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Dell G15 (2022) Laptop Review

Tested using Methodology v0.8.2
Review updated Apr 28, 2023 at 08:44 am
Latest change: Writing modified Feb 14, 2024 at 03:01 pm
Dell G15 (2022) Picture
6.2
School
8.0
Gaming
6.5
Multimedia
8.8
Workstation
7.1
Business

The Dell G15 (2022) is a 15.6-inch budget gaming laptop. It's available with an Intel Core i5-12500H or i7-12700H CPU and various NVIDIA GeForce GPUs, from an RTX 3050 to an RTX 3070 Ti. There are also multiple display options, including an FHD (1920 x 1080) 120Hz, an FHD 165Hz, and a QHD (2560 x 1440) 240Hz display. Memory and storage max out at 32Gb and 1TB, respectively, and they're user-upgradeable. Ports include three USB-As, one USB-C, an HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The USB-C supports video output but not charging or Thunderbolt 4. This laptop is available in three colors: Dark Shadow Gray, Obsidian Black Special Edition, and Specter Green with Camouflage. You can see our unit's specifications and the available configuration options in the Differences Between Variants section below.

Our Verdict

6.2 School

The Dell G15 is only mediocre for school use. It's a bulky and heavy laptop that's hard to carry around, and its battery lasts less than five hours of light productivity. The keyboard doesn't cause fatigue when typing for an extended period but feels slightly mushy, and unfortunately, the touchpad doesn't track particularly well. However, its Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and dedicated NVIDIA GPUs can handle all student workloads, including demanding tasks like graphic design and 3D animation. The 1080p display is decently sharp and provides enough space for split-screen multitasking, and you can also configure the laptop with a sharper and brighter QHD panel if you prefer.

Pros
  • Keyboard doesn't cause fatigue over extended period.
  • CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
  • Good webcam video quality.
  • Brighter QHD display option.
Cons
  • Bulky and heavy.
  • Battery lasts less than 5 hours of light productivity.
  • Touchpad doesn't track well.
  • Cheap-feeling plastic build.
8.0 Gaming

The Dell G15 is great for gaming. You can configure the laptop with powerful Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and various NVIDIA dedicated GPUs, all of which deliver a smooth gaming experience at 1080p. There's also a QHD 240Hz display option if you want better visuals, though you'll have to pair it with the top-end NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti to get good frame rates. It doesn't get overly hot or loud under load, and there's no noticeable throttling on the CPU or GPU. Unfortunately, the 120Hz panel has a slow response time, causing noticeable ghosting, and it doesn't support variable refresh rate.

Pros
  • CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
  • No noticeable CPU or GPU thermal throttling.
  • User-replaceable memory and storage drive.
Cons
  • No MUX switch.
  • Only one storage drive slot.
6.5 Multimedia

The Dell G15 is okay for media consumption. It isn't very portable as it's a bulky and heavy device, and you'll likely have to carry around the charger as well because the battery only lasts less than five hours of video playback. The speakers get very loud; however, they don't have much bass or treble extension, so they aren't ideal for music or movies. The 120Hz display looks washed out and doesn't get bright enough to combat intense glare, though there are better panel options available, including a QHD 240Hz panel with 99% DCI P3 coverage.

Pros
  • Brighter QHD display option.
  • Loud speakers.
  • Flicker-free backlight helps reduce eye strain.
Cons
  • Bulky and heavy.
  • Battery lasts less than five hours of video playback.
  • 120Hz display looks dim and washed out.
8.8 Workstation

The Dell G15 is excellent as a workstation. Its Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and NVIDIA dedicated GPUs can easily handle demanding tasks like video editing and 3D rendering. It doesn't get overly hot or loud under load, and there's only a small amount of thermal throttling, not enough to be noticeable. You can easily access the internals for repairs and upgrades, though there's only one storage drive slot. There's a USB-C port, but only models with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or 3070Ti support Thunderbolt 4.

Pros
  • CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
  • No noticeable CPU or GPU thermal throttling.
  • User-replaceable memory and storage drive.
Cons
  • Only one storage drive slot.
  • Thunderbolt 4 support only on RTX 3060 and 3070Ti models.
7.1 Business

The Dell G15 is decent for business use. Its Intel 12th Gen. processors easily handle productivity tasks like web browsing, text formatting, spreadsheets, and presentations. The display provides enough space for multitasking, the webcam captures a good image for video calls, and while the keyboard feels slightly mushy, it isn't fatiguing to type on for an extended period. Unfortunately, it's a bulky and heavy laptop that's hard to carry around, its battery lasts less than five hours, and the touchpad doesn't track well.

