The best Dell laptops in 2023

Amanda Reed

Published Nov 4, 2023 9:00 AM EDT

Dell’s laptop lineup offers something for every budget and every user—with some particularly sweet gaming options thanks to Alienware.

Best overall

Dell XPS 15 9000

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The Dell XPS 15 9000 is an excellent all-around laptop for anyone who wants to do a some of everything on an elegant, sleek machine.

Best for gaming

Alienware m18 AMD Gaming Laptop

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It offers many different configurations aimed at gaming enthusiasts with the cash to throw into the finer details to ensure blistering speeds and an immersive experience.

Best budget

Dell Inspiron 15 3530 Laptop

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A solid computing choice without making as many compromises as a sub-$500 device.

Published Nov 4, 2023 9:00 AM

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Dell’s laptop lineup offers options for every computing need, from a kid tackling schoolwork to an engineer designing a plane. In fact, there’s a good chance a school or workplace issued you a Dell at some point, thanks to the company’s reputation for reliable performance, durable builds, and affordability. To pick one for yourself, list how you plan to use it, your budget, and your must-have features, and we’ll help you find one that checks all the boxes. Are you a casual user, a student, a content creator, a gaming enthusiast, or all of the above? This guide will help you check off your must-have features and pick from the best Dell laptops.

Best overall: Dell XPS 15 9000

Best for students: Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 Laptop

Best for gaming: Alienware m18 AMD Gaming Laptop

Best budget gaming: Dell G15 5530 Gaming Laptop

Best for working from home: Dell-Latitude 15.6″ Laptop

Best budget: Dell Inspiron 15 3530 Laptop

How we chose the best Dell laptops

There’s not a single Dell laptop that is perfect for everyone. The company’s laptop options range from Chromebooks under $500 to high-powered workhorses that cost thousands, so it helps to understand its leading laptop brands and their most common users. We extensively researched and analyzed this, drawing from a multitude of sources, including our own PopSci reviews, peer recommendations, critical analyses, and user testimonials, to meticulously curate a refined selection for you.

The best Dell laptops: Reviews & Recommendations

Dell’s Inspiron laptops offer wallet-friendly options targeting general computing needs, like streaming videos, emailing, creating social content, and other assorted, more personal computing needs. The XPS line is Dell’s premium line for creative users who need more multitasking power for intensive programs like photo and video editing. Gamers can choose between Dell’s G Series or the LED-lit options of Alienware. Business users, whether small businesses or enterprises, should look at the Latitude, Precision, and Vostro lines that prioritize powerful processors and security. And we’ve got the perfect choice from each of these below.

Best overall: Dell XPS 15 9000

Specs

Dimensions: 13.6 x9.1 x 0.71 inches

Weight: Starts at 4.2 pounds

OS: Windows 11 Pro

Processor: Intel i7-13700 (13th generation)

RAM: 16GB DDR5 SDRAM

Storage: 512GB SSD

Graphics: Intel Arc A370M Graphics

Screen size: 15.6 inches, 1920 x 1200 resolution

Ports: 2 Thunderbolt 4, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort, 1 SD card, headphone jack

Battery life: Up to 18 hours

Pros

Aluminum body

Sturdy, elegant design

Good battery life

Backlit keyboard

Cons

720p web camera

No USB-A ports

Pricey

The Dell XPS 15 9000 is an excellent all-around laptop for anyone who wants to do some of everything on an elegant, sleek machine. The XPS series is Dell’s premium line to rival Apple’s M2 series of MacBooks. A longtime favorite of reviewers and consumers, a version ranks as PopSci’s overall pick for best Windows laptop, and it’s one of favorite 15-inch laptops in general.

The XPS 15 is hard to beat for performance, and its well-designed, portable aluminum body weighs just over four pounds. The entry-level XPS starts at $1,600 and is loaded with the latest Intel i7, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and Intel Arc A370M Graphics. That’s plenty for graphic design, video editing, and some gaming, but it can be configured for more powerful processing and graphics. It can be maxed out to an Intel i9, up to 64GB of RAM, 8TB of storage, and Nvidia GeForce RTX options. The XPS 15 allows two screen options: the full high-definition plus, non-touchscreen option that measures brightness of 500 nits, or an OLED touchscreen of 400 nits. One sore spot is the 720p high-definition webcam, though the video-obsessed may want to upgrade with one of our picks for the best webcams for streaming. The other sore spot is the splurgy price, though deal hunters can still find refurbished models with 12th-generation processors to save some cash.

