The 2-in-1 laptop I recommend for the office isn’t a Lenovo or HP
ZDNET Key Points
- Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 Laptop 2024 is a great convertible laptop for busy people on the go.
- This model has solid performance thanks to AMD hardware and decent battery life.
- Some users will be disappointed by the less than impressive display.
Dell is known for making durable laptops that last. Inspiron 14 Plus 7440a model I reviewed earlier this year with solid performance and good quality of life features. But the company has upped the ante with another solid workhorse in a convertible 2-in-1 form factor with Inspiron 14 2-in-1 7445.
The new Inspiron 14 is a convertible that allows you to flip the screen all the way back and turn the device into a tablet, offering a level of versatility that the previous model lacked. As such, the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 is more suited to users who need a computer that can multitask. The touchscreen alone adds a lot to its toolkit, allowing creative professionals to instantly draw or sketch out diagrams for work.
Inside, you’ll find a different hardware setup than the old Inspiron. Instead of an Intel chipset, this laptop has an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor, AMD Radeon 780M graphics card, and 16GB of memory. This configuration is designed to handle office-related tasks like multitasking with documents or making video calls with ease.
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I was curious to see if it could outperform the Inspiron 14 Plus, which has an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU. So I ran some benchmarks and, according to the results, the two models performed similarly. Although I did find that the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 rendered images faster than its competitor, making it the better performer.
Unfortunately, the Full HD Plus (1,920 x 1,200 pixels) touchscreen on the Inspiron 2-in-1 is pretty disappointing. I’ve seen lower-resolution laptops compensate for their lack of visual fidelity with software enhancements (like HDR 10), but Intel’s machine doesn’t have any of that, resulting in dull colors.
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That’s about all the major differences between the two, aside from a few minor ones. For example, the rounded palm rest is back, which makes for a comfortable experience. Speaking of the keyboard, I found it quite comfortable to hold. Each key feels mushy, but the generous travel distance of the keys makes up for it. I didn’t like the trackpad as much this time around, though, because it’s smaller.
If you travel or commute with your laptop, you won’t be bothered by this one, as it weighs just 3.77 pounds. It’s also made of aluminum, giving it the sturdiness needed to withstand frequent trips.
I should also mention that the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 has the same downward-facing vents for heat dissipation, something I’m usually not a fan of. However, in a nice twist, the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 doesn’t generate much heat to begin with. I had a very comfortable experience working on this laptop, as it stayed cool even after extended use. I’m not sure what Dell has done to improve the cooling system, but I’m glad to see it.
Of course, I can’t forget the speakers. The Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 has a nice set of speakers. Music and movies sound great coming from the computer’s drivers. Part of the quality is due to the built-in subwoofer, which adds a powerful bass to the output. The drivers also support Dolby Atmos, which can immerse the user in a bubble of sound.
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For battery, I ran ZDNET’s usual battery test, which puts a laptop through its paces. This test involves nonstop YouTube streaming at 720p resolution and 50% brightness. I measured the Inspiron 2-in-1’s battery life at around eight hours max in its best Power Efficiency mode. Not bad; it’s enough to get you through a full day, although it would be nice to see it last 10 or 12 hours.
ZDNET Buying Advice
Price for Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 starts at $729, which is great for this laptop: you get a solid workhorse that can handle just about anything you can throw at it for under $1,000. If you want to upgrade to a Ryzen 7 8840HS processor (which is the one I tested here in this review), the price jumps to $949.
I also recommend choosing Midnight Blue as the color of your laptop. The Ice Blue option adds $100 to the price because it runs Windows 11 Pro. Go for the darker shade if you don’t care about a pro-level operating system.
