Windows Central Verdict
With its AI-boosting Intel Core Ultra 7-155H processor and an RTX 4060 L GPU, the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus is a powerful laptop capable of handling a wide range of simple and more intensive tasks. The large 16-inch display, 60Hz refresh rate, and long battery life add to the experience. Performace-wise, it stacks up well against other Intel Core Ultra 7 laptops, but in some ways, it isn’t as powerful as the previous year’s non-AI model or Snapdragon X Elite laptops. Still, it’s an excellent laptop for various people, including creatives and people who are often on the go.
Great performance and power
Large 16-inch 60Hz display
Good pricing for what you get
Good battery life
Display isn’t as pretty as OLED options
Somewhat bulky to accommodate powerful hardware
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Last year, I was impressed with theDellInspiron 16 (7630) laptop, which proved to be a powerful yet more affordable alternative to Dell’s flagship XPS line (as seen in myXPS 17 reviewandXPS 15 review).
1.Pricing & specs2.Design & build3.Display4.Performance5.Battery life6.Keyboard & touchpad7.Camera, mic, & audio8.Competition9.Scorecard10.Should you buy it?
This year, many manufacturers have jumped onto theAI PCtrain, installing processors into their laptops that feature an AI-boosting NPU (neural processing unit). Dell’s latest Inspiron 16 (7640) is no exception.
After testing the Inspiron 16 Plus with its AI-acceleratingIntel Core Ultra7 processor for two weeks, I can say it is a good laptop fit for creatives and people on the go. It even has a strong graphical performance that handles 3D modeling software and some gaming.
Thanks to its excellent price point, it’s also more affordable than some of Dell’s other laptops while still providing the processing power people need in various scenarios.
This review was made possible thanks to a review unit provided by Dell. The company did not see the contents of this review before publishing.
Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Price and specs
Pricing & specifications highlights
Price:From $849.99 at DellOS:Windows 11 Home (reviewed at) | ProCPU: Intel Core i7-13620H | Ultra 7-155H (reviewed at) | Ultra 9-185HGPU: UHD Graphics | Intel Arc | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 | RTX 4060 (reviewed at)RAM: 16GB (reviewed at) | 32GB LPDDR5X or DDR5Storage: 512GB | 1TB (reviewed at) | 2TB M.2 2280 PCIe SSDDisplay: 16" FHD+ (1920 x 1200), 60Hz, WVA touchscreen, 300 nits | 16" 2.5K (2560 x 1600) , 16:10 non-touch WVA/IPS 300 nits (reviewed at)Ports:2x USB-A 3.2 Gen1, 1x USB4, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1x microSD card slot, 1x headphone jackTouchpad:~4.5 x 3.25 inches (~114 x 82mm)Starting size: 0.66 x 14.05 x 9.87 inches (16.7 x 356.78 x 250.6mm)Starting Weight: 4.19 lbs (1.90kg)
Rather than having a small selection of preset configurations, Dell’s website allows you to pick and choose the various components inside your Inspiron 16 Plus. The least expensive config starts at $849.99, but options like an RTX graphics card, a more powerful Intel Core i7 CPU (central processing unit), or the amount of storage selected can significantly increase the cost of the laptop.
The version I specifically reviewed has anMSRP of $1,499.99and features the AI-boosted Intel Core Ultra 7-155H CPU paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU along with 16GB DDR5 memory and a spacious 1TB solid-state storage drive. Even though it costs a lot of money, it’s a well-priced laptop, considering what it’s packed with.
As previously stated, you can buy one of these laptops from Dell or Amazon. However, at the time of writing, I didn’t see this model selling at Best Buy, Walmart, or Newegg. It’s possible it could come to these retailers at a later date.
Dell Inspiron 16 Plus recommended configuration
Ultra 7-155H | Intel Arc | 16GB RAM | 1TB SSD
The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus is great at any configuration, but the best value option is one with an Intel Core Ultra 7-155H, RTX 4050 L, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. That way, you’ll get a GPU that’s powerful enough to handle whatever gets thrown at it but can still save some money rather than purchasing the most expensive options. It should be a good fit for most people.
Buy at:Dell|Amazon
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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Design and build
Build quality & design highlights
As I’ve discussed in other Dell laptop reviews, this company doesn’t often update the look of its laptop casings. In fact, the current chassis design has been in use since mid-2020, and we likely won’t see a massive design overhaul for this specific model for another few years. This isn’t a terrible thing, though. Sure, Dell’s laptops don’t really stand out that much, but they are simple and elegant in their minimalist way, which makes them look good in any setting.
