If you’re on the hunt for a laptop and are after something which offers a high-quality build, a premium look, and plenty in the performance department, you might expect to lose a good chunk of your wallet for the privilege. But that doesn’t have to be the case.
In fact, one of Dell’s new notebooks gives you all this and more, as we’ll see in this in-depth look at the Dell Inspiron 13 5310, plus it comes with an impressively affordable price tag. Particularly when you take into account that John Lewis is selling this model with a discount: £50 off currently, meaning that the Inspiron retails at just £649. So, let’s look at what you get for that outlay (spoiler alert – you’ll likely be surprised at just how much this portable packs in for the money).
Inspiring hardware
The Dell Inspiron 13 5310 boasts a cutting-edge Intel processor, and in the case of the model offered by John Lewis, it’s the Core i5-11300H, a Tiger Lake quad-core chip (with 8-threads) which is capable of boosting up to speeds of 4.4GHz.
In short, that’s plenty of power to drive whatever you might want to do in terms of running apps or accomplishing everyday computing tasks – whether that’s image editing or word processing – under Windows 10 (or indeed Windows 11 when it arrives, as this notebook is confirmed to support the incoming revamped OS).
There’s plenty of RAM and storage here for your needs, too, with 8GB of system memory and a 256GB SSD respectively.
The Core i5 CPU also comes with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which is powerful enough to cater for casual gaming, and can cope with some contemporary games if the graphics settings are suitably turned down.
Whatever you’re doing with the Inspiron 13, it’ll be a more enjoyable experience thanks to the top-notch display this laptop is equipped with. To be precise, it’s a 13.3-inch screen that delivers stunningly vivid colours and sharp images, with a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution (note that the Inspiron can also be purchased with a higher-res 2,560 x 1,600 panel).
The display is not just high-quality, but easy on the eyes too, benefiting from technology like an anti-glare coating and low blue light tech which helps to combat eye strain in lengthier sessions of using the laptop.
Super-slim bezels around all four sides of the screen – even the bottom bezel is vanishingly thin – mean that all you’re looking at is the content on the display with no distractingly thick black borders in evidence here. These thin bezels add to the overall premium feel of the Inspiron 13, and also allow Dell to fit this 13.3-inch screen into a smaller laptop chassis which is more portable (the machine weighs 1.31kg, so it’s nice and light).
The premium aesthetic is carried throughout the rest of the laptop, not just the display, with the notebook having an aluminium chassis and platinum silver finish, with smart touches like an edge-to-edge backlit keyboard. There’s also a nifty hinge design that lifts the keyboard deck slightly when the laptop is open, providing a more ergonomic typing experience, and better air circulation underneath the notebook.
Speaking of keeping the Inspiron 13 cool, Dell has implemented various other optimisation measures in terms of the thermal design to prevent the laptop from any danger of overheating, and dual fans (plus heat pipes) are on hand inside the portable. All of this means that the aforementioned Intel Core i5 CPU is kept cool so it performs well and can better tackle any task you throw at it.
Fast charging, long-lasting
Of course, when you’re on the move with a laptop, it’s not just performance you’ll be concerned with, but also battery life. Fortunately, this Dell notebook won’t disappoint with longevity away from the power socket. The 54Whr battery provides a claimed life of up to 11 hours, and a further benefit is the inclusion of fast charging tech. Dell’s ExpressCharge feature means that the Inspiron can be charged up to 80% in just an hour.
The final piece of the puzzle is connectivity, and the Inspiron 13 sports both a Thunderbolt 4 port along with a USB 3.2 connector, plus DisplayPort 1.4 and an HDMI 1.4 port. Wireless connectivity includes Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6, with the latter being the latest Wi-Fi standard for the fastest connection to your router (or Wi-Fi hotspots when you’re out and about).
Other goodies here include a front-facing camera (plus mic) for video chats, and built-in MaxxAudio Pro stereo speakers.
Sold on the Dell Inspiron 13 5310 yet? As we mentioned at the outset, now is a great time to buy with £50 off at John Lewis for the platinum silver model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Don’t forget the other major boon that this retailer provides, namely a two-year guarantee for the laptop, giving you added peace of mind.