Best for students: Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 Laptop

Specs

Dimensions: 12.36 x 8.92 x 0.73 inches

Weight: Starts at 3.48 pounds

OS: Windows 11 Home

Processor: Intel i7-1355U (13th generation)

RAM: 16GB LPDDR5

Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD

Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics

Screen size: 14 inches, 1920 x 1200 resolution

Ports: 2 Thunderbolt 4, 1 HDMI, 1 USB-A, 1 SD card reader, headphone jack

Battery life: Up to 11 hours

Pros

Backlit keyboard

1080p front-facing camera

Fingerprint reader

Privacy camera

Cons

Not super bright screen

A little heavy for form

Stylus compatible but not included

Sometimes flexibility is what makes a device, and that includes the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 Laptop. Students can use this hybrid machine as a traditional laptop, comfortably typing out long papers, and then set up as a tent for movie-watching to decompress. Scribblers and doodlers can purchase a compatible stylus to use as a tablet thanks to its 360-degree hinges. For about a grand, it includes the latest generation Intel i7 processor and 16GB of RAM, showcasing enough power to be one of PopSci’s best laptops for college and for working from home. It’s suitable for video conferencing and chatting with two mics, a 1080p webcam, and Dolby Atmos speakers (though don’t expect soundbar-level performance). The full high-definition plus screen has a good resolution, but at only 250 nits, it isn’t as bright as others and could be challenging in very sunny rooms.

If you burn through the 2-in-1’s advertised 11 hours of battery life, it has an ExpressCharge feature that will help you reach up to 80% power within an hour. It’s also EPEAT Silver registered and Energy Star rated and ships in 100% sustainable materials.

Best for gaming: Alienware m18 AMD Gaming Laptop

Specs

Dimensions: 16.15 x 12.59 x 1.05 inches

Weight: 9.32 pounds

OS: Windows 11 Home

Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX

RAM: 32GB DDR5

Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD

Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080

Screen size: 18 inches, 1920 x 1200 resolution, 480Hz

Ports: 3 USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, 1 USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, 2 USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports with DisplayPort, 1 RJ45 Ethernet port, 1 HDMI 2.1, 1 headphone jack, 1 power-adapter port, 1 mini-Display port, 1 SD-card slot

Battery life: Up to 3 hours, 21 minutes

Pros

Customizable

Alienware Cryo-tech calling system

Full numeric pad

Cons

Very heavy for a laptop

Poor battery life

Ports placed in the back

The Alienware m18 AMD Gaming Laptop is a beast in size and power and the top of the line of Dell’s gaming laptops. It offers many different configurations aimed at gaming enthusiasts with the cash to throw into the finer details to ensure blistering speeds and an immersive experience. The base model starts under $2,000—reasonable for a gaming laptop—but quickly climbs as you tack on upgrades to tackle AAA gaming.

The entry model weighs 8.5 pounds and goes up from there depending on-screen options (either 165Hz or 480Hz refresh rates) and processors. We opted for mid-range specs—32GB of RAM, an AMD Ryzen 9 7845HK processor, and a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card—and hit $3,000 and a weight of over nine pounds. Part of the weight is the Cryo-tech cooling system on the CPU and GPU, plus four fans and a vapor chamber to pull heat away from sensitive components. Technically, this machine is a laptop, but it’s clearly aimed at replacing gaming PCs with a smaller format. Laptop ports usually appear on the sides for fast access. On the m18, they line up across the back—snazzily encircled by LED lights no less. That’s the ideal spot to keep desks free of cords connected to a G-sync monitor—but not for a laptop that gets moved around a lot. The three-hour battery life is underwhelming, even for a machine with a heavy workload. For an Alienware laptop, the design is somewhat tame. Still, it has its signature hexagonal grills, programmable lighting zones, and RGB keyboard (unless you want to opt for an ultra-low-profile CherryMX mechanical keyboard).

Best budget gaming: Dell G15 5530 Gaming Laptop

Specs

Dimensions: 14.06 x 10.8 x 1.02 inches

Weight: 5.84 pounds

OS: Windows 11 Home

Processor: Intel i7-13650HX (13th generation)

RAM: 16GB DDR5

Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD

Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060

Screen size: 15.6 inches, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 165Hz

Ports: 3 USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, 1 USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports with DisplayPort, 1 RJ45 Ethernet port, 1 HDMI 2.1, 1 headphone jack

Battery life: Up to 6 hours, 31 minutes

Pros

Customizable

Backlit keyboard

Full numeric pad

Alienware-inspired cooling system

One-button Game Shift mode activates fans

Cons

720p webcam

Heavy

Poor battery life

If the Alienware m18 is too much gaming laptop, take a look at the Dell G15 5530 Gaming Laptop, which liberally borrows from its subsidiary’s design but has a price tag of around $1,300. The G15 is better than entry-level, capable of handling AAA gaming thanks to the latest Intel i7 processor, a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, and a full high-definition screen with a 165Hz refresh rate. Unlike the sleek wedges that dominate laptop shapes, the G15 is a blocky, gray laptop with weird angles around the hinges—what Dell calls a retro design, but we call potentially laptop-bag unfriendly. It also weighs more than six pounds, thanks to an “Alienware-inspired” cooling system with ultra-thin fan blades, four heat pipes, and vents all over the place. It also has a 720 webcam, which is only meh if you plan on live streaming.