Technically proficient but lacking soul

In previous years, the Dell 16 plus 2 in 1 would probably have been called Inspiron. However, after the company has reorganized its Diagram of denomination earlier this yearAll of his general public PCs now share his name, with some additional identifiers who call size, design and status (alias as it is sophisticated). While I always think that the choice of Dell of Abandoning the iconic XPS tag is a mistakeRationalize your portfolio has a lot of meaning, especially for people who are just looking to buy a new laptop.

The Dell 16 Plus 2 in 1 is one of the first computers for the general public of the company to present its updated name and its refreshing style scheme. And not surprisingly, this machine is a mid -range laptop solidly competent for daily productivity with a little additional flexibility thanks to its convertible design. But despite all these changes, it seems that something is missing.

Design

As he did with his model names, Dell has reworked the design of his family of laptops. The 16 plus 2 in 1 has a solid construction composed of smooth aluminum panels at the top and bottom with a matte finish and rounded edges. Its 360 -degree hinges are small and subtle while providing a lot of support for tent and tablet modes. But in some ways, it seems that Dell has become a little too minimalist, because the only distinctive characteristic of the laptop is the classic Dell logo in the center of its cover.

The selection of ports is good, but not exceptional, with two USB-C (one supports Thunderbolt 4 while the other manages DisplayPort 1.4), a USB-A, an HDMI 2.1 location and an audio plug of 3.5 mm. However, given its size, I would have liked to see another USB-C connector, in particular on the right side of the system. Being able to load using the left ports can be a little annoying depending on your configuration. The absence of a microSD card reader is not ideal for content creators either.

The keyboard feels good and includes a complete pavement for those who need it. Unfortunately, I don’t like the 16 Plus touchpad. Even if it is large enough, it seemed surprisingly insensitive. At the beginning, almost a quarter of the time, I tried to click right, I simply got nothing. Admittedly, I was able to adapt, but whatever I did, click on never felt quite correct.

Dell speakers are also somewhat disappointing because they are hidden behind two small slots at the bottom of the system. The result is a sound that seems flat, hollow and remote, even when the volume is turned. Given the choice, I would exchange the physical pavement for high or forward shooting speakers positioned on each side of the keyboard, although I admit that it may not be a popular choice for anyone who has to do a lot of data entry.

Display

The 16-inch touch screen on our examination unit is a bright point because it has 2,560 x 1,600 mini-screen options from Dell. Not only can it produce up to 600 brightness, but it also has a slightly faster 90 Hz cooling rate than the default panel of 300 NIT 1,920 x 1,200 FHD +. And after using it for several weeks, this screen is certainly an upgrade that deserves to be paid. The colors are richer and more saturated while offering better light, contrast and levels of black than basic LCD panel.

Performance

Pending an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V or Ultra 7 258V chip, as well as up to 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage, the 16 plus has enough speed for daily computer tasks. Since these laptops can reach 40 or 47 above, depending on the processor, they support all Copilot + AI features of Microsoft. That said, he does not support discreet graphics, so this machine is not an excellent choice for anyone who regularly needs to do things like serious video edition, games or 3D modeling.

Battery life

Thanks to its 64Whr battery, the Dell 16 plus 2 in 1 offers a longevity above average. During the Modern complicity test of PCMARK10, it lasted eight hours and 12 minutes. It is much better than rivals like HP’s spectrum x360 16 (just over five hours), but still far from smaller and less powerful models like the Asus Zenbook A14 (18:16).

I also appreciate that the 65 Watts dell charger is relatively compact. The 16 plus supports the load on USB-C (with one or the other of its ports), you can therefore also use a third brick if you prefer.

Conclude

Dell 16 Plus 2 in 1 is a perfectly competent hybrid laptop. Its hinge allows the system to transform into different modes to better adapt to your needs. His chassis is well built even if it is not particularly catchy. The performance is solid and the battery life is slightly better than the average for its class, while the optional mini LED screen of Dell offers excellent visualization experience. And from only $ 750 (or approximately $ 1,400 for the examination of the model entirely loaded here), this system seems very reasonable.

My main problem is that between its name revised and the new rationalized design, the Dell 16 plus 2 in 1 suffers from a complete lack of personality. It is a completely usable machine, but it does not have a single trait or function that is loved to its user. The same goes for his name. At least with Apple, you know you get a MacBook or an iPad. With this thing, Dell is the name of the company, but now it is also the name of The laptop too? Or is it simply called the 16 plus 2 in 1? Anyway, it’s embarrassing.

Now, I fully admit that not everyone feels this about their gadgets, because in the end, a PC is only a tool. But as a person who likes to feel connected to the devices I buy, the redesign of Dell’s PC has produced something difficult to love.