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I’ve been reviewing Dell laptops for years, and I’m still shocked at how much I like the Dell 14 Plus

10:00 pm | May 17, 2025

Dell 14 Plus: One-minute review

The Dell 14 Plus is one of the first rebranded Dell laptops to go on sale this year, and despite some growing pains it’s an auspicious start thanks to its solid performance, great portability and style, and an accessible price point.

The new 14 Plus is available now in the US, UK, and Australia, starting at $799.99 / £999 / AU$1,298, and features both Intel Lunar Lake and AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors. This makes it one of the best laptops for budget-conscious Windows users on the market right now without making too many compromises on style, portability, or features.

What you won’t get with the 14 Plus, however, is a professional workstation or one of the best gaming laptops, as the integrated graphics and processor options don’t have the kind of horsepower to churn through complex workloads like video editing or intense gaming at high settings.

But for those in the market for a new laptop for general productivity or school work, everyday computing tasks, video calls, or video streaming, and which offers good responsiveness, battery life, and portability, the Dell 14 Plus delivers pretty much exactly what you need to get the job done – and it even looks pretty good while doing it.

It’s not perfect (I’ll get to its faults soon enough), but for the price and the performance on offer the 14 Plus is easily one of the best Windows laptops going, and should be at the top of the list for students, remote workers, and just about anyone else who needs a solid notebook PC without breaking the bank.

Dell 14 Plus: Price & availability

A Dell 14 Plus on a desk with its lid facing outward — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How much does it cost? Starts at $799.99 / £999 / AU$1,298
When is it available? It's available now
Where can you get it? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia through Dell’s website and other retailers.

The Dell 14 Plus is available now in the US, UK, and Australia, starting at $799.99 / £999 / AU$1,298 for its base configuration, the specs of which vary depending on your region, and maxes out at $1,479.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,498.20.

Compared to something like the Acer Swift 14 AI or the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4), the Dell 14 Plus almost always comes in cheaper when similarly specced, and in a couple of instances you get better specs with the 14 Plus for a lower price than competing devices like the Asus Zenbook A14, making it an attractive option for value shoppers who don’t want to sacrifice too much in the way of performance.

Value: 5 / 5

Dell 14 Plus: Specs

The internal components of the Dell 14 Plus — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Configurations vary considerably between the US, UK, and Australia
Options for both Intel Core Ultra 200V and AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors
No discrete graphics options

The starting configurations for the Dell 14 Plus vary slightly depending on your region, with the US and Australia sharing the same specs – AMD Ryzen AI 340 CPU with Radeon 849M graphics, 16GB LPDDR5X memory, and a 14-inch FHD+, 300-nit, non-touch display – while the starting setup in the UK uses an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V with second-gen Intel Arc graphics, 16GB of slightly faster LPDDR5X-8533 memory, and a 14-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600p) 300-nit, non-touch IPS display. All starting configs come with 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage.

Dell 14 Plus Base Specs
Region	US	UK	Australia
Price:	$799.99 at Dell.com	£999 at Dell.com	AU$1,298 at Dell.com
CPU:	AMD Ryzen AI 5 340	Intel Core Ultra 7 256V	AMD Ryzen AI 5 340
GPU:	AMD Radeon 840M Graphics	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V)	AMD Radeon 840M Graphics
Memory:	16GB LPDDR5X-7500	16GB LPDDR5X-8533	16GB LPDDR5X-7500
Storage:	512GB SSD	512GB SSD	512GB SSD
Screen:	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300-nit, non-touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 2.5K (1600p), 300-nit, non-touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300-nit, non-touch IPS
Ports:	2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x combo jack	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack	2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x combo jack
Battery (WHr):	64 WHr	64 WHr	64 WHr
Wireless:	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4
Camera:	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps
Weight:	3.35 lb (1.52 kg)	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)	3.35 lbs (1.52kg)
Dimensions:	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)

The max spec for the Dell 14 Plus in the US and UK is identical: an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V with Intel Arc graphics, 32GB LPDDR5X memory, 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD, and a 14-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600p) display with 90Hz refresh and 300 nits max brightness. In Australia, the max spec comes with an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor with Radeon 840M graphics, 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD storage, and a 14-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200p) display with a max brightness of 300 nits.

Dell 14 Plus Top Specs
Region	US	UK	Australia
Price:	$1,479.99 at Dell.com	£1,299 at Dell.com	AU$1,498.20 at Dell.com
CPU:	Intel Core Ultra 9 288V	Intel Core Ultra 9 288V	AMD Ryzen AI 7 350
GPU:	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V) Graphics	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V) Graphics	AMD Radeon 840M Graphics
Memory:	32GB LPDDR5X-8533	32GB LPDDR5X-8533	16GB LPDDR5X-7500
Storage:	1TB NVMe SSD	1TB NVMe SSD	1TB NVMe SSD
Screen:	14-inch 16:10 2.5K (1600p), 300 nit, non-touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 2.5K (1600p), 300 nit, non-touch IPS	14-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1200p), 300 nit, non-touch IPS
Ports:	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack	2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x combo jack
Battery (WHr):	64 WHr	64 WHr	64 WHr
Wireless:	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4	WiFi 7, BT 5.4
Camera:	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps
Weight:	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)	3.35 lb (1.52 kg)
Dimensions:	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)

The configuration I tested for this review is only available in the US, but the UK has a very similar spec, just with a 512GB SSD rather than the 1TB in my review unit, while Australia doesn't yet have Intel-based coinfigurations for the 14 Plus at all.

Dell 14 Plus Review Unit Specs
Price:	$1,179.99 / £999 / (about AU$1,830, but Intel systems not yet available in Australia)
CPU:	Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
GPU:	Intel Arc Xe2 (140V) Graphics
Memory:	16GB LPDDR5X-8533
Storage:	1TB NVMe SSD (512GB NVMe SSD in UK)
Screen:	14-inch 16:10 2.5K (1600p), 300 nit, non-touch IPS
Ports:	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C w/ DP 1.4 and Power Delivery, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 w/ DP 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x combo jack
Battery (WHr):	64 WHr
Wireless:	WiFi 7, BT 5.4
Camera:	1080p@30fps
Weight:	3.42 lbs (1.55kg)
Dimensions:	12.36 x 8.9 x 0.67 ins \| (314 x 226.15 x 16.95mm)

Generally, there aren’t a whole lot of configuration options available for the Dell 14 Plus right now, but the specs you do get – even with the base configurations – are all solid enough for general computing and productivity work, and some models can even manage some modest PC gaming and creative work.

Specs: 4 / 5

Dell 14 Plus: Design

The top lid of the Dell 14 Plus — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Thin and light form factor
Trackpad can be tricky at times
Display isn’t stellar, especially in daylight

The Dell 14 Plus takes a number of design influences from earlier Inspiron laptops and merges them somewhat with the former Dell XPS laptop series, and the end result is a fairly attractive ultrabook for the price.

It doesn’t have the same kind of premium materials that more expensive laptops use, but the 14 Plus doesn’t necessarily feel like a cheap laptop either. Where its design does disappoint me, though, is its keyboard, trackpad, and display.

The keyboard on a Dell 14 Plus — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The keys on the keyboard aren’t bad, but they’re not really great either, and can sometimes feel stiffer than they should. This problem is compounded by the trackpad that isn’t the smoothest, and I’ve found my fingers catching at times from even the light friction of swiping across its surface.

A Dell 14 Plus open to the TechRadar homepage — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The more ‘premium’ 2.5K display on my review unit works fine in an office environment or when sitting on the couch at home, but its 300 nits peak brightness means that it's hard to use if you’re outside, so if you like to work at an outdoor cafe, or sitting in the grass of a college quad, the display is going to be difficult to see clearly in daylight.

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A man sitting in a computer lab — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

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The ports on either side of the Dell 14 plus — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

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The underside of the Dell 14 Plus — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

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A Dell 14 Plus on a desk in front of a house key to demonstrate its thinness — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

You get a decent selection of ports for a laptop this thin and a physical privacy shutter for the webcam, which I love to see. The webcam is 1080p @ 30 fps, which is good enough for most needs, as you can see from my selfie taken with the webcam.

The down-firing speakers aren’t very good, especially if the laptop is sitting on fabric like bedding. They work, though, and conference calls and general audio is fine in most cases. For music and movies, however, I recommend using headphones or one of the best Bluetooth speakers.

Design: 3.5 / 5

Dell 14 Plus: Performance

The Intel Core Ultra 7 sticker on a laptop — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Very good productivity and general computing performance
Hardware isn’t suited for intensive workloads like heavy gaming or video editing
Lags well behind similarly specced MacBook Air models

The Dell 14 Plus is targeted toward office workers, students, and others who need a responsive everyday device for web browsing, video streaming, and the like. In that regard, this laptop does exactly what it should, and does it well.

That’s not to say it's the best, though, as you can see when comparing its benchmark results against something like the MacBook Air 13 (M4), which comfortably outperforms the 14 Plus at pretty much every task.

But the 14 Plus consistently comes in second or third place against several other competing laptops on the market, including the Acer Swift 14 AI, Asus Zenbook A14, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, while also coming in at a lower price point, making it my top pick for the best student laptop of 2025 so far.

Overall, only the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 offers better value for your money than the 14 Plus, which is something I really wasn’t expecting when I started working with the 14 Plus earlier this month, but it's a very welcome surprise.

Performance: 4 / 5

Dell 14 Plus: Battery Life

The battery life indicator on the Windows corner panel — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How long does it last on a single charge? 13 hours, 24 minutes
How long to full charge it to 100%? 2 hours, 30 minutes with the included 65W adapter (1 hour, 4 minutes to charge it to 50%)

If there’s one area in my testing where the Dell 14 Plus came in dead last, it’s battery life, but it’s not as bad as it might sound. While some laptops like the Zenbook A14 can run for just over 18 hours in our Web Surfing Battery Test, the Dell 14 Plus’s nearly 13 and a half hours isn’t terrible, especially given how we were praising laptops like the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 from 2022 for making it longer than eight hours on a single charge.

As for charging time, the 64WHr battery takes a little over an hour to get from fully depleted to 50% using the included 65W USB-C power adapter, but with its Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 ports capable of higher power delivery, a higher-wattage adapter will speed things up.

Battery Life: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Dell 14 Plus?

A Dell 14 Plus on a desk — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Dell 14 Plus Scorecard
Category	Notes	Rating
Value	The Dell 14 Plus offers possibly the best value of any Windows laptop at this price.	5 / 5
Specs	The available specs are generally excellent, especially for the price	4 / 5
Design	Aesthetically, the 14 Plus looks more premium than it is, but its keyboard, trackpad, speakers, and display could be better.	3.5 / 5
Performance	General computing and productivity performance are very good, but it falters under medium-intensity workloads, much less heavy-duty ones like gaming.	4 / 5
Battery Life	Not the longest-lasting battery life on the market, but still capable of many hours of use before you need to recharge.	4 / 5
Final Score	The Dell 14 Plus is a solid general-use and productivity notebook that’s great for work or school, but it makes some compromises to keep its price affordable. The trade-off is generally worth it, in the end.	4.1 / 5

Buy the Dell 14 Plus if...

You want solid productivity and general computing performance
For everyday use, school work, and productivity, the Dell 14 Plus is very good, especially for its price.

You want a laptop that doesn’t look too cheap
Aesthetically, the 14 Plus is a pretty great-looking device for the price, though if you look closely, you can spot its shortcomings.

Don't buy it if...

You need a high-performance laptop
If you’re looking to game or do resource-intensive work like video editing, this laptop won’t get the job done.

You want a really good-looking laptop
While the 14 Plus doesn’t look bad, it can't hold a candle to the most recent MacBook Air or Surface Laptop models.

Also consider

If my Dell 14 Plus review has you looking at other options, here are three other laptops you should consider instead...

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
The most recent Apple MacBook Air 13-inch offers much better performance, battery life, and aesthetics than the Dell 14 Plus, though you’ll pay more for it.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review

Acer Swift 14 AI
For roughly the same price as the 14 Plus, the Acer Swift 14 AI with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip offers similar performance as the Dell 14 Plus with better battery life, but still has Windows app compatibility struggles.

Read our full Acer Swift 14 AI review

Asus Zenbook A14
While its performance lags behind the Dell 14 Plus, the battery life on this thing is unreal, making it a great pick for those who need a laptop that can go the distance.

Read the full Asus Zenbook A14 review

How I tested the Dell 14 Plus

I spent about two weeks with the Dell 14 Plus
I used it mostly for general computing and work tasks
I used our standard laptop benchmark suite for testing, along with other productivity and creative apps

I used the Dell 14 Plus for about two weeks both as an everyday laptop and as a dedicated work device. This involved a lot of writing, general productivity work (like Google Sheets), and some light creative work like photo editing in Adobe Photoshop.

I also put it through our standard benchmark testing suite, which includes industry-standard tools like Geekbench 6, 3DMark, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider's built-in gaming benchmark.

I’ve been testing laptops for TechRadar for more than five years, with dozens of reviews under my belt, so I know what a laptop should be capable of at this price point. As a media professional and former student, I’m also the target audience for this kind of laptop, so I’m well positioned to assess the quality of this device.

First reviewed May 2025

I spent a few weeks testing the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus – if you’re looking for an affordable MacBook Air alternative, this is it

11:00 pm | April 15, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Dell Inspiron | Comments: Off

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441: Two-minute review

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 from the front — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The best way to think of the Dell Inspron 14 Plus 7441 is as a Windows version of a MacBook Air. Not as superpowered as a Dell XPS (or a MacBook Pro), but snappy performance, a thin and light chassis, and long battery life are all features you can expect here.