There are intake fans on the bottom of the laptop and vents on either side to allow the components to cool themselves and work more efficiently. Given all the hardware it contains, the laptop is relatively slim when closed but still rather bulky compared to some contemporary laptops on the market.
Port-wise, the Inspiron 16 Plus offers a good selection of connections, including one USB-C Thunderbolt 4.0, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, an HDMI 1.4, a microSD card slot, a barrel charging port, and a headphone jack. Connecting various PC accessories and a monitor or TV to the laptop is straightforward enough if needed.
When reviewing last year’s model, I found it odd that the 7630 model still used a barrel plug for charging rather than coming with a USB-C charging port. Thankfully, this has been changed, with the new 7640 model finally shipping with the far more modern USB-C cable. As I previously mentioned, Dell hasn’t overhauled the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus chassis in a while, which is why you’ll still find a barrel plug connection on the right side, even though the laptop now comes with the USB-C charging cable.
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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Display
Display highlights
To really understand the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus (7640) display, I spent several hours watching shows, playing video games, and working onAdobeprograms. Considering that it uses a 16-inch WVA/IPS panel, I was surprised by how good the viewing angle was. Even when looking at the display from the side, it looks decently clear but just a little darker.
Of course, compared to the superior OLED displays offered on other Dell laptops, this WVA/IPS one pales in comparison. I was honestly a little surprised when I saw that there weren’t any OLED display choices when configuring the laptop since OLEDs are especially common for creative and gaming uses, which the Inspiron 16 Plus is capable of. You’ll really only be given the choice of a touchscreen or a non-touchscreen panel, of which my review was the latter.
But why doesn’t Dell offer an OLED display for this model? This could be because OLEDs tend to cost a bit more, and the Inspiron 16 Plus is meant to be less expensive than Dell’s flagship laptops. Still, I can’t complain too much about the WVA/IPS. Colors come through well with plenty of contrast to help them pop, and you likely wouldn’t notice how much better an OLED display was unless you had one right next to the laptop to compare it to. That said, if you do a lot of creative work, you might prefer to have an OLED display.
When I used a colorimeter on the WVA display, it produced 100% of sRGB, 81% of AdobeRGB, and 83% of P3. These are nice results overall. Testing the contrast and brightness abilities also showed that the display offers a decent difference between light and dark to help images look more dynamic. So, even though it’s not the best display type out there, the 16-inch panel is a good option. My colorimeter only measured a peak of 313 nits of brightness, which is exactly where Dell claims it should be. That said, this isn’t very bright, so you’ll get the best viewing experience when using the laptop indoors rather than out in bright sunlight.
I’ll dive more into gaming in the next section, but I’ll just quickly say that this display’s 60Hz refresh rate is good and helps it keep up with your creative 3D rendering or gaming needs.
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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Performance and thermals
Performance & gaming highlights
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As I always do when testing a laptop, I spent plenty of time with the Inspiron 16 Plus to check its performance. During the two weeks, I used it for work, played several hours of video games, worked inAdobe Photoshopand Illustrator, and ran it through a gauntlet of benchmark testing. This laptop offers some great performance, and combined with the previously mentioned 60Hz refresh rate of the display, this leads to smooth 3D rendering. It can even handle some gaming sessions despite not being anywhere close to thebest gaming laptops.
I couldn’t help but compare this AI PC configured Inspiron 16 Plus (Intel Core Ultra 7-155H CPU and RTX 4060 L GPU) to last year’s non-AI PC review model (Intel Core i7-13700H CPU and RTX 4060 L GPU). Despite being somewhat similar, the newer Inspiron 16 Plus consistently scored lower than the previous year’s model in every CPU benchmark test, although sometimes it was only by a little bit. However, the newer model blasted the older one’s prolonged GPU test results out of the water despite having the same graphics card. So, really, this is a trade-off situation where the AI NPU is likely assisting the GPU to a decent extent. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as the overall performance of the CPU is solid, just slightly lower than I’d prefer.
But what about other Dell models from this year? You can see from our own Daniel Rubino’sDell XPS 14 (9440) reviewor Zachary Boddy’sDell Inspiron Plus (7440) reviewthat these Core Ultra 7-155H devices earned very similar results in my PCMark and Geekbench CPU benchmark testing. These scores show that the latest Inspiron 16 Plus can handle day-to-day office work and even more demanding tasks, making them perfect for work or school.
Is the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus (7640) an AI PC or a Copilot Plus PC?
Yes, as long as you purchase an Inspiron 16 Plus (7640) configuration that has an AI-boosting Intel Core Ultra processor, which features a neural processing unit (NPU). Having the NPU makes the laptop an AI PC, while having the NPU and the Copilot key on the keyboard also makes the Inspiron 16 Plus a Copilot+ PC.
