Unveiling the Ultimate College Laptop Choice – A Surprising Alternative to Apple and Lenovo at 20%% Off | Tech Reviews
Unveiling the Ultimate College Laptop Choice – A Surprising Alternative to Apple and Lenovo at 20% Off | Tech Reviews
Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links
If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Dell’s Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 regularly starts at $1,099, but it’s on sale for $899 for the Snapdragon X Plus configuration with 512GB of storage.
- It offers an absurdly long-lasting battery and solid performance in a lightweight form factor.
- Some users might not be impressed with its limited array of ports.
I’m jealous of today’s college students. They have access to fantastic laptops that I would’ve killed for back when I was in school. Among this new generation of computers, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 stands out as one of the best lightweight devices for the college student.
Also: One of the best tablets for work travel I’ve tested is not made by Lenovo or Apple
The reason why I recommend this model to students specifically is because it runs on Qualcomm’s ARM-based Snapdragon X chipset . The recently-released hardware is impressive: I had over 50 tabs open across multiple Chrome windows with videos playing and there wasn’t a single drop in performance; not even when I concurrently ran the laptop’s generative AI features.
However, as good as the Snapdragon X may be, not every app can actually run on ARM-based hardware yet. For example, Cinebench , an industry-standard benchmarking app that tests laptop performance, didn’t work during my time with the laptop. Microsoft has done its due diligence ensuring that most apps function on Qualcomm’s chip, but many apps are still a work in progress.
Alongside performance, the Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 left me pretty impressed. There’s nothing earth-shattering here, but the device has many of the hallmark features I enjoy in a laptop, resulting in an overall pleasant user experience. Frequent readers will know I love a good keyboard, and that’s exactly what this laptop delivers. Each of the chiclet-shaped keys is made out of a soft, rubber-like material that offers a gentle yet responsive typing experience.
The laptop’s speakers sit on either side of the keyboard. Kudos to Dell for placing the audio system on top instead of on the bottom of the laptop. I cannot begin to describe how much I dislike it when manufacturers opt for downward facing speakers. Besides the good placement, the drivers output a wonderful amount of detail. Their performance is made even better thanks to the punchy bass coming from the subwoofer.
Newsletters
ZDNET Recommends
ZDNET saves you time and money by delivering the best products and tech deals to your inbox every week.
Subscribe
Its chassis is made primarily of aluminum, giving the Inspiron 14 Plus a nice sturdiness, while the edges on the bottom half are rounded for extra comfort. Also, I don’t know what anti-fingerprint manufacturing technique Dell used for this device, but they need to keep using it. I don’t think I’ve seen a laptop actively repel fingerprints quite like the Inspiron 14 Plus: not a single smudge is left behind after running a finger over the wrist rest.
Above the keyboard is the gorgeous 14-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) display. What impressed me about the screen is the anti-glare coating. Again, I don’t know what Dell is using, but it needs to become more common as it does exceptionally well at mitigating glare. Rest assured that screen clarity is possible on this device, even during bright days. When indoors, I noticed the coating also enhances the display’s output, making colors look quite vibrant.
Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET
Of course, I can’t forget the ridiculously long battery life. Dell claims their laptop can last up to 21 hours. After performing our usual tests , I clocked the Inspiron 14 Plus’ battery running over 14 hours on a single charge. Not quite Dell’s purported run time, although it is still impressive. It outlasts just about every single Intel-based laptop that I’ve ever used so far.
Also: One of the longest-lasting OLED laptop I’ve tested is not from Samsung or Asus
The only real issues I had with Dell’s laptop were the limited array of ports (there are five in total: 2 USB-C inputs, one headphone jack, an SD card slot, and a USB-A port) and the heating vents at the bottom blasting hot air towards my legs. As disappointing as this was, I’m not entirely surprised. You have to expect some concessions for a laptop this lightweight (3.17 pounds).