For the right person, namely someone who wished there was a Windows MacBook Air, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 might be the best laptop for them. Its performance, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, is snappy while being power efficient. The battery life is very, very impressive, even if it doesn’t reach its advertised heights. And as one of the many laptops built in the mold of the clamshell MacBook, it’s thin, light, and encased in an all-aluminum chassis.

It’s also at a similar price point, though it doesn’t get much more expensive at its maxed out configuration. Of course, since it is a tinier bit cheaper, there are elements that feel a little lower quality than I would expect. Namely, the keyboard, touchpad, and audio quality are a bit underwhelming considering the price. They’re all fine, but feel like they belong on a computer a couple hundred dollars cheaper.

Still, the pros vastly outweigh the cons. The quality of the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441’s performance and battery life bode well for future Qualcomm-equipped laptops, and offer a solid alternative to the MacBook Air and other $1,000 Ultrabooks.

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441: Price and availability

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 closed — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

How much does it cost? Starting at $949.99 (about £760 / AU$1,470)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

Since it’s a solid mid-range option utilizing Snapdragon ARM CPUs, it’s no surprise that the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 is available just about everywhere. While it leans more mid-range than a premium Ultrabook, its starting price of $949.99 (about £760 / AU$1,470) feels a little high. I would expect it to be closer to around an $800 / £600 price point.

At the very least, going up in price is not hugely significant. Going from a 256GB to 512GB SSD adds just about $50 to the price. It should be noted that this configuration with the slightly larger drive is the base configuration in the UK and Australia with a price point of $999.99 / £749.99 / AU$1,597.20. Going up to the max configuration with the slightly more powerful Snapdragon X Plus X1E-80-100 CPU and 1 TB SSD goes for $1,099.99 / £899.99 / AU$1,897.50.

For around the same price, you can get the base configuration of the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, which has better battery life and at least equal performance. However, upgrading the RAM or SSD adds quite a bit to its cost – the configuration with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is pricier at $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,099.

If you want more performance in a similarly slim form factor and are okay sacrificing battery life, the slightly older version of the Acer Swift X14 starts at the same price point (the new 2024 version got a bit of a price bump).

Value: 4 / 5

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441: Specs

When it comes to different configurations, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 only allows a small amount of customization. Not including software upgrades (Windows 11 Home vs Windows 11 Pro primarily), you can choose between just two CPUs: the 10-core 3.4GHz Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 and the 12-core 3.4GHz Snapdragon X Plus X1E-80-100 that can be boosted to 4.0 GHz. There are also three SSD options: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The faster CPU and the 1TB SSD are tied together, so if you upgrade one, you have to upgrade the other.

It’s also worth noting that there’s an additional M.2 slot if you want to expand the memory at a later date.

The display that comes with the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 is a 14-inch 1600p screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio and 400 nits of brightness. It’s also a touch screen. Only the one screen is available - no luck if you were hoping to upgrade a mid-tier performance laptop to have an OLED screen.

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441: Design

Utilitarian Ultrabook form factor
Light and thin
Keyboard and touchpad are nothing special

The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 follows in Dell’s Inspiron line insofar that it’s a bit utilitarian in its design. Well, that’s certainly the case here. It fits that Ultrabook mold of trying to compete with Apple’s more entry level laptops, with a focus on non-power users who want a competent, portable, and attractive device. So, then this laptop is thin, light, and comes in an attractive if discreet silver aluminum chassis.

I’ll cover its competence in the next section, but it’s certainly thin at just over a half-inch thick and light at a little over three pounds. You don’t have to worry about portability with this version of the Dell Inspiron. And the aluminum chassis feels sturdy as well if you tend to throw your laptops in a backpack with a case.

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 touchscreen — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

As far as the display goes, it’s a sharp 1600p touchscreen with up to 400 nits of brightness. While HDR is not on hand, the color accuracy is good enough for photo editing with a 97.6% sRGB, though its DCI-P3 color coverage is 69% so video editing, especially with HDR is not a good idea here.

The keyboard is responsive and attractive with its white backlighting, but is a little stiff to touch. I do wish the individual keys had a little more of a concave shape to them as well. Essentially, it’s good enough, but a little below what I would expect for a laptop like this.

The touchpad is likewise good enough. It’s not the smoothest feeling I've used, but it does the job and is as responsive as it should be.

Lastly, the port selection is about par for this form factor. There are two USB-C 4 ports (one of which is taken up by the charger when plugged in), one regular USB port, an audio jack, and a microSD reader. The last one is something you won’t find on a MacBook Air, by the way.

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Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 keyboard and touchpad — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

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Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 right ports — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

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Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 left ports — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Design: 4.5 / 5

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441: Performance

Speedy performance for day-to-day tasks
Has Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for speedy connectivity
Audio and webcam are adequate

The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 and integrated Adreno Graphics are plenty powerful for everyday users. It’s not powerful enough for any real gaming as is to be expected and video editing is going to be an exercise in patience. But, if you need enough power to have 15 tabs open without suffering a slowdown even while streaming, then this laptop can do it.

I was even able to do some light gaming, so if you like to blow off some steam with less demanding titles like Counter-Strike, you shouldn’t have any issues. For most people, the performance on tap is enough.

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441: Benchmarks

3DMark: Fire Strike: 5965; Time Spy: 1903; Wild Life: 16797

GeekBench 6.3 2436 (single-core); 13281 (multi-core)Handbrake 1.8.1: 7:02

CrossMark: Overall: 1234 Productivity: 1145 Creativity: 1383 Responsiveness: 1098

PC Mark 10 Battery Test (Office): 9:55

PC Mark 10 Battery Test (Video): 18:19:44

It’s also pretty quick when it comes to connectivity as it comes with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. That also helps with having those 15-20 tabs open, not to mention that connecting devices should be speedy as well.

The audio and webcam are similar to the keyboard and touchpad in that they’re serviceable, but just that. Again, I would expect slightly better. Starting with the audio, it gets plenty loud, but also gets a bit boomy as the volume goes up.

The webcam is sharp enough at 1080p. The 30 fps it’s capable of is okay, but isn’t the smoothest. Plus, there’s some graininess to it as well. At least, there’s a physical privacy shutter.

Performance: 4 / 5

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441: Battery life

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 angled — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Lasts over 18 hours on a single charge
Takes awhile to charge back up

The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441’s battery life both fails to meet its advertised benchmark, though it's still utterly impressive. When a laptop is supposed to last 21 hours and gets pretty close, it’s quite the feat.

In test, this laptop made it to almost 18 hours and 20 minutes on a single charge. During use, that means I’ve been able to cart this laptop around and use it when needed for three days without plugging it in and still have 50% battery life.

Since the battery life is so long, it does take some time to get back to full. It took me about 35 minutes to back up to 99%. While that’s not bad at all, you’ll want to give it some time to juice back if you get it down to nothing.

Another bright spot with the battery life is the fact that, like MacBooks and unlike many other Windows laptops, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 doesn’t use a whole lot of battery when inactive, but not off. There have been plenty of laptops that I’ve used where the battery life would still drain from when the lid is closed to when the laptop is woken back up.

Battery life: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441?

Buy it if…

You want a very, very long battery life

Partially because of the efficiency of the Qualcomm CPU, the battery life on this laptop is ridiculously long. Even if it doesn’t quite hit the advertised 21 hours, almost 18 and a half hours is very impressive.

You wish you could get a MacBook Air with Windows

If you ever wanted the appointments of a MacBook Air, specifically long battery life and quick performance in a slim package, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 does a very good job of filling that niche.

You want to try an ARM-equipped laptop

If you want something outside of the usual Intel or AMD offerings, the Qualcomm CPU on here provides very good day-to-day performance.

Don't buy it if...

You want premium throughout

There are a few areas, notably the keyboard, touchpad, audio, and webcam, that don’t feel as premium as the rest of the laptop (or its price tag). If you want something without any cut corners, spend a little more on a Dell XPS.

You want the most value possible

The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 is a lot of things, but a value proposition it’s not. The price isn’t bad, but it feels just slightly overpriced, not to mention that it’s more for those that want a competent laptop, not a cheap one.

Also Consider

If our Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...

Acer Swift X14

For around the same price, the Acer Swift X14 offers an interesting alternative. Instead of a more power-efficient and snappier ARM CPU, it comes with a solid one from Intel. But, you also get discrete graphics that can handle gaming and more demanding editing while still retaining the slim form factor. The Acer does have a much shorter battery life.

Read our full Acer Swift X14 review

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)

The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) offers excellent performance with a long battery life thanks to Apple’s own M3 system-on-a-chip, is incredibly lightweight, not to mention attractive, and provides an intuitive user experience. Of course, its base configuration comes with just 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, upgrading either adds quite a bit to the price tag.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review

How I tested the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441

Tested for a couple weeks
Used it for work, gaming, and streaming
Tested the hybrid features

I used the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 for a couple weeks, doing some light gaming, watching some online content, and working on it. I also used it on the go and tested its various features like the webcam and audio.

The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 takes advantage of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon ARM CPUs to offer snappy and efficient performance in an Ultrabook form factor. It’s slightly pricey for what it is, but is ideal for those that want something utilitarian, yet attractive and powerful enough for extended day-to-day work on the go.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.

Dell XPS 13 (Intel Core Ultra 2nd Gen, 2025) review: still one of the best laptops money can buy

3:06 pm | February 18, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: AI | Comments: Off

Dell XPS 13: Two-minute review

The Dell XPS 13 pictured on a white surface in front of a window with two potted plants. — (Image credit: Future)

Dell's XPS 13 laptop line has been kicking about for quite a while now, and it's come a long way. The XPS brand debuted more than two decades ago, with the very first XPS laptop launching back in 2007; needless to say, the latest iteration of the Dell XPS 13 looks and feels far more modern, sharing very little DNA with that first XPS laptop, and it's (almost) flawless.

Sporting the same sleek design we saw in the 2024 Dell XPS 13 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip, the new model basically takes everything that laptop did and does it better, thanks to new Lunar Lake processors from Intel. In our review model, that's the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, which delivers staggeringly good battery life and a general uptick in performance over the Snapdragon model.

When I say staggeringly good, I do mean staggeringly good – I'll get into the details later in this review, but in our video playback test the Lunar Lake XPS 13 clocked in just shy of 24 hours, beating most of the machines on our current list of the best laptops. In terms of general use, it can literally go for days without a charge if you're just doing basic tasks like word processing and answering emails. It feels like a giant middle finger from Dell and Intel to the MacBook Air's generational drops in battery life, and I'm so here for it.

Performance-wise, things are a bit less impressive, but still basically excellent. The laptop ran smoothly no matter what I threw at it, and overall performance in my benchmarking tests exceeded that offered by the previous Snapdragon-powered XPS 13 – and many other laptops at this price point.

Speaking of price, I should probably clarify right now that this isn't a cheap laptop; our review unit is priced at $1,999.99 / £2,049 / AU$3,998.50, placing it squarely in 'premium ultrabook' territory. Still, it delivers great value for money when you look at the specs and performance, with an absolutely gorgeous OLED display

The only reason this isn't an immediate five-star review is the fact that Dell hasn't resolved some issues with the design that I've noticed in previous models, dating back to the 2023 Dell XPS 13 Plus. These are mainly related to usability and accessibility; while the design looks incredible, the edgeless touchpad and lack of physical Fn keys hurt the laptop's functionality a little, stopping it from achieving perfection.

Despite these niggling issues, the new XPS 13 is still an absolutely fantastic laptop that I'd happily use for the next five years or more – how do you feel about letting me keep this one, Dell?

Dell XPS 13: Price and availability

How much does it cost? Starts at $1,199.99 / £1,399 / AU$3,198.80
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

There are multiple configurations of the 2nd-gen Intel Core Ultra version of the XPS 13, with prices starting at $1,199.99 / £1,399 / AU$3,198.80 for the non-touchscreen model. In a strange twist, the Core Ultra 5 configuration is actually $50 more expensive in the US for no discernible reason; elsewhere, that's the cheapest model.

You'll likely at least want a touchscreen and a Core Ultra 7 processor to get the full experience from this laptop, which is what our review unit offers, and that model checks in at a cool $1,999.99 / £2,049 / AU$3,998.50 – certainly not inexpensive, but about par for the course for premium ultrabooks. It is notably more expensive than the latest M3 MacBook Air, which is almost a year old now – in other words, macOS fans likely won't be making the switch to Windows 11 based on this review.

The top-end configuration of the Dell XPS 13 will cost you $2,349.99 / £2,634 / AU$4,899.40, and offers an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V chip, 32GB of RAM, 2TB of SSD storage, and the same lovely 3K OLED touchscreen in my review model.

Price score: 4/5

Dell XPS 13: Specs

Dell XPS 13: Design

Lightweight but sturdy
Looks fantastic
Still has some accessibility issues

Aesthetically speaking, Dell didn't need to change a thing for this new iteration of the XPS 13: it's still rocking the same sleek chassis as last year's model, combining a modern style with a robust traditional clamshell design in either Platinum (featured here) or Graphite colorways.

The screen is the star of the show here: my review unit has the top-spec 3K (2880 x 1800) InfinityEdge OLED touch display, and it's glorious. Colors are bright and vivid, contrast is deep, and picture quality is generally very sharp and detailed. Even in more demanding tests that battered the frame rate a bit (like 3DMark's Time Spy benchmark), it looked magnificent.

