Dell Inspiron 14 5441 Review: The Best Budget Laptop with Snapdragon X Plus Performance
The Dell Inspiron 14 5441 brings the revolutionary Snapdragon X Plus chipset to mid-range laptops, offering excellent performance, stellar battery life, and affordability. Priced at just $750, it undercuts competitors, including Apple’s M-series MacBooks, while delivering many of the benefits of ARM-powered devices. However, it does come with a few trade-offs. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the Inspiron 14 5441 to help you decide if it’s the right laptop for you.
Pricing, Specs, and Availability
The Dell Inspiron 14 5441 starts at $750, offering great value for its specs. The base model includes:
- Processor: Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100).
- Memory: 16GB LPDDR5X (onboard).
- Storage: 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD (upgrade to 512GB for just $50 more).
- Display: 14-inch WVA IPS display with a resolution of 1920×1200.
The reviewed 512GB SSD variant typically retails for $800 but can be found for as low as $600 on sale at retailers like Best Buy.
Design and Ports
The Inspiron 14 5441 sports a clean, minimalistic design with a 16:10 aspect ratio, prioritizing functionality. While the chassis feels premium for its price, it doesn’t match the refinement of higher-end laptops.
Ports include:
- 2x USB 4 Type-C.
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C.
- 1x 3.5mm headphone jack.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard is comfortable for extended typing sessions, offering good travel and tactile feedback. The touchpad is responsive and well-sized, aligning with modern standards. However, the lack of a backlit keyboard in some models might be a downside for users working in dim environments.
Display
The display is a 14-inch 1920×1200 WVA IPS panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It’s non-touch and offers up to 300 nits of brightness.
Downsides:
- Poor color accuracy, noticeable even without a colorimeter.
- Limited brightness makes outdoor usage challenging.
This compromises its usability for creative professionals requiring color precision but is sufficient for general productivity and media consumption.