As you likely know, AI PCs are relatively new to the market, and we at Windows Central have gotten a better understanding of these devices now that we’ve reviewed several of them. One thing I’ve learned is that the AI-boosted Intel Core Ultra CPUs aren’t as powerful as the AI-boostedQualcomm Snapdragon X EliteCPUs. As such, even modest-looking laptops like the Snapdragon X-toting Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 9) outperform the Intel Core Ultra-toting Dell Inspiron 16 Plus (see ourYoga Slim 7x (Gen 9) reviewfor more information).
For reference, the Inspiron 16 Plus only got a 12,545 multi-core score in the Geekbench 6 CPU test, while the Yoga Slim 7x earned a 13,687 multi-core score. The same is true for CPU rendering capabilities, where the Inspiron 16 Plus got a multi-core score of 859 while the Yoga Slim 7x earned a 1,009 multi-core score. As such, if processor power is important to you, it might be worth considering a Snapdragon X Elite laptop.
As for graphics capabilities, before really testing it with gaming, I downloaded and installed the latest NVIDIA drivers, ensuring the graphics card is working at its best. While playingBaldur’s Gate 3andCyberpunk 2077with medium to high graphics settings (non-ray tracing or ray tracing: low), the laptop averaged 50 to 60 FPS (frames per second).
I further tested the laptop’s graphics abilities by running benchmarks in Cyberpunk 2077. On the ultra-highest settings, including turning onDLSS Ray Reconstructionand path tracing, the laptop averaged about 21 FPS, which is admirable and to be expected for such demanding settings. As such, this is pretty good for a ‘non-gaming’ device. Still, if you want better gaming results, it’s best to play on one of thebest gaming laptops.
Thermals and fan noise
After running the laptop through CPU stress tests for 20 minutes, I whipped out my thermal camera and took measurements. In general, it’s best for a device to stay well below 176 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (80 degrees Celsius (C)) in order to run efficiently, and this laptop didn’t have any problems in this area.
The hottest parts of the Inspiron 16 Plus are the vents and bottom, which both measured in at a peak of 117 degrees F (~47 degrees C). This was hot enough that putting this laptop on my lap was uncomfortable to the touch. The center of the keyboard measured in at a peak of 105 degrees F (~40 degrees C) while the area above the keyboard got even hotter, reaching up to 111 degrees F (~43 degrees C). It’s certainly warm, but the keyboard won’t scald your hands.
While the laptop was in the middle of a demanding graphics test, I pulled out my decibel meter and measured the sounds it made at 51dB. This is louder than I’d prefer, especially due to the whininess of the fan. Thankfully, these fan noises really only become notable when the CPU or GPU gets stressed, so I didn’t hear it all of the time.
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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Battery life
Battery highlights
Today’s best laptops are expected to last around 10 hours on one charge when performing basic tasks like running simple programs, surfing the internet, and attending video calls. I’m happy to report that the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus hit this target and even excelled, with an average battery life of 11 hours and 54 minutes when the display was at about 200 nits brightness, and the laptop was running everyday functions.
I tested this anecdotally and quantitatively by using the laptop for work and in my free time and running it through multiple battery life tests. On average, getting this many hours out of it allows me to get a lot done without worrying about being near an outlet. I also ran aWindows 11 battery life reportafter using the laptop for a couple of weeks, and it estimated that the laptop can typically last about 12 hours and 48 minutes. This battery life makes it a great laptop for folks on the go, whether students, creatives, office workers, or other busy people.
The laptop can typically last about 12 hours and 48 minutes on average, which is good.
As is always the case, running graphically demanding or processor-heavy software can seriously reduce battery life. The same is true for the Inspiron 16 Plus. When working with 3D modeling software or running certain games, the laptop might last only an hour and 30-ish minutes when unplugged.
Something I previously mentioned is that this Dell Inspiron 16 Plus still has a barrel plug connection. However, the laptop ships with a far more modern charging USB-C cable and charges up via the USB-C port. Because of this, it’s far more convenient to juice this device back up with one of thebest laptop power bankswhen needed.
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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Keyboard and touchpad
Keyboard and touchpad highlights
There isn’t much to discuss regarding the Inspiron 16 Plus keyboard and touchpad. The keys are spaced nicely so that my fingers can press down on them without feeling crowded, and they are also responsive enough for any situation.
The biggest nicety here is the fingerprint reader, located on the top right of the keyboard, which doubles as a power button. I easily set up Windows Fingerprint recognition, and the laptop didn’t give me any issues when reading my finger after that.
