This versatile Dell laptop surprised me with 3 standout features

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Dell’s Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 is available now, and its price varies significantly depending on the configuration. The Intel Core Ultra 7, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB, 1TB configuration is $1,399.
• It’s an incredibly well-rounded laptop that can swap between tasks with ease, and comes with a handful of different configurations to match its versatility.
• Its display, although large, won’t impress serious creators, and it’s on the bulky side. 

The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 (2024) is an upper mid-tier laptop for users looking for a big screen and respectable performance but who want to stay comfortably below that $2,000 price point. Versatility is the name of the game here, with jack-of-all-trades energy that gives the Inspiron 16 a reputation for being well-rounded and up for anything. 

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Last year, my colleague Cesar Cadenas went hands-on with the Inspiron 16 Plus 7630 — the 2023 version of this laptop. This year’s version is a subtle follow-up with some upgraded hardware and more AI readiness, but it’s comparable in performance.

The biggest upgrade is the “Meteor Lake” Intel Core Ultra 7 155H or Ultra 9 185H processors, with clock speeds up to 4.8GHz and 5.1GHz, and an integrated NPU for AI tasks.

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AI readiness is an overarching theme across all laptops released this year, and the Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 is no exception. Of course, this year’s version also features the dedicated Copilot key on its keyboard, as part of Microsoft’s push to integrate AI-related tasks into Windows. 

Aside from the processors, however, not a lot else has changed. Both versions of the Inspiron 16 Plus come in one “ice blue” colorway, Dell’s distinct round-edged clamshell design, and the spacious keyboard. 

This laptop’s starting weight is 4.94 lbs, which definitely puts it on the heavier end of the spectrum, albeit acceptable for a 16-incher (although barely – I commuted with this machine for a week and I can say that it would not be my first pick for a portable laptop).

This year’s Inspiron Plus 16 also has the same dedicated graphics card options as last year’s: the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 or 4060, with 6GB and 8GB of memory, respectively. The integrated Intel UHD or Arc GPUs that come with the lower-end configurations are fine for everyday users, but serious creators will want to spring for the boost in performance possible with the Nvidia cards.

Speaking of creators, however, this laptop’s display might leave you wanting more. Last year’s version had a 2.5K resolution (2560 x 1600 pixel) screen with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, which we noted looked stunning with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060.

Unfortunately, this year’s model, which features the same GPU and resolution, maxes out at 60Hz. The max 300-nit brightness is fine, but a brighter display with an OLED option would have been a nice addition for a mid-range creator-focused laptop. I suppose that’s the draw for springing for Dell’s XPS 16, from its OLED-equipped line of creator-focused laptops.

If you want an OLED, the XPS 16 starts at $2,199 with the same graphics card and processor. This suggests Dell is gearing the Inspiron Plus 16 toward mid-range creators who work with video and photo editing, animation, or graphic design, but don’t need the top of the line in hardware.

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In that same vein, Dell told me that this laptop, while certainly capable of running games, is not intended to be a gaming-first machine. I ran a few games on Steam with my review unit’s GeForce 4060 and 16GB of RAM, and it actually performed better than I thought it would. It is, however, held back by the two things I just mentioned: the display’s refresh rate and average brightness.

As with previously mentioned use-cases, the Inspiron Plus 16’s gaming performance aligns with the profile of someone who isn’t an avid or serious gamer, but does like to get into some gaming now and again.

The other drawback with this laptop’s gaming potential is the rather loud fan that kicks in when the hardware starts to heat up. The degree to which it heats up in the first place also supports the fact that it’s not particularly well-optimized for gaming, especially for long periods of time.

Another improvement from last year’s model is the battery life. During my testing, I got almost 12 hours out of a single charge, which is quite good, given the balance struck with its more modest display but performant hardware. Essentially, this is a laptop that will have no problem running an entire day and then some.

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Adding to the configuration options, the Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 offers 16GB or 32GB of RAM and 512GB to 2TB of storage. It’s definitely nice to see a 2TB option, but if you opt for that configuration, it’ll bring the starting price up to $1,700, which is only $100 less than Dell’s brand-new XPS 13 with the Snapdragon X Elite processor. 

Such is the paradox with versatile, jack-of-all-trades laptops: they certainly can do it all, but if you opt for the most souped-up version possible, you end up paying slightly more than if you just went for a machine optimized for that use case in the first place.

The Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 shines when it’s taken for what it is: a versatile laptop that isn’t the flashiest piece of gear on the block, but one that is reliable and capable. I’m a particular fan of Dell laptops because of their understated reliability, and this laptop fits that bill well.

ZDNET’s buying advice

Dell’s Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 is a great option for consumers who want a well-rounded laptop with plenty of storage and a respectable set of hardware that will last, but don’t need a specialized machine or require a top-tier display. 

The laptop’s combination of an Intel Core Ultra 7 or Core Ultra 9 processor, the choice of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 or 4060 graphics card, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of storage makes for a powerful suite of hardware that is more than well-suited for the needs of the average consumer, as well as those who dabble in creative tasks. 

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If you like this laptop, but don’t mind opting for last year’s Inspiron 16 Plus (2023), it’s significantly marked down, starting at only $649, which is less than half of this year’s model that I reviewed.