An Inspiron made for gaming

DELL’S Inspiron was once just a line of practical entry-level laptops. Since then, it has spawned a range of desktop-replacing gaming powerhouses, that not only kept the line’s spirit of practicality, but can still be considered portable.

Weighing in at 2.62kg, the new Dell Inspiron 15 7566 is broad enough to fit a full backlit keyboard, complete with number pad.

Its LCD back cover and sides are covered with matching satin-like plastic material, which has a nice feel and grip. They do not attract fingerprints or dust, but it will turn shiny at the slightest hint of oil.

Its power brick is big. Still, it does fit in a bag that is rated to fit a standard 17in laptop or a 15in gaming laptop, and can be considered one of the more portable gaming laptops among its peers.

Like many Dell computers, the Inspiron 15 comes in many configurations. At the top of the line, this laptop is equipped with a 6th generation Intel Core i76700HQ Quad Core Processor, with up to 8GB of DDR4 memory, and dual drives with 128GB SSD and 1TB 5400rpm HDD for storage.

Driving its 15.6in UHD 3840X2160 resolution IPS anti-glare LEDbacklit display is a Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M with 4GB GDDR5.

These are specifications that will please those who are looking for a PC with a smaller footprint that does not sacrifice power.

For the gamer, the Inspiron 15 could be a dream machine, capable of running the latest games without breaking a sweat.

Even at its highest configuration, the Inspiron 15 is still more affordable than most gaming-centric laptops of its size.

For the professional, the laptop may not be svelte, but it is powerful enough to handle creative suites for photo editing, illustration, and video editing.

Despite the power it is packing, we never found the Inspiron 15 running uncomfortably hot – thanks to its cooling system, and true to its advertising, we did not feel that the system develop substantial hotspots during our daily use.

By offering dual drives, Dell effectively made the Inspiron 15 a speedy system without sacrificing storage space, an option that both gamers and professionals would appreciate.

However, the experience could be improved with the inclusion of a thumbprint scanner or a camera that is compatible with Windows Hello. Then again, this will increase the price of the system.

What is impressive about the laptop is its sound system. It is loud, clear, and is capable of recreating deep bass thumps.

This makes watching movies and listening to music on the Inspiron 15 an enjoyable experience. While playing a game, the bass translates to a tactile feedback which adds to the experience.

According to Dell’s website, the Dell Inspiron 15 7566 comes in three basic configurations, with a starting price tag of RM3,799, RM4,599, and RM5,399 – all with at least two years of premium support and online service, the same dependable aftersales service that puts Dell above other PC makers.

For more details and options, visit the Dell website. – Azizul Rahman Ismail