Dell Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1 review

Dell's Inspiron 15 7000 Series 2-in-1 laptop is a nicely priced machine with a modern metallic look, but it's weight and size in tablet mode keep its convertibility from being truly useful, which is a shame. Maybe a more apt description would be to call it a 1-and-also-a-tablet-if-you-like, rather than a 2-in-1, because it's really just a nice laptop that also can be used as a giant tablet.

We liked

The build and screen quality are fantastic and make the Inspiron look like a higher-end computer when open. The keyboard quality is wonderful, with solid keys and an intelligent backlighting system. For everyday usage, the Inspiron 15 is more than adequately powered and the SSD option makes it feel nice and peppy from startup to file searching.

We disliked

As nice as it is as a laptop, it falls short as an enormous tablet. Without fiddling with zoom settings, the screen is just too big to use for web surfing. And at nearly 5 pounds, simply holding it comfortably as a tablet is not easy. In laptop mode, the perfect trackpad sensitivity setting is hard to nail down.

Final verdict

Dell's Inspiron 15 7000 Series 2-in-1 makes for a great laptop and an OK tablet. It feels in every way like a laptop first and foremost, and I found myself defaulting to the laptop configuration in most instances. The extra screen real estate is welcome in certain scenarios in tablet mode, but the display is just too big to hold over your lap, and you may gravitate towards the HP Spectre x360 for these reasons.

The Inspiron 15 is a fine machine that is worth the price as tested, and would make a great laptop for professionals or college kids looking for a versatile device. Though the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 15 offers stronger performance, the Dell hybrid is more affordable and doesn't come loaded with specialized features or options you might not need.