The best Dell laptops have been ruling over the laptop world for some time now. Among the best laptops in the world, these portables combine sheer power and excellent features in chassis that tout elegant and gorgeous designs. And, although the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) has most recently dethroned one of the Dell flagships, there’s really no denying Dell’s knack for making impressive portables.
It’s this potent combination that makes the best Dell laptops among the best value laptops on the market. They really are the complete package for most laptop users, even the pricier flagships like the Dell XPS 13 and 15. Therefore, if you want MacBook-level performance but can do without the MacBook price or the Mac ecosystem, nothing beats these Windows laptops in terms of power and value.
There’s a lot of Dell offerings out there to fit every need, both the budget-minded and prosumers can take one of the best Dell laptops home without blowing their budget or compromising on performance. From lightweight Chromebooks to gaming laptops with staggering power and stunning yet capable Ultrabooks, here are our top picks.
Best Dell laptops at a glance
- Dell XPS 15 (2020)
- Alienware M15 R3 (2020)
- Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020)
- Dell Latitude 7490
- Dell XPS 17 (2020)
- Dell G5 15 SE (2020)
- Alienware m17 (2019)
- Alienware Area-51m
- Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1
- Dell G3 15
The Dell XPS 15 might be a bit pricey for regular students, but it’s easily one of the best laptops for students in the creative field. Combining staggering power in a stylish thin and light chassis, this laptop doesn’t hold back when it comes to internals and features that improve your computing experience overall, making this the best Dell laptop of 2021. Among those amazing features are a gorgeous bright display with 500 nits of brightness, an extremely comfortable keyboard, impressive speakers, and a terrific trackpad. We’re not saying that this laptop is perfect, but our coveted 5 out of 5 rating should speak for itself.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 15
Dell’s Alienware gaming laptop line has established itself as among the very best on the market. But for 2021, one of the best Dell laptops is back and better than ever, rocking the best internals for gaming that money can buy. Of course, that means that its configurations cost a pretty penny, but if you have the money to spare, it’s certainly worth the splurge because of its sublime gaming performance. That’s without factoring in its quirky yet attractive design, excellent build quality and display with fast refresh rates. We’ve been fans of the line since its design overall a couple of years ago, and that hasn’t changed.
Read the full review: Alienware M15 R3 (2020)
At this point, we doubt that the Dell XPS line can do anything wrong. Its yearly updates have consistently made it to our best laptops list, and they’re only getting better. The Dell XPS 13 (2020) is not only a gorgeous piece of kit. It also comes, as expected, with excellent performance, a stunning display and long battery life, alongside a few others. Much like its predecessor, it’s a pricey investment – but that is barely reason enough for us to discourage Ultrabook fans. This is among the best Dell laptops of 2021, and it’s worth every penny.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 (2020)
Despite the derivative design, the Dell Latitude 7490 has many of the makings of a great computer and one of the best Dell laptops 2021 has on offer. It’s all thanks to its excellent performance, a long battery life, and more than decent memory and storage options. It isn’t the cheapest, but it’s definitely worth the price.
Read the full review: Dell Latitude 7490
For a 17-inch laptop, the Dell XPS 17 (2020) is impressively thin and light, especially when you consider the fact that it boasts powerful specs for that top-notch performance that content creators require. Among the best Dell laptops out there, this is practically the whole package, touting a big, gorgeous screen, fantastic battery life that will last you the entire day and a gorgeous design on top of everything else. That’s without even mentioning its mid-range price of entry, giving the MacBook Pro 16-inch a good run for its money.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 17 (2020)
Though Dell has its premium lines, it’s also been very good at building excellent budget machines. The Dell G5 15 SE (2020) is a very good example of that, touting impressive AMD specs, especially in the CPU department, to keep cost down without compromising performance. Here’s an affordable gaming laptop that delivers a staggering performance for the price, with a stunning display to boot. Of course, being a budget laptop, some sacrifices have been made – namely, its build and heat management. However, for the budget-minded, this is certainly among the best Dell laptops out there for gaming.
Read the full review: Dell G5 15 SE (2020)
If aesthetic is as important to you as power, then look no further than the Alienware m17 (2019). Touting Alienware’s new unique design that kind of makes you think you’re in a really cool sci-fi movie, this stunning 17-inch laptop has a few things going for it. It has a lot of power under the hood, enough to make it future-proof, for one. Plus, it’s thin and light for a gaming laptop, and among the lightest 17-inch laptops in the world. To be fair, it’s not perfect – its battery life is particularly poor, and it’s only got a 1080p display. However, if you’re looking for a gaming laptop that is as good in performance as it looks, the Alienware m17 (2019) is a winner.
Read the full review: Alienware m17 (2019)
Hands down, the Alienware Area-51m is a stunner of a gaming laptop, with a beautiful yet unique chassis and a comfortable keyboard to complement it. But it goes beyond looks; it’s also by far the most powerful gaming laptop on the market right now (and obviously, one of the best Dell laptops). Not that it’s perfect, as it does get really hot and its fans can get very loud. However, it’s a performance beast fitted with high-end processors and high-end graphics cards, and your gaming experience with it will be an absolute pressure.
Read the full review: Alienware Area-51m
The Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 is a versatile 2-in-1 with a lot going for it under the hood. This premium laptop is more than just about its premium design; it also has high-end internals to compete with the likes of the more powerful Dell XPS 13. Rounding that out is a 4K display, and a clever stylus slot that makes us wonder whether they actually beat Microsoft to the idea. Granted, the display is a bit of a battery drain, and the speakers impressive, but this is still among the best Dell laptops out there.
Read the full review: Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1
When it comes to gaming, more often than not, you have to invest in premium parts to get that gaming edge you want. That’s especially true if you’re going for smooth 1440p or 4K gaming. In other words, while there’s a number of budget gaming laptops out there, very few really get you to where you want to go. Among those few is the Dell G3 15 gaming laptop, Dell’s affordable answer for gamers who want solid performance without splurging. It's all thanks to those latest yet economically-priced internals it's fitted with. It's probably not going to get you competitive level, but if you want a cheaper laptop to game on for the sake of gaming, this will go a long way.
Read the full review: Dell G3 15
- Check out our list of the best laptops