The keyboard feels great to type on, with a decent amount of key travel and a satisfying bounce despite the super-thin chassis (it measures just 1.48cm in total thickness), and the cool backlighting makes it easy to use in low-light conditions. Naturally, it features a dedicated Copilot key as well as a fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button.

Unfortunately, I have the aforementioned beef with aspects of the keyboard and touchpad layout. The touchpad is 'invisible', integrated edgelessly into the palm rest, and while it's very responsive, and the palm rejection works perfectly, the lack of tactile edges is actually a little irritating in practice. While testing the XPS 13, I would sometimes unknowingly slide my fingertip past the edge of the pad's sensor range and try to click, to no avail.

These frustrations continue with the function bar above the keyboard, which is actually an LED-backlit touch bar that can swap seamlessly between traditional Fn keys and media keys when you hold down the Fn button. While this is a clever (and rather visually satisfying) solution, the lack of physical feedback is annoying, and in brightly-lit conditions – like working outside on a sunny day – these backlit 'keys' become virtually impossible to actually see. It's annoying, and both of these problems pose accessibility issues for sight-impaired users; not being able to feel a button or the edge of the touchpad with your finger would make using this laptop extremely difficult for a blind or partially-sighted person, even with screen reader tools.

The quad-array speakers and 1080p webcam are both very good – not the best I've ever seen, but perfectly capable of handling high-quality video calls and even playing music or videos out loud. I do generally recommend using a headset over integrated speakers when it comes to laptops (especially for gaming), but these do the job well. The webcam array also features an IR camera for facial recognition logins, although it lacks any sort of privacy shutter or kill switch, which would have been a nice inclusion for security-conscious users.

In terms of overall construction, this is one very sturdy laptop in spite of its thin-and-light design. The outer metal shell is scratch-resistant machined aluminum with a matte finish (though it does pick up fingerprints), and the internal plastic of the keyboard and palm rest feels durable too.

One downside to the overall design is the dearth of physical ports: you get two Thunderbolt 4 USB-Cs, and that's literally it. No USB-A, no Ethernet or video output (although those USB-C ports do support DisplayPort video), no microSD slot, not even a humble 3.5mm audio jack. I get it; USB-C is a great multipurpose connection standard, and this sort of port layout is increasingly common in modern ultrabooks, but if you need to use the laptop while it's plugged in, you're limited to just a single Thunderbolt port, which is a shame. Prepare to buy a USB-C hub if you're planning to connect a lot of devices to your XPS 13, basically.

Design score: 4/5

Dell XPS 13: Performance

Lunar Lake performs excellently
Copilot+ works as advertised

As expected, the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V in my XPS 13 review unit performs admirably, delivering strong performance in virtually every department, helped along by its hefty 32GB of DDR5 memory. It's truly mind-blowing to me how rapidly laptops have improved in the past decade. Speaking as someone who's been testing them for years, being able to play modern games on an ultralight compact laptop like this just feels unreal.

That said, this isn't a gaming laptop – though I'll discuss the graphical performance in a bit – so let's focus on what the XPS 13 is really for: everyday productivity. Across almost all of our synthetic benchmarks, it beats last year's Snapdragon X Elite model handily by a decent margin. Multi-core performance in Geekbench 6.4 was notably a bit weaker, but still good, while single-core performance was stronger.

Dell XPS 13 review: Benchmarks

Here's how the Dell XPS 13 (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, 2024) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark: Night Raid: 34,618; Fire Strike: 9,058; Time Spy: 4,407; Steel Nomad: 889
Cinebench R23: Multi-core: 8,494; Single-core: 1,874
Geekbench 6.4: Multicore: 11,001; Single-core: 2,716
Geekbench AI: Single Precision Score: 2,359; Half Precision Score: 1,217; Quantized Score: 4,811
PCMark 10: 6,827
Crossmark: Overall: 1,839; Productivity: 1,684; Creativity: 2,174; Responsiveness: 1,467
Sid Meier's Civilization VI: (1080p, Ultra): 65fps; (1080p, Low): 155fps
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 23 hours, 26 minutes

In any case, when it came to real-world use, I had zero problems. Opening 20 Chrome tabs and multitasking between them caused no slowdown, and the laptop boots up and wakes from sleep mode incredibly fast. General responsiveness and functionality were excellent. Dell's own pre-installed software is here, naturally, but it's mercifully quite unobtrusive – no bloatware here, besides the usual Windows 11 stuff.

Given that the Core Ultra 7 258V packs an Intel AI Boost neural processing unit (NPU), I put that to the test as well. In the Geekbench AI benchmark, it produced a quantized score of 4,811; a reasonable showing, but weak compared to a system with a discrete GPU for advanced AI processing. However, in practice, Windows Copilot worked quickly and effectively on the XPS 13.

The Dell XPS 13 handled everything I threw at it with relative calm, only spinning up its fans to any noticeable volume during the 3DMark rendering tests. In most tests, I heard barely a whisper from the fans, and general use was completely silent most of the time.

Intel's focus on power efficiency and thermal performance for the 2nd-gen Core Ultra chips has clearly paid off. The laptop barely got warm throughout my entire testing process – opting for a rear exhaust vent rather than the underside vents I often see on ultrabooks was a wise move from Dell, as it means using the laptop on a soft surface (like a duvet, or your own thighs) won't block any heat output.

When it comes to gaming, it's surprisingly viable on the XPS 13: toss in features like Intel XeSS upscaling (or AMD's open-source FSR 3.1), and you can reasonably play the vast majority of PC games on this laptop, even modern titles – just be aware that you'll probably need to tweak down some of the graphical settings in order to get a decent frame rate. This certainly isn't one of the best gaming laptops, but it'll happily stand up to a bit of casual gaming when the workday is done.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Dell XPS 13: Battery

You probably got this from me raving about the battery further up in this review, but wowzers. Yeah, never saying that again. Seriously though, the battery life on this thing is absurd, beating out virtually every other laptop I've tested. Dell promised 24-hour battery life, and I'll be damned if it didn't deliver.

Our battery test involves running a looped 1080p video clip with the laptop set to standard power efficiency mode in Windows 11, with Bluetooth off, the volume at zero, and brightness at 50%. Running on battery power, the XPS 13 shut down after 23 hours and 26 minutes of playback – if you were using it at minimum brightness with additional low-power modes enabled, you could probably stretch it even further.

Granted, this isn't indicative of everyday use; many people will want brightness set to maximum or Bluetooth turned on to support a mouse or headset (because, you know... not enough ports on this bad boy). Still, it's a phenomenal showing that batters most of the competition, and virtually guarantees that this laptop will see you through a full workday.

One thing I really value in a laptop battery is its ability to hold charge when turned off or in sleep mode, and the XPS 13 also excels in this area. After sitting on a desk for several days, unplugged and unused, I cracked it open and found it still had more than 50% battery. Thanks to Thunderbolt 4 power delivery, it also charges very fast, going from empty to 80%-plus in one hour when not in use.

Battery score: 5/5

Should you buy the Dell XPS 13?

Buy it if...

You need long battery life
If you want your laptop to last through a full day's work and then some (or you're just prone to forgetting your charger), then Dell has you covered.

You want something lightweight but powerful
With a thin chassis and low overall package weight, the XPS 13 is a compact powerhouse that doesn't skimp on performance for its lightweight design.

You want to use AI locally
Intel’s Lunar Lake chips bring boosted NPU performance against previous models, so anyone who wants an ultrabook capable of running on-device AI tools should consider the XPS 13.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a tight budget
Even though it backs up its price tag with excellent performance and a strong spec sheet, there's no denying that the Dell XPS 13 is a pricey piece of hardware.

You're sight-impaired
The edgeless touchpad and lack of tactile feedback on the function bar above the keyboard will prove to be a real issue for blind or partially-sighted users – this feels like a case of form over function.

You like plugging stuff in
Two USB-Cs, Dell? That's all we get? A measly showing for physical connectivity, something that won't bother some users but will really irritate others.

Also Consider

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)
The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with M3 is one of the best compact laptops on the market, and its performance is top-notch too – the XPS 13 beats it in some areas, but if you prefer macOS to Windows, this is the one to pick.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review

Dell XPS 17 (9730)
If you want a powerful laptop but would prefer a larger display (and you're not overly concerned about portability), then the Dell XPS 17 is worth a look.

Read our full Dell XPS 17 (9730) review

How I tested the Asus Zenbook S 14

I used the Dell XPS 13 for a week, both for work and personal projects
I ran it through our full suite of benchmarks
I tested the battery using the TechRadar movie test as well as general use

As usual with laptops, my process for reviewing the Dell XPS 13 involved replacing my daily driver with it for a week (usually I'd like a little longer, but deadlines are deadlines). This helps me get a feel for how the laptop handles everyday workloads, as well as giving me a good amount of insight into the build quality and user experience.

Once I'd used the XPS 13 for a little while, I ran it through our grueling gauntlet of synthetic and real-world benchmarking tests, running every test at least three times to produce accurate averages.

Lastly, I always try to play some games on every laptop I review, and the XPS 13's performance genuinely surprised me – I was able to play Warframe and Elite Dangerous with few to no hiccups after a bit of tweaking in the graphical settings, although the demanding Black Myth: Wukong proved a bit much for the integrated graphics in this laptop.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed January 2025

I tested the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 and found a no-frills laptop at a decent price

7:10 pm | February 12, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Comments: Off

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Two-minute review

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 angled with coffee — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

You’re not going to be wowed by the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3. But, if you’re looking for a laptop that’s “good enough,” a phrase you’ll see me use throughout this review, then you might be a fan of this laptop, especially considering that you can get it for fairly cheap.

In fact, its portability, decent enough performance, and pleasant aesthetics, particularly the Abyss Blue colorway, make it a contender for the best budget laptops out there right now. Considering that this is a slightly older model, you most likely will find it at a discount.

Being a more budget-oriented product does mean that it comes with a whole heap of compromises, from a mostly plastic built to shorter battery life and subpar audio quality. But, if you’re looking for one of the best laptops overall, you’ll probably need to spend a little more to get it.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is purely for those people who just need a laptop and want something that’s new, portable, and comes with Windows.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Price and availability

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 angled — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

How much does it cost? Starting at $539.99 / £510 / AU$1,149.00
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The 15-inch version of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is available in the US, UK, and Australia, but, like most things Lenovo, is available in slightly different configurations per territory. For instance, the cheapest version of this laptop, which goes for $539.99 / £510 / AU$1,149.00, is available in the US, whereas the more powerful versions are available in the other territories.

While the highest configuration’s price tag is a bit exorbitant, especially since it’s mostly for more storage, the cheapest configurations make it a good idea for those looking to just get a laptop that’s thin, light, and doesn’t look cheap.

There are other options out there, such as the Acer Aspire 5, that offers a little more in terms of performance and battery life, but is a bit more limited when it comes to ports. It’s also almost half a pound heavier than the IdeaPad Slim 3.

Value: 4.5 / 5

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Specs

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 may be a more budget-oriented model but it still comes with some customizations. For starters, you can choose between three CPUs: the Intel Core 3 100U, Intel Core 5 120U, and the Intel Core 7 150U. The more powerful the processor the snappier the response will be for browsing and day-to-day tasks. There’s also a choice between 8 and 16GB of RAM, though you can only get 8GB with the Intel Core 3 and 16GB with the Intel Core 7 CPU. Lastly, you can choose an SSD ranging from 256GB (there is the ability to just do a 128GB flash drive in the UK) to 1TB of space.

There is some light customization available outside of the internal components as well. You can upgrade from a non-touch to a touch screen. And you can choose whether to pay extra for a fingerprint reader. There’s also a color choice between Abyss Blue (reviewed here) and gray.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Design

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 keyboard and touchpad — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Is thin, light, and looks nice, though it’s not the most premium build
Keyboard and touchpad are fine
Has some appreciated security features like a webcam privacy shutter

Available in either Abyss Blue or gray, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 offers up that distinctive Ultrabook aesthetic. It’s thin, light, and, from afar, looks like a MacBook competitor. Of course, upon closer look, its mid-range bones are more apparent, like the fact that its chassis is made out of plastic.

However, it’s a nice option for people who just need a computer and don’t care about getting something expensive or top-of-the-line. It comes with a decently-sized 15.6-inch display that, at 1080p, is good enough for most people. Plus, that display on upgraded models such as the one reviewed is a responsive touchscreen.

The keyboard falls into the “good enough” camp, as it does the job but isn't particularly special. The keys are a bit stiff to the touch, so may not be a favorite of those typing out long essays. And there’s no backlighting either. At least there’s a numpad. The touchpad is equally fine; it’s accurate and responsive, but isn’t the smoothest to the touch.

Image 1 of 2

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 left ports — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 right ports — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Port-wise, you do get a nice assortment such as there’s an HDMI and SD card reader port, both of which you don’t always get in this caliber of computer. Of course, there’s the typical USB-C and USB-A ports as well as a headphone jack.

Lastly, there are some security features on hand that I do appreciate. Namely, there’s a fingerprint reader on the power button and privacy shutter on the webcam.