Lastly, I am not a fan of how much bloatware is on the Inspiron 14 Plus. My review unit came with a 512GB SSD. However, all of the extra apps took up almost 70GB, leaving way less available to me.
ZDNET’s buying advice
If you can get past the limited storage space and ports, I recommend the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 for anyone looking for a laptop that can last for hours on end with a solid suite of hardware. It can even outperform your average M1 MacBook Air .
Regular prices for the laptop running on the Snapdragon X Plus chip start at $1,099, but right now Dell is offering $200 off for a starting price of $899. This puts the Inspiron 14 Plus at one of the most inexpensive laptops with a new Snapdragon processor. If you want extra power, a 1TB SSD, and the upgraded Snapdragon X Elite processor, prices start at $1,199.
Featured reviews
3 features in Apple’s new AirPods 4 that made me ditch my AirPods Pros
Why I’m recommending the standard iPhone 16 over the Pro this year (and I’m not alone)
The Windows laptop I recommend to most people undercuts the MacBook Air (but is just as capable)
One of the best pool-cleaning robots I’ve tested proved its worth in the most extreme conditions
- 3 features in Apple’s new AirPods 4 that made me ditch my AirPods Pros
- Why I’m recommending the standard iPhone 16 over the Pro this year (and I’m not alone)
- The Windows laptop I recommend to most people undercuts the MacBook Air (but is just as capable)
- One of the best pool-cleaning robots I’ve tested proved its worth in the most extreme conditions
Also read:
- [New] Future Vistas in the Metaverse Top 30 Encouraging Quotes
- [Updated] 2024 Approved Personal Emblem Creation Fashioning an Exaggerated Self
- [Updated] From Passive Watchers To Profit YouTube Monetization
- [Updated] IPhone+Android Discover the Top 10 Video-Making Picks for 2024
- AMD-Powered Laptop 13: New Insights From the Framework's Latest Announcement
- Boosting Video Engagement: Crafting Scripts on YouTube via ChatGPT
- Cost-Effective Tech Reviewed: Lessons Learned Using the Economical Surface Pro 11 | Powered by a Microsoft Aficionado at ZDNet
- Cyber Monday Alert: Score a Steal with the Last-Minute $79 Lenovo Chromebook - Shop Now Before They're Gone!
- Environmental Factors Can Affect Tool Accuracy, Requiring Adjustments to Maintenance Schedules
- Expert Tips Top Free Tools to Extract and Save Instagram Videos (Windows/OS X)
- From Ordinary to Extraordinary: How This Overlooked Laptop Gadget Revolutionized My Device's Performance.
- How to Troubleshoot the Malfunctioning Rockstar Launcher for a Smooth Gaming Experience
- Huge Savings Alert for Gamers: Get a Whopping $920 Off the Razer Blade 14 During Cyber Monday's Epic 2022 Sale | ZDNET
- Introducing Lenovo's Latest Innovation: The Ideal AI-Powered ThinkPad Designed Specifically for Business Professionals - Insights
- Navigating Text Pasting in PowerToys Quickly
- Secure Your Essentials Now: Amazon's Premier Buy-Black Friday Specials for Prime Day 2024
- Snag the Ultimate Bargain: Apple MacBook Air with M2 Chip Available Now for 749 on Amazon Prime Day | ZDNet Insights
- Ultimate Deal Alert! HP's Victus 15 Gaming Notebook Slashed to $530 - Shop Today at Best Buy | Insider Tips
- Windows 11に最適化されたHDDクローニング手順 - シームレスで高速
- Title: Unveiling the Ultimate College Laptop Choice – A Surprising Alternative to Apple and Lenovo at 20% Off | Tech Reviews
- Author: George
- Created at : 2024-12-11 20:39:22
- Updated at : 2024-12-12 19:42:58
- Link: https://hardware-tips.techidaily.com/unveiling-the-ultimate-college-laptop-choice-a-surprising-alternative-to-apple-and-lenovo-at-20-off-tech-reviews/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.