Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 (7420) Review

The appeal of hybrid-design convertible laptops is simple: Let me instantly turn my laptop into an impromptu tablet to sketch out a design I want to share, then stand it up on a tray table to watch a video. Like all hybrids, the trick is to minimize compromises in each category. The latest revision of the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 (model 7420, which starts at $849.99, or $1,049.99 as tested) manages a respectable balance. With a 14-inch display and at a modest 3.5 pounds, the unit is easy to handle as a sometimes tablet. And with a 12th Generation Intel Core i7-1255U CPU and Intel Iris Xe graphics, it delivers peppy performance for a slim machine. The downside is a somewhat dim display with limits to its color coverage, which keeps it a bit shy of top-of-its-class for the money.

The alternatives, ironically, include the Inspiron 14’s close cousin, the 16-inch Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (which we are testing alongside it), currently starting at the same $1,049.99 price, but with a rated-brighter display and a more powerful Intel Core i7-1260P CPU. But, if 16 inches is too large for your needs, consider the Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 Gen 7, a similarly priced model that we just awarded an Editors' Choice pick for mainstream convertibles.

The Design and the Basics: ‘Alder Lake' on Display

The Inspiron 14 2-in-1’s Intel Core i7-1255U CPU includes, with this latest generation of Intel mobile CPUs, both low-power Efficient cores (E-cores, eight of them) and multi-threaded Performance cores (P-cores, two of them), an arrangement similar to the BIG.little architecture used in most ARM processors. Its Performance cores peak at 4.7GHz and support thread-doubling (the E-cores don't), adding up to 10 total cores and support for up to 12 concurrent processing threads. For that reason, this Inspiron is able to operate with a modest four-cell, 54-watt-hour battery. The more powerful Intel Core i7-1260P CPU on the Inspiron 16 2-in-1 draws more power, and is paired with a six-cell, 87-watt-hour battery.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

The Inspiron 14’s keyboard provides ample space between keys, and a larger touchpad than average for a laptop with a 14-inch display. The 16:10 touch screen offers a 1,920-by-1,200-pixel resolution. Unfortunately, that’s the only display option, and a brighter screen would be welcome. (More on that in our screen testing.) The panel’s side bezels are thin, helping the screen appear larger than it is; the top and bottom bezels are thicker. The enclosure measures 0.62 (front height) to 0.7 (rear height) by 12.4 by 9 inches. The starting weight is a moderate 3.5 pounds. That's certainly not too much to port around campus, considering that 3.5 pounds is the weight of an average textbook.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

Dell’s $849.99 base model is built on a Core i5 chip (the Core i5-1235U) and backed by 8GB of DDR4 memory. Our review unit employs a Core i7-1255U processor with Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB solid-state drive, with Windows 11 Home, plus support for Intel Wi-Fi 6E (6GHz) and Bluetooth 5.2 wireless connectivity.

The redesigned aluminum chassis is attractive and sturdy. It can be opened completely to resemble a (thick) tablet, or work in either classic laptop orientation or inverted-V “tent” mode. The hinges operate with very little flex. The keyboard supports a fingerprint reader, and the 1,920-by-1,080-pixel webcam (rated for 30fps capture) can be blocked by an unobtrusive security slider. The standard warranty is one year of hardware service, with that supplemented by onsite or at-home service after remote diagnosis. You can upgrade the warranty length as you like at time of purchase.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

The Inspiron 14’s left side holds an HDMI 1.4 port that supports 1,920-by-1,080 video-out and two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports capable of delivering up to 90 watts each. Plus, with Dell’s optional 90-watt power supply, the system supports ExpressCharge, allowing the laptop to get back to an 80% charge level in an hour. On the right side is one USB 3.2 Type-A port, one headset port (headphone and microphone combo), and an SD-card slot. There are a pair of down-firing speakers augmented by Waves MaxxAudio Pro.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

Despite this very credible set of features, the display limits an otherwise excellent system. Screen brightness came in at around 277 nits at 100% brightness, the lowest of our comparison units. Plus, our Datacolor Spyder tests showed the Inspiron 14's panel covering only 64% of the sRGB gamut and 48% of the Adobe RGB gamut, also lowest in our comparison group. (More on this later.)

Overall, even to the naked eye, colors seem somewhat faded, and both brightness and saturation could use a boost. Working in a bright environment would be challenging. Subjectively, the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 appears best with the display set at 85% to 100% brightness, in a modestly lit kitchen nook. In the same room, the Inspiron 16 2-in-1 only needs the level set to 50% to 60% to achieve the same effect. In fact, adjusting a photo on each unit to the same size (compensating for the 16-inch display’s size advantage), a scene of trees on a sunny day appeared brighter and with richer colors on the 16-inch unit, probably because the Inspiron 16 is capable of displaying 96% of the sRGB gamut to the Inspiron 14’s 64%.

