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With the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 Special Edition, you get a well constructed piece of kit that looks sharp and performs well. Performance is powerful and speedy overall, but lackluster battery life compared to its peers stands out as a potential issue.
We liked
First thing's first: this is an all-around solidly built laptop. Its soft-touch and metal surfaces give the device a premium feel, that it's sturdy and well constructed. I enjoyed using the keyboard, and the screen provided accurate color and contrast.
Down the line, the machine's heavy-duty metal hinges feel as though they'll be able to take plenty of wear and tear. It's also a strong performer, putting up solid marks in most of our benchmarks. And while this laptop won't replace your PC gaming machine, it should fit the bill for light gaming needs.
We disliked
The Inspiron 13 7000 Special Edition is a little heavier than its peers, which may be problematic if you plan to frequently use the machine as a tablet. And while I enjoy the screen's color and contrast, I find it to be a little too dim to use outdoors.
But the bigger issue here is the battery. Despite Dell's lofty battery-life claims, the battery lags behind its competitors, making this machine a less-than-ideal choice if you rely on a notebook that can get you through an entire day on a single charge.
Final verdict
Despite its shortcomings, I'm pleased with what Dell offers with the Inspiron 13 7000 Special Edition, particularly in terms of build quality and overall system performance. It's fast, it's slick – and it might just change your perception of convertible notebooks.
This machine is an ideal notebook for students who need to bang out papers and general users who want a fast, compact notebook to tote around. If battery life and weight are your primary concerns, though, you'd be better off with HP's Spectre x360. But if those aren't major priorities, you could do a lot worse than Dell's special edition Inspiron.