Since this is an AI PC and a Copilot Plus PC, it’s not at all surprising to see that it has the new Copilot key between the spacebar and arrow keys. Pressing this button quickly brings up the Copilot side menu or puts it away. Additionally, the function row on the top of the keyboard is filled with useful commands like mute, volume adjustment, a play/pause button, brightness alteration, display settings, and more.
Meanwhile, the touchpad is a little on the smaller side, given how much space there is on the casing, but it works effectively and always allows me to navigate around without extra swiping, thanks to its ~4.5 x 3.25-inch dimensions.
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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Camera, mic, and audio
Camera, mic, and speaker highlights
I’m always a big fan of built-in webcam shutters, so I was delighted to see a small, unobtrusive one on the Inspiron 16 Plus. All I have to do is slide this physical switch back and forth along the top of the panel to use it, which I prefer over electronic shutters.
I attended a handful of work meetings using the Inspiron 16 Plus and never had any issues with how the mic carried my voice to co-workers. Additionally, the 1080p webcam captures crisp detail with accurate colors as long as I’m using it in a well-lit area, but that’s the standard caveat for any webcam.
As far as audio goes, there are four speakers — two shooting down on the underside of the casing and two speakers running along the top of the keyboard. They can get decently loud, but the bass isn’t all that great and gets lost in the rest of the sounds. As always, you’ll want to invest in one of thebest computer speakersto get the best audio quality.
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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Competition
You don’t have to look beyond Dell if you want an even more powerful laptop that can handle more intensive computational and graphical tasks. I always point people toward the Dell XPS line for those sorts of things. As you can see from myDell XPS 16 (9640) review, this is a reliable and steady laptop that can handle practically anything you throw at it. Of course, the fact that they offer high-end processors and graphics cards can make some configurations a bit more expensive, starting at$1,699.99 at Dell.
If you’re interested in one of the Snapdragon X Elite laptops I keep referring to, I suggest checking out the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 9). It has a gorgeous 14.5-inch OLED display that produces amazing color and contrast for your creative projects. Thanks to the extremely long battery life, it’s excellent for people who are constantly on the go. This laptop has a starting price of$1,199 at Lenovoor you can also try to find a deal for it atBest Buy.
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Looking outside the Dell line, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is an excellent choice, with internal hardware and performance similar to the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus. As I said in myLenovo Legion Pro 5i review, it offers a sturdy design, great graphical performance, and a decent IPS display. However, you’ll want to mostly keep it plugged in as the battery doesn’t last long. It has a starting price of$1,399.99 at Lenovo.
If you’re looking for a powerful but compact computer that handles creative work and gaming, then the ASUS ROG G22CH desktop is perfect. As you can read in myROG G22CH review, its small form factor allows it to fit in more places, whether on your desk, floor, or TV stand. Plus, there are various configurations with different NVIDIA RTX GPUs. It has a starting price of$1,599.99 at Best Buy.
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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Scorecard
Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Should you buy it?
✅ You should buy this if…
❌ You should not buy this if…
Anyone looking for a powerful laptop that can handle a mixture of day-to-day office work, more intensive rendering programs, and even some gaming will benefit from the Inspiron 16 Plus. Depending on the configuration, it can be a bit costly, but it’s also well-priced, given the impressive performance of the hardware. The large 16-inch display’s 60Hz refresh rate only adds to the laptop’s smooth experience. Of course, having such good battery life also makes this an excellent option for people who travel or are constantly on the go.
If the specific configuration I reviewed doesn’t quite fit your needs, then being able to choose between such a wide selection of GPUs, memory, and storage options when configuring the laptop can help youcreate the perfect Dell device for your specific use case. Perhaps most importantly, there is the option for either an AI PC build or a non-AI PC build, depending on what CPU you choose.
This powerful laptop can handle a great deal of tasks, including graphics rendering abilities, making it ideal for creatives or people who want an office laptop that can also handle some gaming. It’s available in several different configurations and provides plenty of ports to connect additional devices.
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Self-professed gaming geek, Rebecca Spear, is one of Windows Central’s editors and reviewers with a focus on gaming handhelds, PC gaming, and laptops. When she isn’t checking out the latest games on Xbox Game Pass, PC, ROG Ally, or Steam Deck; she can be found digital drawing with a Wacom tablet. She’s written thousands of articles with everything from editorials, reviews, previews, features, previews, and hardware reviews over the last few years. If you need information about anything gaming-related, her articles can help you out. She also loves testing game accessories and any new tech on the market. You can follow her@rrspearon X (formerly Twitter).