Design: 4 / 5

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Performance

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 closed — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Good enough performance for day-to-day work
Webcam is sufficient but limited
Audio is underwhelming

When it comes to performance, the bar is somewhat low for the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 in that it doesn’t need to power demanding programs like games or editing software (if you’re looking for that kind of power, there are plenty of other laptops to consider as this is not one). What it needs to do and does well enough is handle day-to-day tasks such as browsing, streaming, emails, word processing, and the like. And it does those just fine. This laptop is meant for people who “just need a computer” at an affordable price.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Benchmarks

3DMark: Fire Strike: 4113; Time Spy: 1501; Night Raid: 14442

GeekBench 6.3 2469 (single-core); 8549 (multi-core)

Handbrake 1.8: 14:33

CrossMark: Overall: 1445 Productivity: 1459 Creativity: 1504 Responsiveness: 1308

Web Surfing (Battery Informant): 6:14:04

During use, I was able to use it normally with 15 tabs open in a browser, including some streaming, without much of a slowdown other than a split second refresh when switching tabs. The cheapest configuration, with its 6-core Intel Core 3 100U CPU and 8GB of RAM, will probably start to slow after just a couple years as it already has somewhat weak internals. The review configuration, however, has a 10-core CPU and 16GB of RAM, so should offer an additional year of use, in my opinion, before starting to feel slow.

Since this fits into that category of devices that look like an Ultrabook, but are more of a budget laptop, there are some compromises elsewhere. The webcam, for instance, is good enough but at 720p @ 30 fps, is not the sharpest or smoothest. Plus, it does have a little grain to the image in low light settings.

More egregiously, the audio is underwhelming. While this is somewhat typical for budget and mid-range laptops, it’s worth pointing out. There’s not much in the way of bass or high-end, leaving you with a boxy, mid-range quality, like hearing something through a phone. Considering how many people simply stream stuff onto their laptops these days, it’s surprising that this isn’t better.

Lastly, it should be mentioned that, like most budget laptops, this comes with some bloatware.

Performance: 4 / 5

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9: Battery life

Decent but not great battery life
Has fast charging on hand

With a benchmark of six hours and almost 15 minutes, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is not going to win any awards. That length of time is good enough if you need to do a little work on the road, but not enough to get through a full work day without a charge. And it’s pretty low compared to what a lot of thin and light laptops, particularly Ultrabooks (that happen to be a little pricier on the whole), are able to achieve. The only laptops that this really beats out are gaming laptops that have to also supply power to dedicated graphics cards and older models that you probably wouldn’t compare this to in the first place.

On the bright side, there is fast charging on hand so that you can quickly get some extra juice with a short trip to an outlet. I was able to charge back up from 55% after about 40 minutes. So, if you want to go untethered to work while in front of the TV, you have enough battery life on hand and get a quick charge for more while taking a quick break.

Battery life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9?

Buy it if…

You just want a computer

I’m not trying to be facetious. Some people want the Honda Civic equivalent of a laptop that looks good enough and does its job. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 fits that bill.

You want the portability of an Ultrabook without the price or small screen

This laptop offers the kind of portability most people want in a laptop without breaking the bank or limiting screen size.

You’re laptop hunting on a budget

If you’re worried about cash and don’t have any niche needs, you’ll find this laptop to be more than enough for the price.

Don't buy it if...

You want an Ultrabook

Considering that this is a solidly budget product masquerading as a premium one, you might be underwhelmed if you’re expecting an Ultrabook. It might be worth spending the difference for a MacBook Air.

You need long battery life

The battery life for this type of laptop is not what one would expect. It’s just good enough, but won’t make it through an entire day of work on a single charge.

Also Consider

If our Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...

Acer Aspire 5

If you’re willing to deal with a little more weight and a poorer port selection, not to mention skip the attractive Abyss Blue colorway, then the Acer Aspire 5 offers more in terms of performance and battery life than the IdeaPad Slim 3 does.

Read our full Acer Aspire 5 review

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)

If you actually want an Ultrabook, particularly something that still packs a punch in terms of performance and battery life, you’re better off paying a little more and getting the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3). It also provides an intuitive user experience the way most Apple products do. Of course, its base configuration comes with just 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, and upgrading either adds quite a bit to the price tag.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review

How I tested the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9

Tested for a couple weeks
Used it for work, gaming, and streaming
Tested its webcam and audio

I used the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 for a couple weeks, doing some light gaming, watching some online content, and working on it. I also used it on the go and tested its various features like the webcam and audio.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU9 is one of those laptops meant for people who don’t need crazy powerful computers, but instead just need a decent sized screen, good portability, and enough power for normal day-to-day work without costing too much money.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.

First reviewed December 2024

I tried the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid and found it very unique – and very expensive

9:59 pm | February 11, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Real Racing | Comments: Off

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid: Two-minute review

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid separate — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

I don’t know that I’ve ever been as confused by a laptop as I have by the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid. It takes the 2-in-1 concept to a whole new level – one that not many have probably asked for. It’s a powerful laptop, by Ultrabook standards, with a screen that can be pulled off and used as a tablet. To make things even more interesting (see also: confusing), you can press a button to use the Android OS without removing the tablet, essentially interacting with the Android tablet portion as if it was an Android laptop. AND, there’s a few hybrid functions that work across both devices in a way that a separately purchased laptop and tablet just couldn’t.

Confused yet? Hopefully, you won’t be by the end of this review. But, to be fair, while the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 has the bona fides to compare favorably to both the best 2-in-1 laptops and the best Android tablets, it’s not a product that’s right for everyone.

Its unique form factor is most ideal for those that like working specifically in the Windows and Android ecosystems. So, if your tablet needs are met by something made by Apple, this is not going to be for you unless you want to transition over to Android.

That said, it’s a cool concept for those that work in both those operating systems. And, as long as Lenovo keeps the price “discounted,” it’s worth it. Even if it’s not perfectly implemented – there’s no headphone jack on the tablet (the ports are somewhat sparse in general) and the mechanism to dock the tablet back on the hybrid base station is a bit tricky. It’s unique, as both the Windows and Android portions of the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid equation are powerful, and it has a vibrant, sharp 14-inch screen. Plus, it comes with a stylus and it’s kind of cool to type something up (say, maybe this article) on the hybrid station with a monitor while keeping YouTube open for some distraction and procrastination on the tablet.

Confused still?

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid: Price and availability

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid using both devices separately — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

How much does it cost? Starting at $2,040.44 / £1,399.99 (about AU$2,710.00)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US and UK

Considering how unusual the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is and the fact that it not only offers two separate devices that can be used together or separately but two different operating systems, its listed price of $2,040.44 / £1,399.99 is not that bad. It’s what Lenovo advertised when we first covered this device.

What’s so frustrating is that, for a time, especially when I first looked at the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus gen 5 Hybrid, it was listed at a much higher price, specifically $3,518.00 / £2,199.98 (about AU$4,260). Those prices are still listed as the “estimated value,” which is, frankly, insane.

First, you can get a quality Android tablet and computer for that original $2,000 price. Second, the fact that it’s shown as a discounted price means that Lenovo could potentially remove the discount from time to time to sell at the higher price tag.

Now, at the current, “discounted” price, it’s still plenty pricey, but it’s not a hard sell. If you were to get a Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Plus with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage – the same as the one that the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid comes with – you would spend $1199.99, not to mention you would have a smaller 12.4-inch screen. Of course, bigger isn’t always better with tablets as too big can be unwieldy.

Getting something equivalent to the Windows side of the Lenovo in a laptop with an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, 32GB of RAM, and an 1TB SSD, not to mention that the screen (which is also the tablet) is an OLED panel with a 2.8K resolution, is going to cost at least $1,000 if not more.

Assuming that Lenovo really keeps the price at around its current discounted price, it’s worth it if you rely on Android tablets and Windows PCs and want something capable on both fronts for work.

It’s worth noting that it also comes with the Lenovo Tab Pen Plus and an easel stand for the tablet. Unfortunately, it’s not currently available in Australia.

Value: 4 / 5

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid: Specs

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid only comes in one configuration. The base, which houses the Windows-related components, comes with a powerful Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and Intel Arc integrated graphics. While there are no RAM and SSD customizations, at least Lenovo offers up a good amount with 32GB and 1TB, respectively.

The tablet is also suitably souped up with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ mobile CPU, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. That’s on par with the most powerful Android tablets on the market right now.

Likewise, there are no customizations on the exterior either. At least you get a sharp 14-inch OLED panel with a 2.8K (2880 x 1800) resolution and 100% DCI-P3 color coverage, though at 60Hz. It’s also available just in the one standard aluminum gray that most sleek laptops come in.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid: Design

Limited ports including no headphone jack on tablet
Screen can be removed to use separately as a tablet, while base still works as a Windows machine
Comes with an accurate and sensitive stylus

When the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is in its standard laptop mode with the screen attached, it’s surprisingly normal looking. In fact, it’s a bit thick when closed as the hybrid station is a little over a third of an inch thick and the screen is just under a third. It almost looks a little dated if you’re not looking closely.

If you do look closely however, you’ll start to see the differences. For one, the keyboard has its own button to switch between Windows and Android operating systems – something you won’t find anywhere else. In fact, there’s a whole hybrid system that I’ll discuss in performance.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid hybrid station — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

You’ll see the large vents on the sides of the hybrid station as well as the single USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports on each side, not to mention a mic/headphone jack on the left side. The tablet itself just has a USB-C port that’s hidden when attached to the hybrid station – there’s unfortunately no headphone jack on it, even if you can connect a pair via Bluetooth.

You’ll probably notice, like I did, that the display is quite stiff. It’s so stiff, in fact, that I thought I was going to break it the first time I tried to close it (I didn’t). This is in stark contrast to many 2-in-1 laptops, where the hinge is a little too loose so the screen sometimes sags, all in the name of making it easy to fold into one of the other modes.

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Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid left ports — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

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Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid right ports — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

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Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid tablet port — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Where it really sets itself apart is when you pull the display off the base. When removed, the hybrid station can still be used as a Windows machine – you just need to plug it into a monitor via one of the USB-C ports.

The keyboard is fine enough to use and the trackpad is accurate enough that no matter how you’re using this computer, you won’t feel the need to grab an external anything. I won’t say that they’re the best I’ve used on a laptop, but they do the job and don't seem to have any noticeable shortcomings.

The tablet itself is a bit bulky as you’re still holding what’s basically a 14-inch screen, though it is a sharp one with a 2.8k resolution and a 100% DCI-P3. That’s good enough for some editing work. Plus, as a touch-screen, it’s very accurate.

Besides its large size, which can be a boon for some and cumbersome for others, the only other issue is the fact that it has just one USB-C port and no input jack for headphones, even if you can connect to it via Bluetooth. At least it has four 1-watt speakers (the hybrid station has an additional two 2-watt ones for a total of six speakers in regular laptop mode).

This package does come with an easel stand and stylus to make it a bit easier to use. A quick note on the stylus, which is the Lenovo Tab Pen Plus. It’s very accurate as well as sensitive, since it has “4,096 levels of pressure and tilt detection,” not to mention the fact that it has very palm rejection. Lastly, the stylus can magnetically clip onto the back or side of this device.

Design: 4 / 5

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid: Performance

Both devices are powerful in their own right
Cross-integration between devices is unique
Can be used as an Android laptop

Whether you use it as a laptop, tablet, or some kind of in-between cross-pollinated system, the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is fairly powerful.

The hybrid station houses all the internal components related to the Windows portion of the experience, with an Intel Core Ultra 155H CPU, 32GB of RAM and 1 TB of solid state storage. Some discrete graphics would have taken this even further, but as it is, it can handle everything this side of video games and video editing. I was able to open 15 tabs, including four streaming videos on YouTube, without any slowdown in loading or even switching between tabs. I was even able to do some light gaming, but nothing all that taxing. It is powerful enough to do some photo editing.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid: Benchmarks

3DMark: Fire Strike: 7798; Time Spy: NA; Port Royal: 1584

GeekBench 6.3 1702 (single-core); 10693 (multi-core)

PCMark10: 6826

Handbrake 1.8.1: 3:52

CrossMark: Overall: 1629 Productivity: 1559 Creativity: 1822 Responsiveness: 1328

PC Mark 10 Battery Test (Office): 9:55

PC Mark 10 Battery Test (Video): 5:43

The tablet with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ mobile CPU, 12GB RAM, and 256 SSD of storage is pretty powerful for an Android tablet. It has no problem playing demanding games like Real Racing. Opening a bunch of tabs in Chrome (I stopped at ten) is speedy. Really, it can handle anything you could ask of an Android tablet. It even has a 1080p front-facing and 13MP back-facing camera. The front facing camera can be used with Windows for video conferencing and the like. It also has a physical shutter – always a nice touch.

Being able to use the hybrid base station and Android tablet as two devices is pretty cool, but what truly elevates the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid past just owning a Windows and Android device purchased separately – beyond the fact that they combine like a Transformer – is how the two devices still integrate on a software level.

The main way that they interact is through the Hybrid Folder that they share. You can put files of all sorts in there and they will sync to the other device, whether they’re physically attached or not.

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Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid app hybrid stream — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

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Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid app shared folder — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

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Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

There’s also Hybrid Stream, which requires the tablet to be used as the only monitor, that lets you open a window to interact with the Android OS, while still using the Windows OS. It does run at a very slight delay, but is a cool way to access some Android-specific features without having to grab a second monitor to keep toiling away in the land of Bill Gates and Paul Allen.

Freestyle is an app that takes this cross-platform integration in a different direction, allowing you to mirror or extend your display, if you’re using an external one, to the tablet, basically turning into a second monitor. It’s pretty cool, though extending the display is a bit laggy. The app also allows you to share files directly between the two devices if you don't want to go the Hybrid folder route, as well as stream apps from one device to the other. Of course, the screen mirroring and extension is probably the most important functionality with this app.

Another way to use the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is by pressing the Insert button, which also functions as a way to switch between the two operating systems without pulling out the screen, meaning that you can essentially use this device as an Android laptop. And it works fairly seamlessly for navigating as long as you’re not launching apps that need you to hold the tablet in your hand, such as a video game where you’re tilting the screen.