If most of your work is indoors, the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 may serve your needs. However, the flexibility implied by a 2-in-1 demands an ability to adapt to changing environments, as students often do. If your work may carry you outside to an inviting tree on campus, you’ll wish for a brighter display. Since the price of the two Inspirons was identical when this review was completed, it might be worth your while to check the latest prices of both Inspirons; Inspiron configuration pricing tends to vary week to week, depending on sales and other factors.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

Given that the Inspiron 16 2-in-1 display appears quite satisfactory (again, subjectively), I’m baffled why Dell didn’t choose comparable specs for the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 display. If the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 were significantly cheaper, I could understand it. But the 16 2-in-1 (which was $1,249.99 in our original review configuration) was selling for $1,049.99 as I wrote this. Clearly, the Inspiron 16 boasts better specs, including the more powerful Intel i7-1260P P-class processor, a beefier battery, and a 333-nit display.

A Look at the Webcam and Audio Capabilities

The webcam’s 1080p (Full HD) resolution works well for general video-calling sessions and is a welcome uptick these days for a webcam, which have largely been stuck at 720p for ages. As noted, the camera can be covered with an unobtrusive slider. Audio is satisfactory, especially since an ambient noise reduction feature is included, along with the aforementioned Waves MaxxAudio Pro tuning. The unit includes both stereo (down-firing) speakers and integrated dual-array microphones.

The built-in speakers are adequate, despite some distortion at higher volumes, but since the audio is more satisfactory when using a decent set of headphones, my inclination would be to use the speakers only in a pinch. Dell does offer an optional Dell Mobile Adapter Speakerphone(Opens in a new window) that might be just the thing for frequent conference-callers.

The touchpad and palm rests surrounding it are coated with Mylar, providing a smooth feel. However, I found the touchpad to be sensitive to the lightest touch. Likewise, keyboard travel is shallow and requires a light touch to avoid repeating letters. Once acclimatized, though, I found both typing and cursor handling quite practical.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

To test the webcam, we paired up with an older laptop using the earlier 720p standard. That display, when viewed in a window next to the Inspiron 14’s, was notably soft. That said, the Inspiron 14’s more limited color and brightness detracted from a Zoom session.

Audio for a Zoom or Skype session is adequate, and neither the person on the other end of the connection nor I reported any difficulty hearing or being heard. In fact, with a Creedence Clearwater Revival track playing on an adjacent laptop, the person on my Zoom call reported no interference–and, in fact, could hardly hear the music. Kudos to the included noise-reduction feature.

The Inspiron 14 offers support for Intel Wi-Fi 6 2×2 (Gig+) and Intel Wi-Fi 6E (6GHz). The “6” designation means your router can use either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz channel. The “6E” indicates that the system can also access the 6GHz channel, which, with its higher frequency, can carry more data. To get the full benefit, all your devices, including the router, must support 6E.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

The Bluetooth 5.2 version in the Inspiron 14 is the latest. As of version 5.0, Bluetooth supports wireless headphones, game controllers, and smart home devices within 800 feet. Bluetooth 5.2 adds such tweaks as LE Power Control (LEPC), or the ability to allow the transmitter to adjust its transmission power by itself or as requested by a peer device.

Dell Warranty Options

We mentioned the standard warranty earlier. The Inspiron 14 2-in-1 offers optional levels beyond that. The first, Dell Premium Support ($49 for one year, up to $199 for four years), employs so-called SupportAssist technology to detect hardware and software issues and alert you via system alerts and email when they occur. You also get 24/7 phone access to experts and onsite support after remote diagnosis.

Beyond that, Dell Premium Support Plus ($109 for one year, up to $379 for four years) offers 24/7 access to repair personnel and technicians who come to you. Accidental Damage Service, meanwhile, is part of the Plus package and provides repair or replacement of your system after accidents not otherwise covered by the limited hardware warranty.

The Inspiron 14 2-in-1 doesn’t have bloatware in the usual sense. However, the installed operating system, Microsoft Windows 11 Home, does the usual skirting of the line in touting Edge and Bing. The Inspiron 14 does come with Dell System Software (DSS), a utility that provides critical updates and patches necessary for the proper operation of your Dell computer.

