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Dell's new laptops log you into Windows automatically

With the Dell Inspiron 7000 series, advanced features come standard -- like facial recognition, backflipping 1080p touchscreens, precision trackpads and USB-C ports you can use to charge the laptop.

Sean Hollister Senior Editor / Reviews
When his parents denied him a Super NES, he got mad. When they traded a prize Sega Genesis for a 2400 baud modem, he got even. Years of Internet shareware, eBay'd possessions and video game testing jobs after that, he joined Engadget. He helped found The Verge, and later served as Gizmodo's reviews editor. When he's not madly testing laptops, apps, virtual reality experiences, and whatever new gadget will supposedly change the world, he likes to kick back with some games, a good Nerf blaster, and a bottle of Tejava.
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Sean Hollister
2 min read
dell-inspiron-17-7000-1.jpg

The Dell Inspiron 17 7000, codename "Starlord." Don't ask us, ask Dell.

Dell

What if you never had to type your Windows password again? The technology exists. If your computer has an infrared camera, Windows 10 can automatically log you in using advanced facial recognition. Trouble is, most computers don't have them, and you often have to pay extra for those that do. But an infrared camera is just one of the many premium features that come standard on Dell's new Inspiron 7000 series laptops.

Starting at just $749/AU$1,699 (roughly £510 converted), the new 13-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch Inspiron 7000 laptops come with all of these things, guaranteed:

  • An infrared "Windows Hello" camera to log you in with a glance
  • A brushed aluminum chassis
  • A precision touchpad certified for Windows 10
  • A 1080p touchscreen that bends over backwards into a tablet configuration
  • A backlit keyboard
  • An Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processor and DDR4 memory
  • Fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi
  • A USB-C port that can be used to charge the laptop, adding hours of battery life with one of Dell's $99 external battery packs (though they'll ship with a standard barrel-jack AC adapter instead of USB-C)
  • One USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, one HDMI jack, and a full-size SD card reader
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The 17-inch Inspiron on display at Dell's Computex press conference.

 Nic Healey/CNET

The 13- and 15-inch models also come standard with solid-state drives -- a must-have for speedy multitasking and the ability to quickly wake the machine.

But it's the new 17-inch model that's the real star of the show. Not only is it the first 17-inch laptop that can turn into a touchscreen tablet (according to Dell, but we're pretty sure it's true), the 17-inch Inspiron 17 7000 can also come with discrete Nvidia GeForce 940MX graphics for some light gaming. And unlike many larger midrange machines, it offers up to 10 hours of manufacturer-estimated battery life -- the most of any of Dell's Inspiron 7000 series. The 17-incher will start at $899, a bit more than the other models.

My colleague Nic Healey got an early look at the Inspiron 7000 series, and he had this to say:

"You'd expect a top of the line flagship to look good and the 7000 doesn't disappoint. From 13-inch to 17-inch, the brushed aluminium body screams premium quality, something you don't always associate with the Inspiron name."

The new Inspiron 7000 series goes on sale June 2 in the United States and China. It won't be the only way to get a facial recognition camera from Dell -- the newly refreshed Dell Inspiron 5000 series will also have optional infrared cameras on laptops starting at the $749 mark.

This review also appears in Spanish. Read: La nueva laptop de Dell viene cargada de funciones de primera