-A
- USB Type-C
- USB 2.0 Type-A
- Headset jack
- SD card
- Optional pen support
- 42Wh battery
- gray and silver color options
The new Dell Inspiron 5000 2-in-1 will be available October 2nd for $600 and up.
Is the ram in the 15″ 7000’s soldered? If not how many slots does it come with and up to how many rams can I upgrade it to?
I put the same question to support, they said the 7586 got 2 slots (nothing soldered) and it got a SATA port if somebody wants to add an HDD (and that is not void the warranty!)
The Inspiron 7386 apparently has an M.2 2230 for secondary storage.
This is interesting.
“the RAM is upgradeable”
Oh man, how depressing is it that this is a big selling point and not the standard? Anyway, these look pretty nice. Hopefully the Linux compatibility is as good as other Dells.
Where is the 13 inch version in the 5000 series?