Editor’s Rating: 7.5 / 10
A well-rounded 2-in-1 budget laptop with solid features
The Good
A 2-in-1 laptop that is affordable and has solid features. It’s a good and ideal laptop for students or people who need a portable device for their daily activities
The Bad
The mediocre battery life and slow charging could use major improvement. The device is also a bit heavier and the memory and GPU are a bit underwhelming.
Detailed Review Of Dell Inspiron 14 5482 (2019)
Is this a good 2-in-1 laptop that’s worth looking at?
If you’re in the market for a budget Windows laptop for students or you need a device that can do most of your daily tasks at home, including some entertainment, then yes this is a device that’s worth taking a look at.
It has decent power, which means it won’t have problems doing many different things. Combine that with its offerings of good features, this could be a good laptop option for handling daily tasks and using it as for play opportunities
However, this device does have its short-comings. It also doesn’t stand out in anything at all, making it a device that’s just in the middle of the pack.
Dell Inspiron 14 5000 Configuration In Review
Processor: Intel Core i7-8565U ( up to 4.6GHz) | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Storage: 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Display: 14” Full HD touch screen 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution | Operating System: Windows 10 Home | Battery Life: 7 Hours | Weight: 3.87 lbs | Other Features: Backlit Keyboard, Built-in Alexa
A Durable Built For A Budget Laptop
Let’s dig deeper into this review of the 2-in-1 Dell Inspiron 14 5482 and see if this is a good laptop or not.
In terms of design, the Inspiron 14, at a glance, looks good for a budget laptop with its matted silver finish and the chrome Dell logo in the middle. The simplistic design looks elegant and makes the laptop look more premium
The device uses a combination of aluminum and plastic for the chassis, which is a reminder that it’s a budget laptop. But despite the cheaper materials, the device feels solid and sturdy. The lid feels durable and doesn’t flex as much when under pressure.
…hinges, though, are solid enough to keep the device in place, whether it’s in laptop, tent, or tablet mode…
The deck and keyboard also feel solid, but it does flex more when applied with some pressure. We like the silver deck and black keyboard contrast that Dell used. It makes the device look more premium. The keyboards and touchpad are also adequately sized, making it easy to use them.
The bezels are also narrower, except for the bottom part, which is still a bit thick. The hinges look well-built and solid but it does have a creaking sound whenever you open or close the lid. It doesn’t seem like it will break, but the creaking can be annoying. The hinges, though, are solid enough to keep the device in place, whether it’s in laptop, tent, or tablet mode.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5482 is also thick and heavy, weighing at 3.87 lbs and having a thickness of 0.79 inches. It’s not that big of a deal, but you will likely feel its weight if you’re carrying it for quite a while.
Overall, it’s a solidly built laptop with a decent look. But despite its solid appearance, you are still reminded it’s a budget laptop, especially once you touch and use it.
Decent Features And Functionality
When it comes to features this has a variety of useful features that adds to its functionality.
One of the things we noticed is that this device transitions well between the different configurations. The system was able to quickly adapt when we transitioned from laptop mode to tablet mode.
The 14-inch display is also decent, providing decent contrast image feedback. But you will notice that text and images tend to be a bit grainy. Color is not that accurate, but some adjustments on the settings can fix that. Brightness can also be improved on the display, as it tends to be a bit dimmer than usual.
The use of a glossy display makes it stylish but it becomes a problem outdoors as the reflection overpowers the screen. Even if you’re under a shade, glare will still be present, making it hard to use it outside. The touchscreen is responsive and accurate. It quickly performed everything we did without any lags or issues.
The keyboards are quiet to use and the white backlight makes it easier to type even in dark rooms. Using the keyboard is also okay, though feedback is a bit soft. But typing is comfortable and natural. The touchpad is also responsive, even when used with two fingers.
Sounds are decent, but lacking in bass. It’s basically what you would expect from a budget laptop. The Dell Inspiron 14 5482 also has a built-in Alexa, the AI software you can use to assist with certain tasks like accessing the calendar, creating a music list, and more.