As mentioned before, there are a lot of speakers built into this device so that the hybrid station and the tablet can both emit sound. On their own, they do the job but are fairly thin. When used as a laptop, the Lenovo will use all six speakers. It’s not an audiophile experience by any means, but it’s much louder and fuller than you generally get with laptops. There’s still a small amount of hollowness, probably due to the fact that all the speakers are pretty small.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid: Battery life

Up to ten hours of battery life in hybrid station
Tablet has about eight hours of battery life

The battery life on the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is not going to wow anyone. But considering the unique form factor on display here, getting ten hours of use is pretty good, not to mention that the tablet itself can go eight. That said, it only got about ten hours in the PC Mark10 Office Battery test. In the PC Mark 10 Battery Test focusing on video, the results were five hours and 43 minutes. Depending on how you use it, you might not get a full day’s worth of battery without charging back up.

Since it can be charged via USB-C, it can charge back up relatively quickly. It’s worth noting that the tablet will keep itself charged up when docked to the hybrid station.

Battery life: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid?

Buy it if…

You use both Windows and Android devices

This was tailor-made for those that use Windows laptops and Android tablets. While that might not be a lot of people, the execution here is good enough that it’s worth considering.

You want something different

Even if your computing life doesn’t revolve around Android and Windows, if you’re looking for a different computing experience, this is about as unique as it gets.

You want a sharp, vibrant display

The OLED touchscreen here, even without considering the fact that it’s a tablet, looks very good and is certainly a pro for the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on any kind of a budget

At its lowest price, it might be cheaper than getting a top-of-the-line Ultrabook and Android tablet, but it’s still out of reach for many. When it’s not discounted, it’s not worth it to anyone.

You don’t use Android

If you’re not big into tablets or use iPads, this product is not worth it. If you’re looking for something unique, you’re better off considering the dual-screen Lenovo Yoga Book 9i.

Also Consider

If our Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...

Lenovo Yoga Book 9i

If you want a different computing experience, but don’t care about the tablet portion of the device reviewed here, consider the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i instead. It’s a similar price, but comes with two OLED panels that can be used in portrait or landscape mode, giving you the ability to double your screen real estate in laptop form.

Read our full Lenovo Yoga Book 9i review

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)

Sometimes a more classic form factor is the right way to go. The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) has excellent performance with a long battery life, is a great looking laptop that’s incredibly lightweight, and doesn’t come with a learning curve to make the most of it.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review

How I tested the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid

Tested for four weeks
Used it for work, gaming, and streaming
Tested the hybrid features

I used the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid for four weeks, doing some light gaming, watching some online content, and working on it. I used it in its various forms, whether as a laptop, tablet, Android laptop, or attached to an external monitor. I spent some time with its features as well, most notably the hybrid ones that are unique to this device.

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is an interesting machine as it’s for a very select group of people who use Windows laptops and Android tablets and are looking for a way to invest in one machine that can cover both needs.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.

First reviewed February 2025

For more Lenovo devices, we've reviewed and rounded up the best Lenovo ThinkPad laptops.

Asus Zenbook S 14 review: the Lunar Lake laptop delivers power and beauty at a price

10:27 pm | September 27, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: AI | Comments: Off

Asus Zenbook S 14: Two-minute review

The Asus Zenbook S 14 with its lid closed on a desk next to a cactus — Thin and powerful (Image credit: Future)

The Asus Zenbook S 14 has given us our first real look at what an Intel Lunar Lake laptop is capable of, and we’re definitely impressed by what we’ve seen.

Its ceralumium design is stunning, with the material boasting a rugged nature in a lightweight and slim package (coming in at 1.2kg / 2.7lbs and a thickness of 1.2cm / 0.5 inches). Best of all, it doesn’t get easily ruined by fingerprint smudges – something which can’t be said for many other laptops we’ve tested.

The 14-inch 3K 120Hz OLED display is also beautiful, offering a fluid experience as you scroll through page after page, and a great screen for watching a film after a busy day of work. Unfortunately, the 14-inch screen size can feel a little cramped the moment you want to run two windows side-by-side.

I also wish it had a few more ports. The five the Zenbook S 14 offers isn’t always enough, and I would have been happy to sacrifice some sleekness to sneak in an extra USB port and maybe an SSD card slot.

Performance-wise there’s less to complain about. In our benchmarks and real world tests, the Asus Zenbook S 14 performed very well, and we have no doubt it’ll serve you well as a productivity machine – even when you’re trying to complete several tasks on the PC at once.

Though if you’ve been drawn in by Intel’s boasts about Lunar Lake’s gaming performance, don’t get it twisted. While this machine can run titles like Cyberpunk 2077, you're not getting any higher than the lowest graphical settings, so if gaming prowess is something you value I’d highly recommend looking elsewhere (especially at this price - more on that in a moment).

The AI side of things are a little trickier to test right now, because while this machine is Copilot+ ready thanks to Lunar lake’s superb NPU, Copilot+ itself isn’t ready – the new features don’t arrive until November. Though when they do arrive, this laptop should have the specs to handle everything Microsoft wants to throw at it.

However this power and beauty comes at a price – $1,499.99 / £1,599 / AU$3,399 for the standard Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor 258V, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD storage model to be precise. And in the UK things can get even pricier; this review has us testing out the £1,749 model, which boasts a 1TB SSD, 32GB of RAM, and an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V Processor.

Asus Zenbook S 14: Price and availability

How much does it cost? Starts at $1,499.99 / £1,299 / AU$3,399
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The Asus Zenbook S 14 has a few model variants depending on where you live. The standard model available in the US, UK, and Australia costs $1,499.99 / £1,599 / AU$3,399 and nets you an Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor 258V, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

In the UK you can also find a more affordable £1,299 model which sports an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V Processor , 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. There's a top of the line model as well with a 1TB SSD, 32GB of RAM, and an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V Processor which costs £1,749. At the time of writing, there’s no word yet when these models (especially the souped up Ultra 9 model) will make it to other regions.

This review was conducted using the top of the line specs, so I can get a feel for what Asus’ best Zenbook S 14 model is capable of.

Asus Zenbook S 14: Specs

Asus Zenbook S 14: Design

The Asus Zenbook S 14 viewed from behind, showing off its back shell — Fingerprint free (Image credit: Future)

Ceralumium finish looks beautiful
Lightweight and durable
Too few ports

This slim and lightweight laptop (weighing in at 1.2kg / 2.7lbs and measuring just 1.2 cm / 0.5 inches thick) is ideal for sticking in your rucksack and carrying with you all day with little challenge.

But being lightweight doesn’t mean it isn’t durable. The Zenbook S 14 is clad in Asus’ new ceralumium material which it says combines the best properties of ceramic and aluminum to create a portable yet resilient laptop, which also looks gorgeous. Our Computing Editor Christian Guyton likened the laptop’s look and feel to an ancient Roman tablet in these regards and I can absolutely see where he’s coming from. Oh, and did we mention ceralumium is 100% recyclable, which Asus says is part of its more sustainable approach to making tech.

Beyond aesthetics, one of my favorite aspects of the new ceralumium finish is that it doesn’t get easily marked by fingerprints. My partner uses an older Asus Flip and the back is always looking smudgy. The Zenbook S 14 on the other hand is looking as clean as the day I unboxed it – if you ignore the touchscreen.

Speaking of, I love the touchscreen. I like to pretend I’m a laptop purist who just wants to rely on a classic mouse (or trackpad) and keyboard to navigate menus, but every time I try a touchscreen PC I find it so convenient, and I got so used to it with the S 14 that when I swapped back to my personal PC I actually tried to swipe on my regular monitor like a fool.

It’s time for me to accept that touchscreen laptops aren’t just a gimmick, though remember to clean your screen every so often.

And it’s worth keeping the screen clean as the 14-inch 3K 120Hz OLED display looks beautiful. It’s perfect for watching a movie or show after a long day’s work – with the OLED providing perfect contrast in those dark scenes that are tough to follow on typical LCDs – and the refresh rate makes scrolling through pages a more fluid experience. Though if you’re trying to run two windows side by side the 14-inch screen can feel a little cramped.

The Asus Zenbook S 14 viewed from the side to show off its HDMI, USB-C, and audio jack ports — Not too bad for ports on this side (Image credit: Future)

Ports-wise, the Asus Zenbook S 14 boasts five of them – an HDMI 2.1 port, two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, and a 3.5mm audio port on the left, and a 3.2 Gen 2 USB Type-A port on the right.

I would have liked at least one more USB Type-A port so I wouldn’t have to unplug my mouse whenever I want I want to use an external drive, and don’t feel the extra couple of millimeters it would have added would ruin the S 14’s sleekness. Granted, you can always supplement the Zenbook's ports with one of our picks for the best USB-C hubs as a simple solution.

Design score: 4/5

Asus Zenbook S 14: Performance

Lunar Lake performs well even under pressure
Ready for Copilot+ to launch

The Asus Zenbook S 14 I’ve been testing is powered by the Intel Core Ultra 9 288V chipset from its latest Lunar Lake chip release. Throw in 32GB of RAM and it’s no wonder this laptop was able to perform well in our benchmarks – save for an oddly disappointing Geekbench score, I ran it a few times and it performed consistently at this level.

Asus Zenbook S 14 review: Benchmarks

Here's how the Asus Zenbook S 14 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark: Night Raid: 28,199; Fire Strike: 7,124; Time Spy: 3,619
Cinebench R23: Multi-core: 9,195; Single-core 1,822
Geekbench 6.3: Multicore: 10,615; Single-core: 2,565
PCMark 10: 6,954
Crossmark: Overall:1,759 ; Productivity:1,596 ; Creativity: 2,127 ; Responsiveness: 1,334
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 20 hours, 22 minutes

Regardless, the Asus handled everything I threw at it with aplomb – even that one time I was listening in on a video team meet, while also running Lofi Girl’s YouTube livestream for some relaxing tunes, and had plenty of other tabs open in the background that I needed to help me research an article I was typing up.

It’s responsive too, booting up speedily and opening up apps without leaving me waiting around for noticeable periods. Though I did have some issues loading up some of the benchmarking tools when I started testing it – since then however, I can report I faced zero hiccups.

You’ll also find this machine is equipped with a powerful NPU (it can perform 48 trillion operations per second) for handling AI tasks, plus a dedicated button for calling on Windows Copilot (and Copilot+ when it launches later this year) when you want to talk with the chatbot. Asus says this NPU helps to deliver a 173% better AI performance compared with last gen’s Intel chips, so if you care about onboard AI efficiency, it’s an important factor to consider.

The Asus Zenbook S 14 viewed from its other side to show off one USB port — Another USB port wouldn't hurt (Image credit: Future)

While this laptop is not a gaming machine, I did give it a whirl with a few personal favorites including Marvel Snap and Cyberpunk 2077 to see how well it could do – the latter of which was the title Asus used in its announcement presentation to explain the performance improvements offered by the new Lunar Lake chipset.

With every graphics setting at its lowest option – at higher settings things were noticeably choppy – and my PC’s power settings at Best Performance, I was able to successfully explore Night City and complete a few missions without much issue. A dedicated external mouse is a must, and the laptop did run hot, but it did work even if the experience was a little rough around the edges.

If gaming is a priority, you’ll be far better served by the best gaming laptops, but if you like to occasionally amuse yourself every so often and aren’t concerned with graphical or performance excellence this Zenbook does a passable job.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Asus Zenbook S 14: Battery

When Asus announced its latest range of laptops, one standout feature was the Zenbook’s battery life, which under the company’s offline movie test conditions achieved a total runtime of 27 hours. In our version, we didn’t get quite as much juice out of it, but it was still phenomenally impressive – clocking in at 20 hours and 22 minutes.

In a more real world test, once it was back up to 100% battery I took it out on a press trip which had me traveling all day. I took my charger with me just in case, but ended up not needing it. The laptop easily survived the day trip, and went until about 3pm the next day, at which point the Zenbook S 14 alerted me that it was time to plug it back in because its battery was starting to run low.

Battery score: 5/5

Should you buy the Asus Zenbook S 14?

Buy it if...

You need a big battery
If you need a laptop that can easily go a whole working day without needing a recharge then this machine will serve you well.

You need something light and powerful
At 1.2kg / 2.7lbs and just 1.2 cm / 0.5 inches thick, this Asus machine is super portable, yet still manages to deliver a punchy performance.

You care about AI
Intel’s Lunar Lake chips pack a serious AI performance upgrade compared with last gen’s models. If this is an area you care about you’ll want a laptop that packs one like the Zenbook S 14.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
While this PC has a solid performance to back up its price tag, $1,499.99 / £1,599 / AU$3,399.00 isn’t cheap. If you’re on a budget you’ll need to wait for a sale or find a different laptop.

Gaming is a priority
Yes the Zenbook S 14 can technically run games like Cyberpunk 2077 (if you crank the graphics settings all the way down), but if gaming is near the top of your priority list, this ain’t the laptop for you.

You want plenty of ports
Slimmer laptops like this often sacrifice a few ports as they simply aren’t thick enough to accommodate them, and from my experience, one sole USB Type-A port can be inconvenient at times.

Also Consider

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M3)
The Apple MacBook Air 15-inch with M3 is one of the best lightweight laptops on the market, and its performance is top-notch too.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M3) review

Dell XPS 17 (9730)
If you want a powerful laptop and aren't so concerned with portability, then the Dell XPS 17 is one to check out.

