Any red flags with this laptop for $399?

Inspiron 14 5000 Laptop

  • Intel i5-8265U 1.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor
  • 14″ 1920×1080 Full HD Narrow Border IPS Display
  • 8GB (1x 8GB) 2666MHz DDR4 RAM (2 DIMM slots, max 32GB supported)
  • 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive
  • 2.5″ SATA III hard drive bay (empty)
  • Intel UHD Graphics 620
  • 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A
  • 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C (DisplayPort/PowerDelivery)
  • 1x USB 2.0
  • 1x HDMI 1.4b
  • 1x Ethernet (10/100 Mbps)
  • SD card reader
  • Backlit Keyboard
  • Dual band 802.11ac WiFi (1×1) + Bluetooth 4.2
  • 3-Cell 42 WHr Battery
  • Weight: 3.26 lbs
  • Windows 10 Home 64-B

It is $399 right now after coupon code DBLTINSP14

Not real up on most Dell models and thought the price was little to good to be true. Thanks

Conversation 32 comments

  • Pbike908

    09 August, 2019 - 1:17 pm

    <p>Wow — Looks like a solid deal. I have owned Dell laptops in the past, however, not recently and at that point they were problematic. Dell has reportedly improved their quality since I last owned one. If I were in the market for a laptop, or was going to recommend one to a friend I would certainly suggest that one take hard look at this one — especially at that price point.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • lvthunder

    Premium Member
    09 August, 2019 - 1:48 pm

    <p>I guess it depends on what you are going to do with it and how long you want it to last. 256GB hard drive is really small these days.</p>

  • jimchamplin

    Premium Member
    09 August, 2019 - 1:55 pm

    <p>That’s not bad at all. I’m a Thinkpad guy myself, but Dell does some good stuff, and they’re built Lin the same facilities as most Lenovo systems, so…</p>

  • Orin

    09 August, 2019 - 5:01 pm

    <p>I have a real bad taste in my mouth when it comes to Dell. We're a Dell only house at work and I'm in IT. We've been buying XPS 13 and XPS 15 laptops for the past 4 years. I've had 9 swollen batteries that push up the trackpad and can warp the keyboard.</p><p><br></p><p>Dell has done nothing to help us since the laptops that this has happened on are out of warranty.</p><p><br></p><p>Dell also deems the battery as a non user replaceable part, so they don't sell the batteries. So I have to buy them from places like Parts-People and LaptopBatteryExpress. And even then, sometimes the batteries arrive and the Dell XPS system will detect the battery but refuses to charge it or use the battery for power, turning the system off when it's unplugged. This has never happened with batteries from Parts-People, but I will no longer buy batteries from vendors on NewEgg because this has happened most of the time. I'm still trying out LaptopBatteryExpress. Their 50 / 50 at this point. This likely happens because it's not a true OEM part (I think Parts-People only sells true OEM).</p><p><br></p><p>That said, I have a few Inspirons in service and none of them have had this problem yet. Only XPS series laptops. Time will tell.</p><p><br></p><p>Even though I love the XPS 13 2-in-1 models along with many Latitudes, I don't know if I could ever bring myself to buy a Dell for home use that doesn't have a user replaceable battery. As far as I know, none of the current models have user replaceable batteries. At the same time, this seems to be what all manufacturers of laptops and phones are doing with most of their systems. I'm really disappointed about it.</p>

    • Sprtfan

      09 August, 2019 - 5:09 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#448426">In reply to Orin:</a></em></blockquote><p>Thanks for the detailed post. I didn't notice that it didn't have a touchscreen at first and maybe a deal breaker for me. I've become to used to having one. </p>

    • simont

      Premium Member
      09 August, 2019 - 5:44 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#448426">In reply to Orin:</a></em></blockquote><p>For companies, you really should stick to the Latitude line of machines. Not as good looking and a little heavier but more reliable. XPS is mostly a consumer brand for Dell so the quality control is a little less.</p>

      • Orin

        13 August, 2019 - 11:57 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#448432">In reply to simont:</a></em></blockquote><p>Valid point and I don't disagree.</p>

