The Dell G-series gaming laptops have come a long way in recent years. Launched in 2018, the first G-series laptop (G5) was announced to appeal to the entry-level market and those users who were looking for an affordable gaming laptop from a reputable brand.
However, recent iterations of the G series have seen significant improvements in both design and performance, which has also resulted in a slight price increase.
The company recently announced the Dell G15 and G16 series of gaming laptops with a revamped design that looks more like Alienware than a budget gaming laptop with a starting price of Rs 89,990.
I tested the Dell G15 5530 with the Intel Core i7-13650HX CPU and the RTX 4060 laptop GPU. Ever since I started gaming on this device, I’ve only had one doubt: is this the most practical mid-range gaming laptop of 2023? And that’s exactly what I answered in my detailed review of the new Dell G15 5530.
Dell G15 5530 Design: Inspired by Alienware
I’ve tested almost every major variant of the Dell G-series gaming laptops over the years. In terms of design, I wasn’t expecting much from this model. As soon as I opened the box I was both happy and surprised. The Dell G15 5530 looks nothing like its predecessor. In fact, the design of this laptop is more in line with Alienware’s expensive gaming notebooks.
I also like the two-tone Quantum White with Deep Space Blue thermal shelf finish, which looks funky and trendy at the same time. Note that the G15 2023 is a thick and heavy machine, weighing in at 2.8kg. However, for those who just want a powerful gaming machine that will stay in the gaming den for as long as possible, this should definitely not be a problem.
In terms of connectivity and ports, the G15 5530 doesn’t disappoint and I also liked the fact that connectivity options like HDMI, DisplayPort and the charging port are on the back. Things like the LAN port, 3.5mm headphone jack and some USB-A ports are on either side for easy access. Also, it offers the latest Bluetooth 5.2 along with Wi-Fi 6E support. Overall, the Dell G15 5530 is a practical yet trendy looking gaming laptop.
Dell G15 5530 Display: Better, but not the best
I tested the variant with FHD resolution and 165 Hz refresh rate. In terms of color accuracy, the G15 looks significantly better than its predecessor and is similar to other laptops of this caliber. However, peak brightness is capped at 300 nits, which could be a problem when watching movies and videos, and the lack of HDR certification is also a nuisance.
During my use, I was under the impression that the laptop had a color-accurate display, albeit not as well as more professional notebooks. Again, if you intend to use this laptop primarily for gaming, then that shouldn’t be a problem. Overall a good upgrade and a step in the right direction for the brand.
Dell G15 5530 keyboard, camera and audio
The Dell G15 5530 has a tactile keyboard with a dedicated number pad that has an orange backlight and feels fantastic when gaming, especially with the slightly longer key travel and tactile feedback. However, full RGB treatment of the keyboard would have been desirable. The trackpad on this laptop is pretty basic and works as expected.
Two minor downsides to this laptop are the low-resolution 720p web camera and the subpar speaker configuration. The brand could easily have included a 1080p web camera. For a notebook of this size, the speakers just sound tiny and have no bass. Perhaps Dell can improve on these aspects with the next generation.
Dell G15 Performance: Solid champion
If there’s one aspect of this laptop that gets full marks from me, it’s the performance. The laptop is based on the Intel Core i7-13650HX, one of the most powerful gaming laptop CPUs from Intel, with a clock speed of up to 4.9 GHz, 14 CPU cores and a maximum turbo output of 157 W. Out of the box, this CPU offers desktop-class single-threaded and multi-threaded performance, and we’ve confirmed this by running the most popular CPU-bound benchmarks like Cinebench, CPU-Z, and Geekbench.
Graphics-wise, the laptop features the RTX 4060 laptop GPU with 8GB of video memory, again a great mid-range GPU from NVIDIA that can handle most modern AAA titles even at 1440p resolution. Here are the average frame rates we got across the most popular games.
It’s not just about excellence; The laptop features an upgraded cooling system with a dual-fan design that ensures sustained performance over a longer period of time. While it gets hot with continuous gaming, the fans kick in to ensure there is no thermal throttling. I’m also happy to report that I didn’t notice any heat in the keyboard area.
Like most gaming laptops, the Dell G15 5530 offers an average battery life and could last over 4 hours on non-gaming tasks. The laptop comes with a massive 330W power supply that is more than capable of powering this powerful device.
Verdict: Excellent mid-range gaming laptop
From the edgier design to the top-notch CPU and GPU performance, the Dell G15 5530 isn’t just for gamers. In fact, this CPU-bound machine could also be used by content creators for tasks like video rendering, 3D visualization, and more. Overall, Dell has released an excellent mid-range gaming notebook with the G15 5530. Performance aside, the attractive design also makes it one of the best mid-range gaming laptops around the Rs 1,50,000 price point in India.
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