Read our full Dell XPS 17 (9730) review

How I tested the Asus Zenbook S 14

I tested the Asus Zenbook S 14 laptop for two weeks
Tested it using productivity and creative applications and benchmarks
Stress-tested the battery using the TechRadar movie test

With any new laptop, I start by swapping it in for my work PC so I can get a feel for how it handles day-to-day workloads and get it warmed up. I then pass it through the gauntlet of TechRadar benchmark tests to see how its processor handles them, and get a sense for how long the battery lasts.

Because it's a portable laptop, I also made sure to take the Asus Zenbook S 14 on any press trips or when I commuted into the office to verify if it's lightweight enough for this task. I also made sure to keep an eye on its ventilation, and how hot the machine can get especially with high-stress tasks.

To round things off, I made sure to play a mix of games on the machine, something I was especially keen to try after seeing Lunar Lake's gaming credentials boasted about in several conferences.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed September 2024

LG Gram 17 (2024) review: a large, light laptop hamstrung by lots of noise and heat

6:56 pm | September 23, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: PC | Comments: Off

LG Gram 17: Two-minute review

The LG Gram 17 is a large but super-light and thin laptop, promising premium productivity performance in a portable package.

Design-wise, the LG Gram 17 is clean and sleek, keeping all its angles and surfaces as minimal as possible. As for build quality, the plastic body doesn’t inspire much confidence, although there’s no denying it saves weight. I found the hinge for the lid very loose, resulting in the display repeatedly rebounding on opening the laptop, which in my mind casted doubt over its durability.

The IPS display is certainly large, but it isn't exactly vibrant. Colors are rendered perfectly well, but LED and OLED displays are usually more impressive, even those with the same 2K resolution of the LG Gram 17. However, it does excel at preventing glare, as per LG's claims; I tried using it in various areas around my living space to produce some unfavorable angles for sunlight, and couldn't catch it out – it remained clear in most conditions.

In terms of performance, the LG Gram 17 handles the tasks it’s designed for with aplomb. The model on test was equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 and 32GB of RAM. It made short work of spreadsheet creation and word processing, and could deal with light photo editing. It also played back HD and 4K video content with ease.

During our benchmarking, it outperformed many of the best laptops – such as the Microsoft Surface 7 – for productivity. However, it wasn’t as impressive when it came to GPU workloads, including gaming. The Intel Arc GPU can’t match other high-end GPUs, such as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 in the Dell XPS 17 (9730) we tested.

Mercifully, the LG Gram 17 is mostly free from the bloatware that can plague other Windows laptops. LG’s software suite is mixed in terms of usefulness, but it wasn’t too intrusive or resource-heavy. The most egregious app was LG Recovery and Update, but this only popped up occasionally, and offered desirable updates when it did – although it did fail to make clear that some updates will cause the system to shut down without notice.

The most useful tool in the suite is LG Gram Link, which allows you to connect mobile devices to transfer files and mirror screens both ways. You can also use it to control your mobile device with the LG Gram 17’s trackpad and keyboard. For the most part, all these functions work as intended, although lag and slowdown can be an issue at times.

The battery is very good for this class of laptop, lasting more than 12 hours in our tests, which involved a battery benchmark using PCMark, in addition to running a 1080p 30fps video on a continuous loop. For comparison, the Dell XPS 17 (9730) only managed a little over nine hours, while the Microsoft Surface 7 quit after 10 hours.

One of the major problems with the LG Gram 17, though, is the noise and heat it generates under load. This was apparent even during setup, with the fans whirring up near the start of the process. The low-pitched hum would then elevate during heavy workloads, to the point of becoming distracting. The underside and the keys also became very hot to the touch, giving me cause for concern.

Another issue that severely hampers the LG Gram 17 is the keyboard. Although I usually welcome the inclusion of a number pad, here it forces the character keys too far to the left, creating an awkward typing position. It also means the palm of your right thumb rests on the trackpad, with movements being registered as cursor swipes and sometimes even taps. In addition, the keys, while they feel satisfying and pleasant to tap, can sometimes fail to register, especially the "o" key, which caused me no end of frustration.

This is a hotly contested space, and you'd expect the LG Gram 17 to deliver on its premium promises given the price it commands. However, there are simply better value alternatives that offer not just lightning performance, but also a better design and user experience.

If you’re after a large laptop with plenty of power, then the Dell XPS 17 (9730) is a solid choice. If you want a smaller form factor but still want performance, then our current pick as the best laptop around, the Microsoft Surface 7, would be a great alternative.

LG Gram 17: Price & availability

back of LG Gram 17 — (Image credit: Future)

£1,999 (about $2,640 / AU$3,910)
Available in three colorways
High-end specs

The LG Gram 17 costs £1,999 (about $2,640 / AU$3,910) and is available now. It arrives in your choice of three finishes – black, white, or charcoal gray – and it can be had with between 16-32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and a 1TB or 2TB NVMe SSD. As for graphics, you have a choice of either an Intel Arc or Intel Iris XE Graphics GPU.

At this price, the LG Gram 17 is competing in the premium sector, rubbing shoulders with the likes of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 – which, in our view, is the best business laptop . That machine is superbly built with an excellent keyboard and display. Specs-wise, it does come in behind the LG Gram 17, and so do its costlier range-topping variants. However, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 is durable and built to last, delivering your money’s worth.

At the other end of the market sits the Acer Travelmate P4, which can be had for as little as $400. For that, you do get lesser specs, with older CPUs and no NVMe SSD options, but we still found it to be a very competent performer.

If you desperately want a 17-inch display, then we think the Dell XPS 17 (9730) is the best laptop with a large screen. It’s also replete with Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs, perfect if you’re after serious gaming and content creation pedigree.

LG Gram 17: Specs

LG Gram 17 closed on desk — (Image credit: Future)

LG Gram 17: Design

Close-up of LG Gram 17 trackpad — (Image credit: Future)

Very light for a large laptop
Number pad compromises ergonomics
Keystroke and trackpad issues

As with many Windows laptops in recent years, the LG Gram 17 takes design cues from Apple’s MacBook line. It keeps to a minimal aesthetic, with clean edges and surfaces unsullied by unnecessary bulges or protrusions.

However, almost immediately on opening its lid my confidence in the build quality of the LG Gram 17 was sapped. The hinge is incredibly loose, meaning the display ricochets like a pendulum. It could be argued this is the price you pay for such an effortless mechanism, but I don’t think this bodes well for its longevity.

In fact, the premium feel is lacking from the entire chassis – although, again, this may be the sacrifice for keeping the LG Gram 17's weight down. And for a 17-inch laptop, it's impressively light and thin, which makes traveling with it far less hassle than it otherwise would; it slotted nicely into my backpack for my commute to the office, and I didn’t feel overburdened. There’s no doubt that as large laptops go, the LG Gram 17 is one of the most portable around.

The keys are compact and well made. The trackpad is highly engineered and large, too, with a very smooth surface that creates little friction. This makes for pleasant and precise swipes and gestures.

As fond as I am of number pads, incorporating one in the LG Gram 17 does compromise its ergonomics. It means the character keys are forced over to the left, which I found made the typing position more awkward, with my right hand closer to the left than I’m used to.

It’s welcoming to see a large screen that isn’t compromised by a thick bezel. What's a shame, though, is how much the bezel protrudes on the LG Gram 17, with the display itself set quite far back – another area where you can tell corners have been cut, and where it fails to live up to the sleekness of Apple’s laptops, despite its attempts to emulate their style.

LG Gram 17 keyboard — (Image credit: Future)

The display itself uses IPS technology, which produces a fine enough image. However, it fails to impart a level of sharpness you'd expect from the 2L/ WQXGA resolution. On smaller screens that same resolution looks sharp and sleek, but that fidelity starts to deteriorate once it’s stretched out to 17-inch. However, what can be said in its favor is its anti-glare properties, which do indeed help to retain visibility even in bright sunlight.

As for port selection, the LG Gram 17 has two USB-C and two USB-A ports, the former pair on the left and the latter on the right. There’s also a headphone output, a microSD card slot, and an HDMI port. Oddly, the latter is located before the USB-C ports, meaning that your charging cable will be plugged in closer to the front than you'd expect, which might upset those who are particular about cable management.

The keys are well damped with just enough travel, making for a snappy and satisfying feel. However, all too frequently my keystrokes would fail to register, in particular when hitting the "o" key, for reasons I struggle to fathom. As a conservative estimate, I'd say that more than half the time presses would result in nothing appearing on-screen.

Another typing issue is the aforementioned position of the character keys. As well as making the hand position awkward, it also resulted in my right thumb palm resting on part of the trackpad. Occasionally, this would cause swipes and taps to register.

For any laptop, these two issues pose a major obstacle for getting work done. However, for one such as the LG Gram 17, designed with productivity in mind, it’s close to unforgivable. These may just be personal issues, with others unaffected; but I’ve never had typing issues to this degree on other laptops I’ve tried.

Conversely, I also experienced too many occasions where the trackpad would fail to register taps I performed deliberately. However, in other aspects, the trackpad is great to use. It’s smooth and accurate, while swipes and gestures are easy to perform consistently, thanks to the responsiveness.

LG Gram 17: Performance

The LG Gram 17 is fast when it comes to performing most productivity tasks. Everything from knocking out spreadsheets and word processing to low-key photo editing is within reach. And, when it comes to downtime, video playback is fast and smooth, even with 4K content. The Intel Core Ultra 7 certainly appears to live up to expectations.

LG Gram 17: Benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 16,752; Fire Strike: 6,131; Time Spy: 2,908
Cinebench R23: 1,595 (single-core); 9,746 (multi-core)
GeekBench 6.3: 2,198 (single-core); 11,358 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Home test): 6,039
PCMark 10 (Battery test): 5,477
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 12 hours, 12 minutes

For more intensive workloads, the LG Gram 17 is somewhat inconsistent. In our benchmarking tests, it scored well on office-based tasks. It beat the Microsoft Surface 7 in the PCMark Home test, although it did lose to it in GeekBench single- and multi-core tests with considerably lower scores.

For more graphics-heavy workloads, scores weren’t so great either. The LG Gram 17 still beat the Surface 7, but in our Dell XPS 17 (9730) review, this laptop performed far better – not exactly surprising, given the LG Gram 17 I had to test came with an Intel Arc GPU, rather than an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 featured in the XPS 17 (9730) we tested.

Thankfully, the LG Gram 17 keeps the bloatware to a minimum, with only a handful of LG apps preinstalled. Most of these function well for the most part, and refrain from eating into performance or bombarding you with notifications. The LG Recovery and Update can intrude at times with notifications; but, thankfully, most of them are worthy of your attention.

Other LG apps include ThinQ, which, quite frankly, seemed redundant, only letting me contact support; and LG Gram Link, which lets you connect with your mobile device, allowing for file sharing to screen mirroring. Both function well, although the mobile app did have trouble connecting to my network until an update fixed the issue.

LG Gram 17 right side ports — (Image credit: Future)

Mirroring my phone screen on the LG Gram 17 worked well, but keyboard and trackpad inputs were sluggish. You can also duplicate and extend the LG Gram 17 display on your smartphone, and this is more responsive, although I think it would be better to mirror on a tablet than a small smartphone screen. Using the keyboard and trackpad to control my phone was also responsive during my tests, although for some reason I wasn’t able to scroll web pages on the Chrome mobile app.

One of the chief annoyances I had with the LG Gram 17 was the noise. Occasionally – and especially when setting up – there would be a low-end hum, elevating to a higher pitch and louder volume under more intensive workloads. I was almost convinced it was the sound of a hard disk, as it sounded very similar.

After the initial setup, fan noise became less frequent, but would still rear its ugly head from time to time. In addition, the base of the LG Gram 17 would also on occasion become hot, which would be uncomfortable if using the machine on your lap. Sometimes, even the keys themselves became hot to the touch. This was a real cause for concern, and didn’t instill me with much confidence to use the LG Gram 17 for heavy workloads over long stretches.

As far as the speakers go, they perform well enough, offering a balanced sound without distortion. They don’t have much impact, but compared to most other laptops, they acquit themselves admirably.

LG Gram 17: Battery

LG Gram 17 left side ports — (Image credit: Future)

Although LG doesn’t provide a figure for the battery life of the Gram 17, it does claim it to be “ultra-long”. During my tests, I found it could handle more than a whole day’s worth of work.

I tested the battery life by using the 3DMark benchmarking tool, as well as playing a 1080p 30fps video on a loop. From a full charge, the LG Gram 17 lasted an impressive 12 hours and 12 minutes before shutting down.

This means the LG Gram 17 eclipses the Microsoft Surface 7, our current pick as the best laptop overall, which lasted about 10 hours during our tests. It also beats our pick for the best large laptop, the Dell XPS 17 (9730), which managed 9 hours and 5 minutes.

Should you buy the LG Gram 17?

LG Gram 17 Intel Evo sticker — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want something large but light
It’s impressive how the LG Gram 17 manages to fit a big display in such a light package, making it a lot easier to travel with than you might expect.

You’ll be using it for work
The LG Gram 17 handles office-based tasks well, including intensive ones. It’s also very capable of entertaining you with its hi-res content streaming pedigree.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
There’s no getting away from it: the LG Gram 17 is expensive, and there are cheaper alternatives out there that offer the same performance.

LG Gram 17: Also consider

How I tested the LG Gram 17

Tested for one week
Performed various tasks and benchmarking
Plentiful experience with PC laptops

I tested the LG Gram 17 for about a week, trying out its features and functions. I used it for a variety of tasks, from streaming video and editing photos, to general productivity and browsing. I also worked with it on a desktop and my lap on a sofa, and in various lighting conditions, too. I commuted with it to test its portability.