  • earlster

    Premium Member
    09 August, 2019 - 5:37 pm

    <p>I don't see anything wrong with it, this is a solid configuration for day to day use. Not a gaming or hard core developer machine, but great for email, web and office tasks. As well as the occasional photo management and other medium heavy use.</p><p>We are using Dell laptops at work and they 'just work' for the most part, I would go to BestBuy, see how the keyboard and touchpad work for you and then go and buy it. That price is a steal. And with the empty drive bay you can always add more storage when needed.</p><p>There is also a 2in1 model if you want a touch screen, but the coupon doesn't seem to work for that.</p>

    • Sprtfan

      09 August, 2019 - 11:17 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#448431">In reply to earlster:</a></em></blockquote><p>Touchscreen was one of those things that I didn't expect to use but I'm not sure if I can give up now once I've gotten used to it. Might end up waiting for something with a touchscreen since I have more time to look but I'm afraid I may end up regretting not getting it.</p>

  • simont

    Premium Member
    09 August, 2019 - 5:49 pm

    <p>And Paul was just complaining (with good reason) that there are no good $500 machines. As long as you are not expecting gaming performance, this is a pretty good deal.</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      11 August, 2019 - 7:12 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#448433">In reply to simont:</a></em></blockquote><p>Because there aren't. This is a $700 computer that was put on Slick Deals and heavily-discounted. I assume Dell made too many and couldn't sell them. </p><p><br></p><p>See my link below. </p>

      • Sprtfan

        11 August, 2019 - 6:37 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#448688">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>I'd say that there are no good $500 machines at the MSRP. If you have some time and can wait for sales they can be had found with some regularity but that is not typically how most consumers work. </p>

        • Paul Thurrott

          Premium Member
          12 August, 2019 - 7:52 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#448762">In reply to Sprtfan:</a></em></blockquote><p>We can qualify any statement to be true, I guess. </p><p><br></p><p>There are no good sub-$500 PCs. Unless they're on sale. Or are a few years old and deeply discounted on Slickdeals. Or are sold used. Or whatever.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

          • Sprtfan

            12 August, 2019 - 12:47 pm

            <blockquote><em><a href="#448821">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>As a reviewer I'd expect that you'd have to use something consistent as a baseline and that would be MSRP. As a consumer it is not hard to find things on sale and always view MSRP as almost marketing to make people feel better that they "saved" $50 or $100 from the normal price even if it is the norm. </p>

            • Paul Thurrott

              Premium Member
              13 August, 2019 - 6:38 am

              <blockquote><em><a href="#448850">In reply to Sprtfan:</a></em></blockquote><p>I see how much computers really cost when I review them. I don't go by what a PC maker says at an announcement, I go by how much they really cost. </p>

          • skane2600

            12 August, 2019 - 2:04 pm

            <blockquote><em><a href="#448821">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>I think if one has used $1000+ laptops almost exclusively for years one's conclusion would be that sub-$500 aren't any good, but those who's experience is with more modest laptops would probably come to a different conclusion. </p>

            • Paul Thurrott

              Premium Member
              13 August, 2019 - 6:41 am

              <blockquote><em><a href="#448878">In reply to skane2600:</a></em></blockquote><p>Since there is no such thing as a decent sub-$500 laptop, anyone who comes to such a conclusion is just rationalizing. </p><p><br></p>

              • skane2600

                13 August, 2019 - 10:55 am

                <blockquote><em><a href="#449009">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>Given all the sales of sub-$500 laptops, there must be a whole lot of rationalizing going on out there. </p>

                • Paul Thurrott

                  Premium Member
                  14 August, 2019 - 8:39 am

                  <blockquote><em><a href="#449051">In reply to skane2600:</a></em></blockquote><p>All the sales?</p>

                • skane2600

                  14 August, 2019 - 11:00 am

                  <blockquote><em><a href="#449240">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>Not sure what you don't understand. It wasn't a complicated comment.</p>

