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This is the company’s latest midrange laptop and one of the successors to the Inspiron series. It even looks like an Inspiron, sporting the familiar combination of gray, rubber keys on an all-silver body. Although the design isn’t revolutionary, I still had a wonderful time with the Dell 14 Plus.
It’s this mixture of tried-and-true tech with next-gen advancements. To repeat what I said in my old Inspiron 14 Plus review, “the device has many of the hallmark features I enjoy in a laptop.”
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
The comfortable keyboard from the Inspiron 14 has returned. Its chiclet-shaped keys remain gentle yet responsive to the touch. They sit inside a chassis primarily made out of aluminum, giving Dell’s machine a nice, sturdy feel. Like before, the edges on the bottom half are rounded for comfort.
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I also like to think that Dell read my past review because I recommended that the brand continue using the same anti-fingerprint manufacturing technique for future products. Sure enough, the Dell 14 Plus did not have a single fingerprint smudge on it in all my time handling it.
Solid performance
Inside my review was an Intel Core Ultra 256V processor, an integrated Intel Arc graphics card, and 16GB of memory. Below is a table highlighting the Dell 14 Plus’ performance results across multiple benchmark tests. I also included other laptops with similar hardware for comparison.
PC Mark 10 | Cinebench 2024 | Geekbench 6 | |
Dell 14 Plus | 7,271 | 554 | 10,812 |
Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition | 6,562 | 394 | 7,743 |
HP EliteBook Ultra G1i | 7,328 | 496 | 10,993 |
Looking at the numbers, you’ll notice that Dell’s computer did quite well in the three tests. It outperformed the Lenovo Yoga 9i Aura Edition in every metric and is very close to outdoing the HP EliteBook.
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This tells me the 14 Plus renders high-resolution images quickly and tackles demanding workloads with relative ease. It’s not a high-end model, but the configuration can deliver a similar experience.
Unsurprisingly, the Dell 14 Plus did great. It handled all of the open windows with just a touch of slowdown; nothing too debilitating. The one major downside of the heavy workload was overheating — the keyboard became a little warm after several minutes.
Let’s talk about that display
So, the laptop delivers a top-notch performance in addition to having a solid design. You may be wondering, “Are there any issues with the Dell 14 Plus?” Yes, I wasn’t a big fan of the display. It isn’t bad per se; the screen just didn’t blow me away. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by other laptops that excel in these areas.
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My review unit had a 14-inch 2.5K (2,540 x 1,600) display that delivered impressive image detail. The display’s anti-glare coating helps maintain clarity under bright conditions. However, compared to the Lenovo Yoga 9i mentioned earlier, the Dell 14 Plus has a noticeably dull screen.
And it’s not without support. Dolby Vision is present, allowing the display to support a wide range of colors, but it’s still not great.
In terms of battery life, the Dell 14 Plus ran for about 11 hours and 40 minutes under Best Power Efficiency before draining completely. For the sake of comparison, the Lenovo Yoga 9i Aura Edition can hit a solid 12 hours with the right optimization. I end up liking Dell’s machine more because it offers a comparable experience at a lower price.
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