Let’s review the Dell Inspiron 13.3 i5379-7909GRY-PUS, one of the first laptops available with a processor for the 8th generation of Intel chips
Are you looking to buy a modern 13 inch laptop? The Dell Inspiron 13.3 i5379-7909GRY-PUS featured in this review is the perfect option if you want a portable, fast and lightweight laptop.
 | Dell Inspiron i5379-7909GRY-PUS Pros - New i7-8550U Processor - Versatile and fast 2-in-1 laptop Cons - No SSD storage |
Dell Inspiron 13.3 i5379-7909GRY-PUS Review: Kaby Lake R Chip
Dell laptops are often reviewed here on Value Nomad, but this is a rather special one. Since Intel has announce the release of the eight generation of Intel chips, we haven’t been able to review a brand new laptop powered by this processor. This is about to change with this Dell.
Apart from being a very versatile and lightweight laptop, this laptop is indeed powered by the 8th generation of Intel chips. But, what does it mean for the end user?
The Intel Kaby Lake R generation is the successor to the Kaby Lake generation and brings important improvements in a number of technologies. To sum it up, one can expect a higher benchmark on Intel Kaby Lake R processors, and also a more efficient power consumption. The 8th generation of Intel chips has processors using 3 microarchitectures: Kaby Lake R, Coffee Lake and Cannonlake.
Design
The design of this Dell is certainly not one of its highlights. Even though the materials are pretty good and the laptop is well finished, this laptop has a simple design and a black chassis. However, it might be a good option if you just want a business laptop with a more conservative design.
Considering this laptop is a 2-in-1 and has a 13 inch screen, it has pretty compact dimensions. Its overall weight is of just 3.77 lbs. Even if there are many lighter options available, we can consider this laptop as a pretty light one.
CPU
The CPU is certainly the most exciting hardware component of this laptop, as its the brand new Intel Core i7-8550U. As mentioned above, it is part of the 8th generation of intel chips, and it uses the Kaby Lake R micro-architecture.
It has a base frequency of 1.80 GHz but its turbo its up to incredible 4.0 GHz. This shows how the new generation of Intel chips is versatile. The i7-8550U is a quad core processor with hyper-threading and a pretty low TDP of just 15 W (configurable up and down).
GPU
The Dell Inspiron i5379-7909GRY-PUS comes with an integrated graphics card, the all new Intel UHD Graphics 620. This integrated graphics card is also one of the most recent integrated cards available by Intel, as is available in many laptops using the Kaby Lake R micro-architecture.
This laptop is certainly not a great choice if your main goal is to buy a gaming machine. However, it has a pretty good performance in a number of games (depending on the graphic settings).
Display
The display is another critical aspect in every laptop. Just like its direct rival, the Acer Spin 5, this Dell has a 13.3 inch with Full HD resolution. Its screen is also touch sensitive, which might be useful if you want to use it on tablet mode, for example. Its display also features an IPS panel, a standard for higher-end laptops.
RAM
I believe the RAM in this laptop follows the same trend for similarly priced laptops in the same niche. This Dell comes with 8 GB DDR4 running at 2400MHz, and you can upgrade it to up to 16 GB RAM.
For most common activities on Windows 10 an upgrade is not really necessary, but it definitely contributes for an overall faster performance.
Storage
Unlike many laptops in its niche, the Dell Inspiron i5379-7909GRY-PUS does not use an SSD storage. It comes instead with a 1 TB hard drive disk. While 1 TB is definitely more than enough in terms of storage capacity, a SSD would make this Dell become much faster than it is with its HDD.
Connectivity
Connectivity is another critical point especially in thin laptops. However this laptop has a pretty good connectivity, featuring 3 USB ports. One of them is a 2.0 and the remaining 2 use the USB 3.1 technology. You will also find the usual HDMI port and SD card slot in this Dell Inspiron.
Verdict
Overall we can consider this laptop a great option if you are looking for a 2-in-1 laptop with above the average hardware settings. Its highlight is definitely its all new processor, the i7-8550U.
Dell Inspiron 13.3″ 2-in-1 Laptop, Full HD, Intel 8th Gen i7-8550U, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB Hard Drive, Theoretical Gray, i5379-7909GRY-PUS
| Processor | Intel Core i7-8550U |
|---|---|
| Display | 13.3 inches Full HD |
| RAM | 8 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 1 TB HDD |