      • Sprtfan

        14 August, 2019 - 12:25 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#448688">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><blockquote><br></blockquote><p><em>Because there aren't. This is a $700 computer that was put on Slick Deals and heavily-discounted. I assume Dell made too many and couldn't sell them.</em></p><blockquote><em>See my link below.</em></blockquote><p>I'm sure this was just the way it was worded, but the computer was sold directly from Dell. Someone found the good deal and posted it to Slickdeals website. The computer was not put on Slickdeals to sell. I'm sure you know that but the way it was worded may have made someone think that the computer was dumped on Slickdeals for them to sell. </p>

        • Paul Thurrott

          Premium Member
          14 August, 2019 - 8:39 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#449199">In reply to Sprtfan:</a></em></blockquote><p>Sorry, just meant that it was a sale and that the computer was being dumped.</p>

    • driftsk

      13 August, 2019 - 7:48 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#448433">In reply to simont:</a></em></blockquote><p>We may discuss about what "good" actually is, but IMHO the $499 Chuwi Aerobook is very decent for its price.</p>

      • Sprtfan

        13 August, 2019 - 7:10 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#449021">In reply to DriftSK:</a></em></blockquote><p>I've had perfectly good experiences on laptops with an i3 and do think that an i5 maybe a little much for bare minimum specs. </p>

      • Paul Thurrott

        Premium Member
        14 August, 2019 - 8:38 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#449021">In reply to DriftSK:</a></em></blockquote><p>Core m3… And you lost me. :)</p>

    • Lordbaal

      21 August, 2019 - 1:05 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#448433">In reply to simont:</a></em></blockquote><p>There are good $500 laptops out there. </p><p>It's just that Paul and every PC reviewer is spoiled by using these high end 4k laptops.</p><p>Even models that are a year or 2 old, are still good today.</p>

      • Paul Thurrott

        Premium Member
        21 August, 2019 - 3:24 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#450811">In reply to Lordbaal:</a></em></blockquote><p>That's idiotic. </p>

  • vinay001

    11 August, 2019 - 1:36 am

    <p>All features are include <a href="Www.ekyth.in" target="_blank">in this pro. Amazing</a></p>

  • Sprtfan

    12 August, 2019 - 12:54 pm

    <p>I ended up ordering this instead.&nbsp;I wasn’t sure about posting links like this before or I would have included one for the computer in the first post.&nbsp;The cost is higher but prefer the touch screen and form factor.&nbsp;HP Pavilion x360 14" Touchscreen 2-in-1 Laptop – Intel Core i5 – 1080p for $550</p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://slickdeals.net/f/13275484-hp-pavilion-x360-2-in-1-14-fhd-ips-i5-8265u-8gb-ddr4-256gb-pcie-2×2-wifi-bluetooth-4-2-549-99-costco?src=SiteSearchV2Algo1&quot; target="_blank">https://slickdeals.net/f/13275484-hp-pavilion-x360-2-in-1-14-fhd-ips-i5-8265u-8gb-ddr4-256gb-pcie-2×2-wifi-bluetooth-4-2-549-99-costco?src=SiteSearchV2Algo1</a></p&gt;

  • jwpear

    Premium Member
    14 August, 2019 - 7:32 am

    <p>Late to this and I see you've already purchased something, but wanted to say that the battery is the biggest red flag to me. I've had two Inspiron 7000s–the top end of the Inspirons. I bought one for myself several years ago for about $650 on sale. And another for my father-in-law. Dell puts a cheap battery in these things. Within a year, you're getting half the battery life as you were getting when new. We both saw this. I ended up replacing the battery in mine, but then sold it after getting a Surface Book 2. My father-in-law still has his. He just lives with the low battery life by working near a power source so he can plug in.</p><p><br></p><p>The other thing that bugged me was the screen was not very bright. That's highly personal in terms of whether one likes or dislikes a bright screen. I have an astigmatism and am getting to the age where I have near vision focus issues. A brighter screen helps make text clear. The Inspiron was just a little too dim for me at times when working near strong light sources–outside or near a window.</p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">A really good thing about the Inspiron is that it is serviceable. That's a really nice benefit of this cheap(er) computer. It is a shame you have to go down market for that feature.</span></p>

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