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Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) 2-in-1 first look Review

Verdict

Key Specifications

  • Intel Core i7-8565U, Core i5-8265U and Core i3-8145U processors
  • Intel UHD Graphics 620
  • NVIDIA GeForce MX130 with 2GB GDDR5 VRAM option
  • Intel Optane memory and storage options
  • 328x233x19.95mm
  • 1.757kg

Dell’s new Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) 2-in-1 comes with Intel’s latest 8th Gen Whiskey Lake CPUs under the hood and the option to include its snappy Optane Memory technology.

While Intel’s Whiskey Lake CPUs are all present and correct here, but note that, there’ll be versions with different Wi-Fi modules available to buy, so if this is something you’re planning on taking advantage of, check the specs before you hand over your money.

We’re currently unsure how much choice you’ll have over this when it comes to buying, but you will have a wealth of SSD and HDD storage options at your disposal.

Optane’s main claim to fame is that it can greatly increase the speed at which files are retrieved from HDDs, thanks to a system which sees commonly-accessed files cached. For larger files, you’ll probably be better off with an SSD option. Depending on your working methods and requirements, Optane may or may not be useful to you.

Related: Intel Whiskey Lake and Amber Lake

Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) viewed from the front.

Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) – Design

At around 1.7kg, the Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) isn’t the lightest laptop out there by any stretch, which just goes to show how many airy devices have been unveiled this year.

That said, I could easily pick the Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) up in one hand and don’t think that carting this around a trade show between briefings would be a big deal – it feels entirely luggable.

The keyboard was nice to type on, and while it doesn’t have the ultra responsiveness of the maglev type keys we’ve seen in higher-end XPS machines, it felt up to the standard we’d expect from one of the more premium Inspiron machines.

Related: Best laptops

Close up of the Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482)'s keyboard.

Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) – Specifications

Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482)
Display 14-inch Full HD LED with IPS
CPU Core i7-8565U, Core i5-8265U, Core i3-8145U
Graphics Intel UHD Graphics 620, Nvidia GeForce MX130 with 2GB GDDR5 VRAM
Memory 4GB, 8GB, 12GB (8GB + 4GB),16GB, 32GB DDR4 2666MHz, 24GB (8GB 2666MHz DDR4 DRAM + 16GB Intel Optane Memory)
Storage 128GB m.2 PCIe Solid Slate Drive,

256GB m.2 PCIe Solid Slate Drive,

500GB 5400rpm 2.5-inch SATA Hard Drive, 1TB 5400rpm 2.5-inch SATA Hard Drive,
2TB 5400rpm 2.5-inch SATA Hard Drive,

128GB m.2 PCIe Solid State Drive + 1TB 5400 rpm 2.5-inch SATA Hard Drive,

256GB m.2 PCIe Solid State Drive + 1TB 5400 rpm 2.5-inch SATA Hard Drive,
128GB m.2 PCIe Solid State Drive + 2TB 5400 rpm 2.5-inch SATA Hard Drive,
256GB m.2 PCIe Solid State Drive + 2TB 5400 rpm 2.5-inch SATA Hard Drive.

Wireless Connectivity 802.11ac 1×1 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1 / 802.11ac 1×1 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 / 802.11ac 2×2 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0
Ports 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1, USB Type-C (FF), USB 2.0, HDMI 1.4b, 3.5mm headphone jack, SD card reader
Battery 3-Cell 42WHr Battery (estimated battery life not specified)
Dimensions 328x233x19.95mm
Weight 1.757kg

Dell’s spec sheet notes that if you go for Optane RAM, this will see you sacrificing the M.2 slot, meaning those SSD options won’t be available to you.

Related: Dell Inspiron 2018 update

The Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482)'s HDMI and USB port.

Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) – Price

Dell says that the Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) range starts at £599/$599.99. Given the many different storage and memory options available to you, expect prices to fluctuate vastly between configurations.

Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) – Release date

The Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) goes on sale in the UK on September 6 and in the US on October 2.

The Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482)'s SD card reader, heaphone jack, USB port and fingerprint scanner.

Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) – First impressions

Solid and reliable-feeling, the Dell Inspiron 14 5000 (5482) could be a winner with people who want a decent workhorse laptop that they can customise to meet their specific storage and memory needs. If you want something primarily for writing or video work, then the cheaper Optane-enhanced HDD option might benefit you, and there’s a dedicated GPU offering there which might be especially useful for editing work – though we don’t have an idea about colour space coverage or temperature, so that’s a little harder to call right now.

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Used as our main laptop for the review period

Tested for at least a week

Used consistent benchmarks for fair comparisons with other laptops

Reviewed using respected industry benchmarks and real world use

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