I put the LG Gram 17 through TechRadar’s benchmarking procedure, which involves using multiple tools repeatedly to test laptops and desktops as thoroughly as possible. These emulate various workloads, from productivity and content editing to gaming.

I have plenty of experience with laptops of all varieties, from Windows machines, MacBooks and Chromebooks. I also have experience testing tablets and using desktop PCs for gaming.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Two-minute review

As Samsung's first Windows 11 Copilot+ PC, the Galaxy Book4 Edge has a lot going for it, including momentum in the space with more applications rolling out support. Still, though, the Book4 Edge has some pretty tough competition - some of which has the laptop beat in terms of design and battery life.

The Galaxy Book4 Edge impressed with its lightweight and thin build for the more prominent 16-inch size that we tested. The star, though, alongside plenty of ports, was the vibrant and immersive AMOLED display, which was great for word processing, image editing, building stories, and editing images – as well as for watching movies and TV shows or the occasional video call.

Performance, as we've come to expect from the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, was very impressive and made any task, aside from gaming, run smoothly. It also fixed the problem of a long wait to wake the laptop up from sleep. However, the Book4 Edge lacks overall battery life, so if you need a road warrior, you'd be better served by a Dell XPS 13 or Surface Laptop 7.

Even so, if you're after a big screen, the Galaxy Book4 Edge offers fast performance and deep integration with Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets, which other Copilot laptops cannot match. It's also heavily discounted, making the 14-inch or 16-inch models much more affordable.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Price & availability

How much does it cost? $1,349.99 / £1,399 starting for the 14-inch or $1,449.99 / £1,499 starting for the 16-inch
When is it available? Available now
Where is it available? Available in the US and UK

Samsung's Galaxy Book4 Edge is currently available directly from the technology giant and authorized resellers like Best Buy in either a 14-inch or a 16-inch size. Know that if you want 1TB of storage or the faster 3.8GHz Snapdragon X Elite processor, you'll need the 16-inch size.

The 14-inch with 512GB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and the 3.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite starts at $1,349.99 / £1,399, while the 16-inch with the same specs starts at $1,449.99 / £1,499. You'll need to pay more for the 3.8GHz processor and 1TB of storage at $1,749.99 or £1,699. For either model, though, Samsung is offering some substantial discounts.

It is also worth considering the Surface Laptop 7 since the 13-inch and 15-inch models are cheaper and have similar specs.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Specs

Specs: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Design

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge laptop's keyboard and trackpad — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

A big, expansive display housed in an ultra-slim, lightweight build
Plenty of ports
AMOLED screen is immersive and super punchy with colors

With a sleek aluminum build in a shade that Samsung has coined Sapphire Blue – truthfully mostly gray and silver with a dash of blue – the Galaxy Book4 Edge looks right at home alongside its other laptops. Mirroring Microsoft’s Surface Laptop lineup or many of Apple’s best MacBooks, the Book4 Edge also comes in two sizes: 14-inch or 16-inch.

I’ve spent several weeks with the bigger 16-inch, and while it offers an immersive experience from an AMOLED display, it’s strikingly lightweight and thin. Even with that large screen, it still feels very portable, thanks to a thin, tapered frame that allows for a good mix of ports. It's 0.48 inches thick and weighs just 3.4 grams, which makes it pretty lightweight for a laptop of this caliber. Furthermore, it’s a balanced weight that makes it easy to lift with just one hand and place on your lap for working on the fly.

However, with the 16-inch display, I’d say place it on a table at home or
a tray if you're out and about on a train or plane. The display here is one of my favorite aspects; Samsung has never been a slouch. Like Apple’s Mini LED Super Retina XDR displays on MacBook Pro, this AMOLED here is vibrant and punchy with colors but also delivers crisp, inky blacks for text. Everything pops, and if you’re into watching films or content on a laptop, it flies here well. It’s pretty accurate for image editing, and the boon over a Mac and competing laptops is the touch-enabled screen.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge's left-side port selection — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

You can easily connect to an external monitor if you need more real estate, though, as Samsung didn’t skimp on any ports here. The left side has an HDMI and two USB-C ports, while the right has a micro SD card slot, headphone jack, and USB-A port. The latter is nice to see on a modern, ultra-thin laptop in 2024.

Under the display in the main hull of the Galaxy Book4 Edge is a full-size keyboard with a function row and a number pad that feels cramped on the right hand side. It seems like a last-minute addition that didn't shake out in practice. The rest of the keys are a bit more expectedly sized and comfortable enough to type on, but there is significant travel here. To that effect, the keys don’t recoil a tremendous amount.

On the other hand, the trackpad is quite spacious and easy to navigate around the 16-inch AMOLED screen. With one swipe, you can quickly move a file from the top left to the bottom right.

So yes, any 16-inch laptop will be a behemoth, but Samsung’s approach was to slim it down and cut the weight. That’s effectively done here, so while the 16-inch Galaxy Book4 Edge is large, it has a bit of grace thanks to its lightweight and ultra-slim build that reminds me of Windows Ultrabooks from yonder.

Design: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Performance

An open Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge resting on a countertop — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Copilot works well here
Deep integration with Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets for some really handy functionality
If the app is compatible, performance will fly

Like other AI PCs – including Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 7 or Dell’s XPS 13 – the Galaxy Book4 Edge is powered by Qualcomm’s latest and greatest, the Snapdragon X Elite. In short, Windows 11 really moves here. It’s faster to wake from sleep, it can last a heck of a lot longer in multi-day standby, optimized applications open much faster, and it feels a lot more instantaneous in everyday use.

Of course, aside from general performance, the chip is also here to power some of the new AI features under the Copilot brand; there is even the dedicated key sandwiched between “ALT” and the number keys. Pressing it instantly (I’d say well under a second) brings up the Copilot app, which lets you chat with the assistant. From there, you can select a style for conversation – creative, balanced, or precise – and you’re off. Copilot was quick in my testing to provide topical answers on events, fast calculations, and even less specific ones. It will also employ “Designer” using DALL-E-3 to create images, be it a turtle underwater or a particular style of art recreation of a favorite city. Regardless of the answer, you’ll want to double-check it, though, since it’s AI and misinformation is possible.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge screen open to Copilot features — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

One Copilot feature that’s missing is Recall, though, as Microsoft is still working on it. With this promised feature, Windows will take screenshots and create a history of sorts. In its original form, this would have happened automatically, which caused some outcry, especially from a privacy perspective. If you’re keen to try it now, it’s available via the Windows Insider Program, but it’s still in beta and isn’t designed for everyday use. When it does roll out, you’ll be able to opt in or out of it.

Performance here is mostly in line with other Copilot laptops, namely thanks to a similar, if not the same, Snapdragon X Elite processor inside. Applications open quickly, and tasks are completed promptly, especially for optimized software. You will still encounter applications that aren’t, though, even to the degree where you might not be able to install them. The hope is that adoption will continue to grow, and that developers will roll out updates; Adobe is already working on updating its suite beyond Photoshop.

Samsung did some legwork here, though, and rolled out some really nice ecosystem features. If you have a Galaxy phone, this likely makes the Galaxy Book4 Edge the best AI PC to invest in – that can be doubled down if you have a Galaxy Tab since that can be used to extend your screen – no cables required.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge screen open to Samsung apps — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Benchmarks

Here's how the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark Steel Nomad: 586; Fire Strike: 6,003; Time Spy: 2,174; Wild Life Unlimited: 29,078
GeekBench 6.3: 2,935 (single-core); 15,818 (multi-core)
25GB File Copy: 24.59 seconds
HandBrake 4k to 1080p encoding: 5:00 minutes
CrossMark Overall: 1,485; Productivity: 1,411; Creativity: 1,590; Responsiveness: 1,409
Web Surfing (Battery Informant): 9:56:24
Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p, Ultra): 24 fps; (1080p, Low): 21 fps

These Samsung apps are built-in, but you can find them under the Galaxy Book Experience. Folks with a Galaxy Z Flip or S will be right at home with Samsung Notes, Studio, SmartThings, Quick Share, and Phone Link. This lets you seamlessly bring elements from your phone to your laptop, like texts appearing on both, using your keyboard to respond on either, and even quickly sharing files between the two devices.

It all works pretty seamlessly, but the star is being able to control your Galaxy phone on the Book4 Edge, just like the forthcoming iPhone Mirroring app for macOS Sequoia. It wasn’t without a hitch, and I did experience a crash, but when it works, it’s convenient, especially if you left your phone charging in another room.

Even with this Galaxy-specific experience running alongside other Windows apps, you’ll be hard-pressed to make this laptop slow down or get overly hot. As you’d expect from a Windows laptop with the latest Qualcomm chips, performance is fast, and that goes for productivity or creative experiences. This means that the Book4 Edge is suitable for work and play if compatible.

Performance score: 5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Battery

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge's numpad and stickers — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Doesn't last as long as other Copilot laptops

Performance boosts aside, the other promised advantage of a Copilot laptop is greatly improved battery life. The Surface Laptop 7 in our review hit the mark with 15 hours in our battery test, while the Dell XPS 13 hit up to 20 hours. The latter is the best we’ve tested out of these new Windows laptops and beats out the Galaxy Book4 Edge by quite a bit.

In our standard video playback loop to test battery life, Samsung’s Galaxy Book4 Edge lasts just shy of 10 hours at 9 hours and 56 minutes. It could be the AMOLED display, the larger size, or a smaller battery cell inside, but that is not the longest battery life by any stretch of the imagination…especially at this price point.

However, in qualitative use, you can get a full workday out of it if you can top it off at some point, mainly if you’re pushing it a bit harder with specific applications, as that will drain the power faster.

One big advantage, though, as I noted above, is that it does wake up pretty instantaneously from sleep, whether that be after a few minutes, hours, or days. Gone are the days of waiting for this to reboot.

Battery score: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge?

Buy it if...

You want a big, vibrant screen
If you're looking for a large-screen laptop with excellent visuals, look no further than the Galaxy Book4 Edge. Its vibrant and punchy AMOLED screen looks great in nearly any viewing condition.

You're in the Samsung ecosystem
Unlike any other Copilot PC, the Galaxy Book4 Edge offers custom-made functionality that works with Galaxy phones and tablets.

Don't buy it if...

You want long battery life
If you want a long runtime that can easily last a day, even with more intensive use cases, you'd be better served with a Surface Laptop 7 or Dell XPS 13.

You want a smaller screen

If you don't need a large display, you'll save some money by opting for a 13-inch Copilot laptop like the Surface Laptop 7.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Also consider

If you're aren't sold on Samsung's Galaxy Book4 Edge, consider these three alternative laptops.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7

Just like the Galaxy Book4 Edge, the Surface Laptop 7 comes in two sizes – 13-inch or 15-inch – with excellent performance from the Snapdragon X Elite chip, all packaged in a slightly more premium build.

Check out our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 review.

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge

I've spent nearly a month using the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge for work with applications like Edge, Slack, AirTable, the Microsoft Office Suite, and Google Chrome, as well as for play with countless applications. TechRadar ran a set of qualitative benchmarks to gauge performance. I matched those with my everyday performance in several scenarios, including being connected to power or running off battery indoors and outdoors.

To get a feel for the design, I used it in various locations and tested traveling with it with three backpacks to get a sense of versatility. I also wrote this review and countless other stories using the integrated keyboard and viewing them back on the display. I paid close attention to the Copilot experience and others that use the NPU in the Snapdragon X Elite processor.

To get a sense of the ecosystem integration, I used the Galaxy Book4 Edge alongside a Galaxy S24 Ultra, a Galaxy Tab, and a Galaxy Z Fold 5 to test the functionality with experiences like Quick Share, working with Samsung Notes, and mirroring my phone screen to the laptop.

Dell XPS 13 9345 review: the best XPS 13 ever

10:15 pm | August 2, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Australia, UK, US, XPS | Comments: Off

Dell XPS 13: Two-minute review

The Dell XPS 13 is generally a pretty good series of laptops, usually scoring a four out of five stars rating, though 2022's Dell XPS 13 Plus received a lower score thanks to build quality issues. But how does the latest one stack up, equipped with the powerful Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite CPU? Quite well actually, as it's now one of the best Windows laptops and best laptops of the year, coupling its already stellar design and portability with much-improved battery life and performance.

The design is sleek and smooth as you'd come to expect from the XPS line, starting at a mere 2.59 pounds and measuring only 14.8 mm thin. Thankfully, this version also has a high build quality made from machined (CNC) aluminum, ensuring that it can withstand punishment and the daily wear and tear of commutes. It's available in Platinum or Graphite with a lovely finish that's surprisingly fingerprint-resistant.

black gaming laptop on wooden table — (Image credit: Future)

The XPS 13 has three different display types to choose from, including a 3K+ OLED touch display option, which is beyond stunning for a 13.4-inch screen. The bezels are ultra-thin and yet still able to support a 1080p FHD webcam, which sports generally good picture quality.

Sound quality is incredible, largely due to the 360-degree spatial audio with quad speakers and Dolby Atmos. You can clearly hear each instrument, separate from each other and any vocals, while heavy bass loses very little in terms of integrity even at higher volumes.

The new Dell XPS 13 is based on the Plus in terms of its keyboard, with an edge-to-edge design achieved by removing the lattice and a touchpad and wrist rest made entirely from Gorilla Glass with no visible boundaries. The touch-based toolbar also makes its return which, while visually impressive, is just as inaccessible as it's always been. Both the touchpad and toolbar use haptic feedback in order to give the feeling of pressing a button. But while it can generally work for the former, the latter makes it impossible to know if you hit the right 'button' unless you can see it.

