Dell fills its Inspirons full of Intel's latest processors

The new Inspiron 7000 and 5000 two-in-ones and 7000 laptops get tweaked and tuned-up with eighth-gen Core i-series CPUs.

Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice

Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.

Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials

More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.

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Joshua Goldman

Aug. 28, 2017 6:00 a.m. PT

4 min read

Dell's Inspiron lineup -- its mainstream laptops and two-in-ones -- is loaded with a dizzying array of options. And as of October, those will include the latest processors from Intel.

The PC maker's updating its higher-end Inspiron 7000 laptops and two-in-ones as well as its midrange Inspiron 5000 two-in-ones with eighth-generation Intel Core i5-8250U and Core i7-8550U processors. These CPUs are part of Intel's Kaby Lake R series, which promise up to 40 percent better performance than the seventh-gen Kaby Lake processors.

All of the models feature slimmed down bezels (the frame around their displays) that allow for smaller chassis designs and just an overall better appearance. You'll also find a variety of options such as active pen support, IR cameras for Windows Hello facial recognition and standard SSDs or optional PCIe NVMe SSDs.

The updates are expected to be available at the beginning of October. Below are some of the highlights and starting prices you can expect for the different lines. The battery times listed are Dell's results running BapCo's Mobile Mark 14 battery benchmark with specific configurations. Use it as a guideline and not what you'll actually get day to day. (In my experience that means an hour or two less depending on what you're doing and your power management settings.)

dell-inspiron-7000-2-in-1-13-and-15-inches-2017-01 — Dell's Inspiron 7000 two-in-one series comes in 13.3-, 15.6- and 17.3-inch screen sizes.
Sarah Tew/CNET

Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1

13.3-inch 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution IPS touchscreen
Active pen and facial recognition
8GB of 2,400MHz DDR4 memory or 16GB of 2,133MHz DDR4 memory
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Up to 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage
Up to 8 hours, 20 minutes battery life
Backlit, spill-resistant keyboard and a multitouch precision touchpad
Dual-band 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2
USB 3.1 Type-C (gen 1), HDMI 2.0 out, headphone/mic jack, SD card reader, two USB 3.1 Type-A (gen 1)
Starts at 3.2 pounds (1.45 kg)
Prices start at $850 (approximately AU$1,070 or £660)

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1

15.6-inch 1,920x1,080-pixel or 3,840x2,160-pixel resolution (4K UHD) IPS touchscreen
UHD display has 100 percent AdobeRGB coverage
Active pen and facial recognition
4-16GB of 2,400MHz DDR4 memory
Intel UHD Graphics 620 or 2GB Nvidia GeForce 940MX graphics
Up to 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage or up to 2TB 5,400rpm HDD
128GB SSD and 1TB HDD dual-drive array also available
Up to 8 hours, 13 minutes battery life
Backlit, spill-resistant keyboard and a multitouch precision touchpad
Dual-band 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2
USB 3.1 Type-C (gen 1), HDMI 2.0 out, headphone/mic jack, SD card reader, three USB 3.1 Type-A (gen 1)
Starts at 4.6 pounds (2.1 kg)
Prices start at $800 (approximately AU$1,010 or £620)

Dell Inspiron 17 7000 2-in-1

17.3-inch 1,920x1,080-pixel IPS touchscreen
Windows Hello facial recognition support
4-16GB of 2,400MHz DDR4 memory
Intel UHD Graphics 620 or 2GB Nvidia GeForce M150X graphics
Up to 1TB standard SSD or 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage or up to 2TB 5,400rpm HDD
128GB SSD and 1TB HDD dual-drive array also available
Up to 11 hours, 10 minutes battery life
Backlit, spill-resistant keyboard and a multitouch precision touchpad
Dual-band 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2
USB 3.1 Type-C (gen 1), HDMI 1.4a out, headphone/mic jack, SD card reader, USB 3.1 Type-A (gen 1), USB 2.0
Starts at 6.6 pounds (3 kg)
Prices start at $950 (approximately AU$1,200 or £740)

dell-inspiron-13-and-15-5000-2-in-1-01 — The Inspiron 13 and 15 5000 two-in-one make higher-end features optional.
Sarah Tew/CNET

Dell Inspiron 13 5000 2-in-1

13.3-inch 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution IPS touchscreen
Available with facial recognition or active pen and facial recognition support
4-16GB of 2,400MHz DDR4 memory
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Up to 256GB standard SSD or up to 1TB 5,400rpm HDD
Up to 9 hours, 10 minutes battery life
Backlit, spill-resistant keyboard and a multitouch precision touchpad
Dual-band 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2
HDMI 1.4a out, headphone/mic jack, SD card reader, two USB 3.1 Type-A (gen 1), USB 2.0
Starts at 3.7 pounds (1.7 kg)
Prices start at $750 (approximately AU$945 or £580) or $800 (approximately AU$1,010 or £620) with active pen support

Dell Inspiron 15 5000 2-in-1

15.6-inch 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution IPS touchscreen
Available with facial recognition or active pen and facial recognition support
4-16GB of 2,400MHz DDR4 memory
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Up to 256GB standard SSD or up to 1TB 5,400rpm HDD
Up to 9 hours, 37 minutes battery life
Backlit, spill-resistant keyboard and a multitouch precision touchpad
Dual-band 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2
HDMI 1.4a out, headphone/mic jack, SD card reader, two USB 3.1 Type-A (gen 1), USB 2.0
Starts at 4.8 pounds (2.2 kg)
Prices start at $750 (approximately AU$945 or £580) or $800 (approximately AU$1,010 or £620) with active pen support

Dell Inspiron 7000 Laptop — Don't want a two-in-one? Dell has 13- and 15-inch Inspiron 7000 laptops, too, with Intel's eighth-gen chips.
Sarah Tew/CNET

Dell Inspiron 13 7000 laptop

13.3-inch 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution IPS display
Available with or without touch
Touchscreen models include active pen and facial recognition support
4 or 8GB of 2,400MHz DDR4 memory or 16GB of 2,133MHz DDR4 memory
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Up to 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage
Up to 9 hours, 31 minutes battery life
Backlit, spill-resistant keyboard and a multitouch precision touchpad
Dual-band 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2
USB 3.1 Type-C (gen 1), HDMI 2.0 out, headphone/mic jack, SD card reader, two USB 3.1 Type-A (gen 1)
Starts at 3.1 pounds (1.4 kg)
Prices start at $800 (approximately AU$1,010 or £620)

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 laptop

15.6-inch 1,920x1,080-pixel or 3,840x2,160-pixel resolution (4K UHD) IPS touchscreen
UHD display has 100 percent AdobeRGB coverage
Available with or without touch
Touchscreen models include active pen and facial recognition support
4-16GB of 2,400MHz DDR4 memory (up to 32GB supported)
Intel UHD Graphics 620 or 2 or 4GB Nvidia GeForce 940MX graphics
Up to 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage or up to 2TB 5,400rpm HDD
128GB SSD and 1TB HDD dual-drive array also available
Up to 8 hours, 56 minutes battery life
Backlit, spill-resistant keyboard and a multitouch precision touchpad
Dual-band 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2 and Ethernet
USB 3.1 Type-C (gen 1), HDMI 2.0 out, headphone/mic jack, SD card reader, three USB 3.1 Type-A (gen 1)
Starts at 4.4 pounds (2 kg)
Prices start at $800 (approximately AU$1,010 or £620)