Why You Can Trust CNET Dell's latest Inspiron laptops are almost unrecognizable from past models
The updates are slim, light and come in a broad range of sizes and configurations starting at $299.
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The latest Inspirons come in 13-, 14-, 15- and 16-inch sizes.
The gap in design and features between Dell's premium XPS laptop line and mainstream Inspirons got a little smaller today with the introduction of the PC maker's mainstream Inspiron 2021 laptop lineup. Available in four laptop sizes and a 14-inch two-in-one as well and a lot of component configuration options, there is a lot to choose from, and they're all slimmed down to give you more laptop in less space starting at $299 (£220, AU$390 converted).
The line starts with the 2.8-pound 13.3-inch Inspiron 13 5310 with a 1,920x1,200-pixel, 16:10-ratio display and goes up to the $950 16-inch Inspiron 16 Plus, which also has a 16:10 display but a resolution of 3,072x1,920 pixels and 100% sRGB color coverage. Both will be available with 11th-gen Intel processors (H-series for the 16 Plus) and Nvidia discrete graphics options: Geforce MX450 for the 13 and up to RTX 3060 for the 16 Plus.
The Inspiron 16 Plus could be great for budget-conscious creators. It even has a full-size SD card slot.
In between those are 14- and 15.6-inch versions with full-HD-resolution, 16:9 displays, a choice of 11th-gen Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors and integrated Intel or discrete Nvidia MX450 graphics. Both can be configured with up to 1TB of NVMe PCIe SSD storage and up to 32GB of memory.
All of the models will be available in new colors with parts painted with low volatile organic compound waterborne paint. Each also features a 720p webcam with improved image noise suppression and a privacy shutter, adaptive cooling to help with power use and quick charging to get you up to an 80% charge in an hour. Depending on the model and configuration you go with, options include a backlit keyboard, a precision touchpad, a sensor that turns the Inspiron on when you lift its lid and a fingerprint reader for sign-ins.
Also in the new lineup is the Inspiron 14 2-in-1. It's an AMD-powered convertible with a 14-inch full-HD display. It can be configured with up to an AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, 16GB of memory and up to a 2TB NVMe PCIe SSD.
However, if none of this sounds premium enough for you, Dell also announced the latest XPS 13 can be configured with 13.4-inch OLED 3.5K (3,456x2,160 pixel) touch display.