Testing the Inspiron 14 2-in-1: Perky for a U-Series

Two of our five test systems, including the Inspiron 14, employ either the Core i7-1255U or Core i7-1260P Intel 12th Generation processor. The others are 11th Generation chips. Here’s a look at our comparisons…

On most tests, the 12th Generation CPUs did best, with Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 and its Core i7-1260P CPU at the top. However, in the graphics tests, the three with Intel 11th Generation processors beat the Inspiron 14 on all but one test, where the HP Spectre x360 14 lagged behind the Inspiron 14 on 3DMark’s Time Spy. The Lenovo Yoga, with its P-class Core i7-1260P CPU, came out ahead of the field on most, second only to the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 on three of the gaming tests. The Asus ExpertBook B7 Flip (with its few high-clocked cores) was best of all in PCMark 10’s Storage and Productivity tests.

Intel’s 12th Generation processors certainly acquitted themselves well, especially in multi-threaded tests, such as Cinebench R23 and Geekbench 5.4.1 Pro, where the Inspiron and the Yoga topped all others. The extra cores helped there.

Productivity Tests

The main benchmark of UL's PCMark 10 simulates a variety of real-world productivity and content-creation workflows to measure overall performance for office-centric tasks such as word processing, spreadsheeting, web browsing, and videoconferencing. We also run PCMark 10's Full System Drive test to assess the load time and throughput of a laptop's storage.

Three benchmarks focus on the CPU, using all available cores and threads, to rate a PC's suitability for processor-intensive workloads. Maxon's Cinebench R23 uses that company's Cinema 4D engine to render a complex scene, while Primate Labs' Geekbench 5.4 Pro simulates popular apps ranging from PDF rendering and speech recognition to machine learning. Finally, we use the open-source video transcoder HandBrake 1.4 to convert a 12-minute video clip from 4K to 1080p resolution (lower times are better). We also run Puget Systems' PugetBench for Photoshop, which uses Adobe's famous image editor to rate a PC's performance for content creation and multimedia applications.

The Inspiron 14 2-in-1, with a boost from Intel’s 12th Generation processor, holds its own against more expensive laptops (and in the case of the Asus B7 Flip, one that’s double the price). By no means is the Inspiron 14 a content-creation system, but it is very good at its intended use as a portable, convertible, modestly priced laptop. It exceeds the 4,000 points in PCMark 10 that indicate excellent productivity for common apps like Microsoft Office.

Graphics Tests

We test Windows PCs' graphics with two DirectX 12 gaming simulations from UL's 3DMark: Night Raid (more modest, suitable for laptops with integrated graphics), and Time Spy (more demanding, suitable for gaming rigs with discrete GPUs).

We also run two tests from the cross-platform GPU benchmark GFXBench 5, which stresses both low-level routines like texturing and high-level, game-like image rendering. The 1440p Aztec Ruins and 1080p Car Chase tests, rendered offscreen to accommodate different display resolutions, exercise graphics and compute shaders using the OpenGL programming interface and hardware tessellation respectively. The more frames per second (fps), the better.

All the comparison units offer the same Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics and the same 16GB of RAM, so the processor clearly weighs some in graphics results. That noted, graphics performance of the modestly priced Inspiron 14 is respectable considering its stepped-down U-series processor.

Battery and Display Tests

We test laptops' battery life by playing a locally stored 720p video file (the open-source Blender movie Tears of Steel(Opens in a new window)) with display brightness at 50% and audio volume at 100%. We make sure the battery is fully charged before the test, with Wi-Fi and keyboard backlighting turned off.

We also use a Datacolor SpyderX Elite monitor calibration sensor and its Windows software to measure a laptop screen's color saturation—what percentage of the sRGB, Adobe RGB, and DCI-P3 color gamuts or palettes the display can show—and its 50% and peak brightness in nits (candelas per square meter).

The Inspiron 14 does quite well on battery rundown, coming in basically within the margin of error with the Microsoft Surface Pro and the HP Spectre. And face it, anything above the Inspiron’s 12:33 hours is icing on the cake. The two units that exceeded 14 hours on the battery test were the Asus Flip and the Lenovo Yoga.

Display results, as noted, were a different story. The Inspiron 14 lagged well behind the others on percentage-of-gamut-coverage scores. That’s a difference you can easily see, too. Its peak brightness reading also trailed the pack here by a bunch. A display capable of more than 300 nits max and over 90% of the sRGB gamut would make the Inspiron a far more desirable laptop.

Verdict: A Convertible Worth Considering

With its solid construction, respectable performance, and moderate price, the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 is a worthy candidate for a student or individual seeking a versatile convertible laptop, questions about the display notwithstanding. Were Dell to offer an alternate display, this unit could be an Editors' Choice candidate. Or a sale on Dell.com (and there are many; prices fluctuate all the time) could make it more of a value on any given day. But even without that, the Inspiron 14 is worth your consideration, especially if you'll use it mostly indoors.