Port selection is still absolutely abysmal as it only has two USB Type-C ports, with no combo jack to speak of (RIP if you do audio editing because only Bluetooth works here). It does come with an adapter for the Type-A port but Dell could have easily fit at least one of those and a jack on the actual laptop.

Like other AI PCs, the Dell XPS 13 features AI Copilot+ integration and the infamous Copilot key that Microsoft shoehorned into all its AI laptop keyboards. This key works and automatically connects you to the general Copilot chatbot - a nice little trick but ultimately not very useful.

Dell XPS 13 9345: Benchmarks

Here's how the Dell XPS 13 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark Steel Nomad: 501; Fire Strike: 5,635; Time Spy: 1,925; Wild Life Unlimited: 16,819
Cinebench R23 Multi-core: 11,128
GeekBench 6.3: 2,797 (single-core); 14,635 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Home Test): 5,495
25GB File Copy: 20.01 seconds
HandBrake 4k to 1080p encoding: 4:47 minutes
CrossMark Overall: 1,396; Productivity: 1,300; Creativity: 1,564; Responsiveness: 1,232
Web Surfing (Battery Informant): 19:26:24
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 17 hours, 24 minutes
Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p, Ultra): 21 fps; (1080p, Low): 22 fps

Testing out the Copilot feature on the Dell XPS 13, it works as well as other AI PCs I've tried out so far. The chatbot has three levels - creative, balanced, and precise - and all three work quite well. I used my standard testing parameters including math questions, a mock interview, and a novel outline, and each answer cited several sources and made logical sense. There are also other plugins for additional tasks like other conversation types and shopping help.

There are two other features included in Microsoft Paint, Cocreator and Image Creator, that are both powered by AI models. The former turns your drawings into an AI-generated picture, which varies based on the style you choose and the level of 'creativity' (how much the finished product is based on your own art versus AI generation). Image Creator, the standard AI image generator, uses a credit system that awards you 50 credits upon sign-up and requires you to pay for more. You're better off just using the free Cocreator as it's essentially the same.

The Windows 11 AI Recall, which was set to launch along with Windows AI PCs, is still unavailable as of this writing due to being kicked back to the Windows Insider Program once the manifold security issues were exposed.

Recall works by creating a database of information on your PC through screenshots automatically taken every few seconds, building up a library of images you can search through AI. However, the Recall database, containing all the data from those screenshots and the overall history of your PC usage, is stored in plain text (in an SQLite database).

This makes it almost effortless for hackers to obtain highly sensitive information such as finances, passwords, work data, and more. It remains to be seen whether this feature will make a comeback, but that solely depends on if Microsoft can fix these massive security issues.

The Dell XPS 13's benchmark results are very impressive, standing neck and neck with the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7's own results. The Qualcomm CPU alone carries the laptop, maintaining high levels of performance regardless of the amount of tasks being carried out in the background. Each of these benchmark scores showcases the full range of this laptop in terms of handling productivity work, conference calls, streaming, and more.

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Like the other AI PCs released in 2024, the Dell XPS 13 laptop I tested had a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite CPU. It not only delivers amazing results in benchmark testing but then translates those results into performance that far outstripes that of earlier XPS 13 models.

While I personally never experienced the same level of performance issues as with the Surface series before the Laptop 7, the Del XPS 13 line did have some hiccups here and there. For example, the XPS 13 Plus I previously reviewed had severe overheating problems that resulted in some sections of the laptop reaching scalding high temperatures. This also impacted performance as it would throttle the CPU.

Thankfully, while this most recent XPS 13 does get a bit warm when pushed to its limits, it doesn't approach the extremes of before. This means that performance remains consistent no matter how long you run your laptop, perfect for handling heavier workloads.

black laptop on wooden table — (Image credit: Future)

The battery life for the Dell XPS 13 is by far the best out of the Snapdragon-powered laptops that I've tested. Under normal use, the battery lasts up to 20 hours with a 'low' of over 18 hours.

When continuously video streaming, the battery lasts on average for 17 and a half hours. The fact that a Dell laptop can match and even surpass many of the best MacBook models in battery life is something I would have never expected, but it's clear Qualcomm has truly outdone itself.

The only downside to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite CPU is that the ARM support, while incredible compared to prior iterations, still has a few compatibility hiccups - mainly dealing with gaming. But even that improves constantly and the vast majority of users won't even notice the hiccups as it doesn't impact everyday use.

Dell XPS 13: Price & availability

How much does it cost? starting price is $1,299 / £1,099 including VAT / AU$2,299
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The starting price for the Dell XPS 13 13.4-inch model is $1,299 / £1,099 including VAT / AU$2,299, netting you a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage in the US, UK, and Australia. Other configurations go up to 64GB/2TB in specs, which will cost $2,499.99 / £1,823.99 including VAT / AU$3,999.60.

It's far pricier than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and M3 MacBook Air 13-inch but comes with overall much better specs including a superior processor, so if you're looking for more of an Ultrabook, then this is the choice for you.

Dell XPS 13: Specs

The Dell XPS 13 13.4-inch model starts with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage with an FHD+ (1920 x 1200) touch display. The highest configuration goes up to 64GB RAM and 2TB in storage with a 3K OLED (2880 x 1800) touch display.

Should you buy the Dell XPS 13?

Buy the Dell XPS 13 if...

You want solid productivity performance
This laptop handles productivity work like a champ including video calls, documents, web surfing, and more - while never sacrificing performance.

You want excellent battery life
The battery life on this laptop is astounding, lasting for up to 20 hours during normal web surfacing use and about 17 and a half hours with video streaming.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
This is an Ultrabook priced like an Ultrabook, meaning you need to expect to pay quite a bit of money for even the base model.

Dell XPS 13: Also consider

If my Dell XPS 13 review has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...

How I tested the Dell XPS 13?

I tested the Dell XPS 13 for a week
I tested it using productivity and creative applications
I stress-tested the battery using the TechRadar movie test

First, I tested the general weight and portability of the Dell XPS 13 by carrying it around in a laptop bag. After I set it up, I ran several benchmarks to thoroughly test out the new Qualcomm processor. Finally, I used a variety of programs and applications to test out both battery life and general performance during work-like conditions.

The Dell XPS 13 is meant to be a portable laptop with a thin and light chassis. I had to spend a good amount of testing not only on performance issues but also looking for any ventilation issues. I also tested out battery life to see how long it could last off AC power.

I've tested plenty of gaming PCs and laptops, making me more than qualified to understand benchmark test results and how to properly stress test machines to see how well they perform as a work machine.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed August 2024

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 review: makes me believe in the Surface series again

10:27 pm | June 26, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Australia, Microsoft Surface Laptop, UK, US | Comments: Off

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7: Two-minute review

It's no secret that I'm not fond of the Microsoft Surface Laptop series, so even with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip and all the new Copilot+ AI bells and whistles attached to the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, I wasn't expecting much of an upgrade. But to my surprise, it's quickly turning into one of the best Windows laptops and best laptops of the year thanks to a sleek design, solid battery life, and excellent performance.

One of the most consistent aspects of the Surface Laptop series is its design. The chassis is always sleek and lightweight yet sturdy, there's a nice variety of colors to choose from, and the keyboard feels snappy and responsive while typing. Thankfully, the Laptop 7 doesn't change on that front but instead embraces its positives while focusing its efforts on enacting improvements it actually needs.

black laptop on white table — (Image credit: Future)

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 boasts a 13.8-inch (2304x1536) HDR-supported display with a high refresh rate of 120Hz - especially high for a non-gaming laptop. It weighs less than three pounds, ensuring its super portability - an absolute gem for any office worker or student who needs to transport it around between home and work offices or to and from school. I wish it also featured an OLED screen option but omitting it keeps the cost down, so it makes sense.

Its keyboard is also just as snappy and responsive as you'd expect, though the touchpad has minimal response issues that need to be rectified by adjusting the sensitivity settings. The webcam is the standard 1080p fare, nothing too shabby, but it lacks a physical shutter which for its price point is an oversight worth mentioning.

Port selection isn't the worst, as it comes with two USB Type-C ports, a USB Type-A port, and a combo port. But it's certainly not well-balanced either, with it missing several important ports like ethernet, SD card reader, and an HDMI. Even worse, Microsoft still insists on that abysmal Surface Laptop connect charging port, which only serves to take up space that could have been given to literally anything else.

It has a solid sound quality as well, with instruments sounding clear and distinct from each other. Bass isn't too shabby as well, which is always surprising when it comes to a non-Ultrabook or gaming laptop.

Another defining feature of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is its AI Copilot+ integration, including the Copilot key that Windows AI laptop keyboards are now outfitted with. As of now, however, the Copilot key simply doesn't work and there's no way to reprogram the key to make it work either.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7: Benchmarks

Here's how the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Steel Nomad Light: 2,018; Fire Strike: 5,792; Time Spy: 1,893; Wild Life Unlimited: 25,590
Cinebench R23 Multi-core: 8,275 points
GeekBench 6.3: 2,809 (single-core); 14,426 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Home Test): 5,495 points
25GB File Copy: 24.05
HandBrake: 5:02
CrossMark: Overall: 1,406; Productivity: 1,323; Creativity: 1,534; Responsiveness: 1,297
Web Surfing (Battery Informant): 15:44:32
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 10 hours, 10 minutes
Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p, Ultra): 21 fps; (1080p, Low): 21 fps

The Copilot feature does work and quite well I might add. I tested out the Copilot chatbot on all three levels - creative, balanced, and precise - and it performed quite well on all three. The answers, ranging from basic math to a mock interview to an outline for a novel, were well thought out and well sourced. You can also enable various plug-ins for more types of conversations or to help with shopping for a variety of products.

I also tried out two other features included in Microsoft Paint called Cocreator and Image Creator, both powered by AI model DALL-E. The former transforms your own drawing into an AI-generated picture, and you can choose between several styles as well as the level of 'creativity' (aka how much of the finished product is from you versus the AI). Unfortunately, Image Creator uses a credit system, in which you're awarded 50 credits when you sign up for the service and each image generation costs one credit, so you'd need to pay for additional images after you run out of credits.

There was one feature that I couldn't test out, the infamous Windows 11 AI Recall. Set to launch alongside Windows AI PCs, it was kicked back to the Windows Insider Program when its numerous security issues came to light.

Basically, Recall takes screenshots every few seconds, building up a library of images you can search via AI. But the issue is that the Recall database, which contains all the data from those screenshots and the history of your PC usage, is stored in plain text (in an SQLite database).

This makes it light work for hackers to obtain highly sensitive information like finances, passwords, work data, and more. So as of right now, Recall is not available for me to test out, and until Microsoft works out the safety issues it shouldn't be.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7's benchmark results are quite impressive, especially compared to its competition. Even without a GPU, the CPU does an incredible job of maintaining a high level of performance no matter which and how many tasks you're currently balancing. These benchmarks prove that the Laptop 7 can handle productivity work, conference calls, streaming, and more.

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The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 I tested featured a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite CPU and boy does it make all the difference. A common denominator between the past Surface Laptops is their poor performance, as they juggle a massive amount of tasks behind the scenes that result in major slow down, freezes, and even the aptly named 'Blue Screen of Death.'

But the Laptop 7's Qualcomm chip rounds out and fills in the numerous issues. It starts up and runs quickly, it's responsive when it comes to loading video websites as well as AI tools, and programs run as smoothly as they can. The latter is especially important as one of the biggest drawbacks was constant crashing when certain large programs booted up, including benchmarks like PCMark 10. But since I've been using it, there have been no performance hiccups in the slightest - in fact, I genuinely enjoyed my time with this laptop and would jump at the chance to make it my official work machine.

The battery life has also been rejuvenated, with an absolutely incredible 15 hours of off-AC power when it comes to regular use and just over ten hours with the TechRadar movie test. It's rare to find a laptop with that kind of lasting power outside of MacBooks these days, and coming from a Windows laptop it's even more unbelievable.

Another improvement is the ventilation system, as I never experienced any overheating even when the Laptop 7 had been running for several hours without break. Better vents also lead to better performance and less risk of crashes, going hand in hand with its superior battery life.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7: Price & availability

How much does it cost? starting price is $999.99 / £1,049.99 / AU$1,899
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The starting price for the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch model is $999.99 / £1,049.99 / AU$1,899, netting you a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus processor with 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage. The 15-inch model starts at $1,299.99 and comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD.

It's cheaper than the entry-level M3 MacBook Air 13-inch and matches the starting price of the M3 MacBook Air 15-inch, while the highest configuration roughly matches the price of the highest configuration of the MacBook Air.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7: Specs

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch model starts with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus processor with 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage. The 15-inch model starts out with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD.

Should you buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7?

Buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 if...

You want solid productivity performance
This laptop can handle plenty of productivity work including video calls, documents, web surfing, and more while never sacrificing performance on any level.

You’re on a budget
This laptop is quite affordable, beating out other laptops with similar or worse performance and specs. If you're on a budget, this is an excellent choice.

Don't buy it if...

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7: Also consider

If my Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 review has you considering other options, here are two more laptops to consider...

How I tested the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7?

I tested the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 for a week
I tested it using productivity and creative applications
I stress-tested the battery using the TechRadar movie test

First, I tested the general weight and portability of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 by carrying it around in a laptop bag. After I set it up, I ran several benchmarks to thoroughly test out the new Qualcomm processor. Finally, I used a variety of programs and applications to test out both battery life and general performance during work-like conditions.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is meant to be a portable laptop with a thin and light chassis. I had to spend a good amount of testing not only on performance issues but also looking for any ventilation issues. I also tested out battery life to see how long it could last off AC power.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed June 2024