Over the past few years, the Dell 16 Plus 2-in-2 might have been called Inspiron. But after the company made improvements to its naming plan earlier this year, all of its consumer PCs now share their names and provide some additional identifiers that call for size, design, and status (aka its fantasy). While I still think Dell’s choice to throw away the iconic XPS tag is a mistake, it makes sense to simplify its portfolio, especially for people who want to buy a new laptop.
The Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 is one of the company’s first consumer laptops with updated naming plans and refresh styles. Surprisingly, thanks to its convertible design, this machine is a solidly competent midrange laptop for everyday productivity. But despite all these changes, it feels like it’s missing.
design
Dell/engadget
Dell’s revamped 16 plus 2 in 2 is a laptop with the ability to adaptive design and excellent optional mini LED screen, but lacks personality.
- Sturdy build
- Vivid mini LED display
- Battery life above average
- A plain touchpad
- Mediocre speakers
- Need another USB-C port
Dell $750
Like its model name, Dell has redesigned the design of the laptop family. The 16 plus 2 in 2 has a solid construction consisting of smooth aluminum panels on the top and bottom, with a matte finish and rounded edges. Its 360-degree hinges are small and subtle while still providing plenty of support for tent and tablet modes. But in some ways, it feels like Dell may become too minimalist, as the only difference feature of a laptop is the classic Dell logo at the center of the cover.
The port selection is good, but not great, with two USB-C sockets (one supports Thunderbolt 4, while the other handles DisplayPort 1.4), a USB-A, an HDMI 2.1 slot and a 3.5mm audio jack. However, considering its size, I would like to see another USB-C connector, especially on the right side of the system. Only the ability to charge using the port on the left depends on your settings. The lack of a microSD card reader is not ideal for content creators.
The keyboard feels great and provides a complete mat for those who need one. Unfortunately, I don’t like the 16 plus touchpad. Even though it was big, it was surprisingly unresponsive. At first, I tried to right-click for nearly a quarter of the time, and I had nothing. Of course, I was able to adapt, but no matter what I did, the click was never right.
Dell’s speakers are also somewhat disappointing as they are hidden behind two small gaps at the bottom of the system. This causes the audio to sound flat, hollow and distant, even if the volume appears. Given the choice, I swapped the physical digital board for a speaker that sits above the sides of the keyboard or forward firing, although I admit that this may not be a popular option for anyone who has to do a lot of data entry.
exhibit
The 16-inch touch display on our review unit is a highlight as it has a Dell optional 2,560 x 1,600 Mini LED screen. Not only does it produce brightness of up to 600 columns, it is also slightly higher than the 90Hz refresh rate of the default 300-NIT 1,920 x 1,200 FHD+ panel. After several weeks of use, the display is definitely a payment upgrade. The colors are richer and more saturated than the basic LCD panel, while also providing better brightness, contrast and black levels.
Performance
Packing an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V or Ultra 7 258V chip, along with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, the 16 Plus has plenty of speed for everyday computing tasks. Since these laptops can reach 40 or 47 tops, depending on the processor, they support all of Microsoft’s Copilot+ AI capabilities. That said, it does not support discrete graphics, so this machine is not a good choice for anyone who often needs to perform things like serious video editing, gaming, or 3D modeling.
Battery life
With its 64WHR battery, the Dell 16 plus 2-in-2 lifespan exceeds the average lifespan. It lasted eight hours and 12 minutes in the modern office rundown test of the PCMARD10. This is much better than competitors like HP’s Spectre X360 16 (slightly more than five hours), but is far from smaller and smaller-featured models like the Asus Zenbook A14 (18:16).
I also thank Dell for its relatively compact 65-watt charger. 16 Plus supports charging USB-C (with either port), so you can also use third-party tiles if you like.
wrap up
The Dell 16 plus 2 in 1 is a perfectly competent hybrid laptop. Its hinge allows the system to be converted into various modes to better suit your needs. Its chassis can be built well, if not particularly striking. Performance is solid, with a slightly higher battery life than its class average, while Dell’s optional mini LED display provides a great viewing experience. And starting at just $750 (about $1,400 for a full-loaded model review here), this system is very reasonable.
My main problem is that between its revised name and the new simplified design, Dell 16 plus 2 in 2 suffers from a total lack of personality. This is a completely usable machine, but it does not have a feature or feature that can make its own users appreciate. The same is true for the same name. With Apple at least, you know you’re getting a MacBook or iPad. With this thing, Dell is the name of the company, but now it is also the name of the laptop? Or just called 16 plus 2 in 1? Either way, it’s awkward.
Now, I fully admit that not everyone feels this way about their gadgets, because at the end of the day, PC is just a tool. But, as someone who likes to be associated with the devices I buy, Dell’s PC makeover has produced something that’s hard to love.