The device also provides good connectivity with its available ports. On the left side are two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports, an HDMI port, a universal audio jack, and one USB3.1 Gen 1 Type-C port.
On the right is an SD card reader, a USB2.0 Type-A port, and a Noble lock for added security. The available ports provide you with flexibility when it comes to this laptop’s connectivity. It would have been better, though, if it has a Thunderbolt 3 port for faster transfer speeds, but it’s okay nonetheless.
Solid Performance
The Dell Inspiron 14 5482 unit that we tested is equipped with the 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8565U processor. This model also has a Core i3 and i5 versions.
…has enough juice to power through almost any kind of task you use it with…
It also comes with 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD hard drive. This processor has enough juice to power through almost any kind of task you use it with. Writing and editing documents, doing research, working on spreadsheets, and more.
You can even use this device for multitasking like playing background music or watching videos while you’re working. You can even play movies on this device while working without any problems. There were minor hiccups with the performance when we tried to push it too hard, which shows Dell wasn’t able to fully maximize the processing power, but it’s not a big deal.
Editing will also be an issue with only an 8GB of RAM available on this device. You can likely do some light photo editing but anything more than that might cause a slow down on the device. Gaming is also not a strong point with its Intel UHD Graphics 620.
The device can likely play casual games or older titles that are not graphic-intensive. But if you want to play the latest game titles or programs that are demanding, this is not the device for you.
Battery life is one of the Dell Inspiron 14 5482’s weak points. Our testing showed that this device can only last for more than 7 hours on a single charge. We tested it with brightness set at 50%, volume at 100%, and WiFi turned off.
We were doing some document work with a video playing in the background. It’s possible to probably stretch the battery life to 8 hours with more adjustments on the settings. But don’t expect this device to last for a full day of work before needing a charge.
So if you plan on doing some work outside your home, make sure the place you’re going to has a socket for you to charge the laptop in case it’s needed. Charging is also a bit slow, as it will require 3 – 4 hours before it achieves full battery.
Critic Reviews
The latest Inspiron convertible is well-rounded if not middle-of-the-road. It doesn’t go the extra mile to offer anything more compelling than its competitors to coax potential buyers. Small advantages like a brighter display, free WACOM pen, or faster charging could have boosted the appeal of the system or given it the slight edge to stand out from the crowd. Because of its very affordable starting price and 1080p touchscreen, the Inspiron 14 5482 2-in-1 is best suited for student use, home multimedia playback, or the occasional car trip.
You won’t mistake it for a $1,200-plus HP, Lenovo, or LG (or even Dell’s more upscale Inspiron 7000 series), but the Inspiron 14 5000 2-in-1 is a sound convertible for about $900 in the peppy model we tested. At 3.87 pounds, the Inspiron is a little on the heavy side (just as the 2.53-pound LG Gram 14 2-in-1 is freakishly light), but it’s not an overt briefcase burden.
Buy It If…
An affordable laptop with decent features and power. This is a good option if you want a daily that’s capable of performing usual work or school tasks but flexible enough to provide some form of entertainment without being heavy on the wallet.
Don’t Buy It If…
This model’s mediocre battery life and sluggish charging don’t make it a good option for people who are always on the move. A weak graphics card and low RAM also don’t make this model a good gaming laptop or a device you can use for intensive and complex editing.
Dell Inspiron 14 5482 (2019) Alternatives
The affordable laptop market is always full of options in case this model is not the device you’re looking for. Here are some of the affordable laptops that we recommend:
- ASUS VivoBook Flip 14: A powerful and lightweight 2-in-1 device that’s also affordable
- Lenovo Flex 14: A solidly powered 2-in-1 that’s a great alternative to the Dell Inspiron 14 5482
- HP Pavilion x360: A solid mainstream hybrid laptop with great features
Verdict
If you prefer more affordable models, we also researched and tested other good cheap laptops that you can check out.