Pros
  • Keyboard doesn't cause fatigue over extended period.
  • CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
  • Good webcam video quality.
  • Brighter QHD display option.
Cons
  • Bulky and heavy.
  • Battery lasts less than 5 hours of light productivity.
  • Touchpad doesn't track well.
  • Cheap-feeling plastic build.
  • 6.2 School
  • 8.0 Gaming
  • 6.5 Multimedia
  • 8.8 Workstation
  • 7.1 Business
  1. Updated Feb 14, 2024: Added mention of the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition as an alternative with a sturdier build in the Build Quality section.
  2. Updated Dec 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.2.
  3. Updated Nov 03, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.1.
  4. Updated Apr 28, 2023: We've updated the review to improve clarity and readability.
  5. Updated Mar 29, 2023: Added mention of the HP Victus 15 (2022) as an alternative with better thermal and noise handling in the Thermals and Noise section.
  6. Updated Mar 09, 2023: Added mention of the ASUS TUF Dash F15 (2022) as a more portable alternative in thePortability section.
  7. Updated May 04, 2022: Review published.
  8. Updated Apr 19, 2022: Early access published.
  9. Updated Mar 30, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
  10. Updated Mar 28, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  11. Updated Mar 15, 2022: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the Dell G15 5520 with an Intel Core i5-12500H CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of storage. The screen, CPU, GPU, memory, and storage are configurable; you can see the available options in the table below. Our review applies only to the model 5520 with Intel 12th Gen. CPUs.

Screen
  • 15.6" IPS 1920 x 1080 120Hz Non-touch (45% NTSC, 250 cd/m²)
  • 15.6" IPS 1920 x 1080 165Hz Non-touch (100% sRGB, 300 cd/m²)
  • 15.6" IPS 2560 x 1440 240Hz Non-touch (99% DCI P3, 400 cd/m²)
CPU
  • Intel Core i5-12500H (12 cores/16 threads, up to 4.50GHz, 18MB cache)
  • Intel Core i7-12700H (14 cores/20 threads, up to 4.70GHz, 24MB cache)
GPU
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4GB GDDR6 (up to 95W TGP with Dynamic Boost)
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB GDDR6 (up to 95W TGP with Dynamic Boost)
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 (up to 130W TGP with Dynamic Boost)
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8GB GDDR6 (up to 140W TGP with Dynamic Boost)
Memory
  • 8GB DDR5 4800MHz (single-channel)
  • 16GB DDR5 4800MHz
  • 32GB DDR5 4800Hz
Storage
  • 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD
  • 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
  • 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
Color
  • Dark Shadow Gray
  • Obsidian Black Special Edition
  • Specter Green with Camouflage

You can see our unit's label here.

Compared To Other Laptops

The Dell G15 5520 is a great budget gaming laptop. It offers higher-end display and GPU configuration options than other laptops in its class, but its build quality isn't as good.

For more options, check out our recommendations for the best gaming laptops, the best laptops for college, and the best budget and cheap laptops.

HP Victus 16 (2021)

The Dell G15 (2022) and the HP Victus 16 (2021) are very similar budget gaming laptops. The HP provides a better user experience with a sturdier build, a more comfortable keyboard, and a more responsive touchpad. However, the Dell has higher-end display and GPU configuration options, like a 1440p 240Hz display and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU. The Dell's Intel 12th Gen. CPUs also perform better than the HP's AMD Ryzen 5000-series processors, providing better frame rates in games and a smoother experience in demanding tasks like video editing.

HP Victus 15 (2022)

The HP Victus 15 (2022) and the Dell G15 (2022) are both budget gaming laptops available with Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and NVIDIA discrete GPUs. The HP is better for build quality and overall user experience. It has a sturdier chassis, a better keyboard and touchpad, and more effective thermal and noise handling. However, the Dell is available with more powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 and 3070 Ti GPUs, as well as a faster QHD 240Hz display.

Acer Nitro 5 15 (2020)

The Dell G15 (2022) is much better than the Acer Nitro 5 15 (2020). The Dell is available with newer and significantly more powerful CPUs and GPUs that push out much higher frame rates. It also provides a better user experience with a more comfortable and responsive keyboard, better-sounding speakers, and a wider port selection. On the other hand, the Acer has a much longer battery life, lasting more than twice longer in light workloads, and its build feels sturdier.

Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 6 15 (2021)

The Dell G15 (2022) and the Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 6 15 (2021) are fairly similar. The Lenovo comes out ahead in user experience because it has a much sturdier build, a better keyboard and touchpad, and a wider port selection. However, the Dell has higher-end display and GPU configurations, like a 1440p 240Hz panel with 400 cd/m² of brightness and 99% DCI P3 coverage, as well as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU. The Dell laptop's Intel 12th Gen. CPUs also perform better than the AMD Ryzen 5000-series processors on the Lenovo.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022)

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022) is better than the Dell G15 (2022). The ASUS is a more premium device with a sturdier build, and its thin and light design makes it much more portable than the Dell. The ASUS also has a more comfortable keyboard, a larger and more responsive touchpad, and significantly longer battery life. On the other hand, the Dell doesn't get as hot or loud under load, and its GPU doesn't throttle.

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (2021)

The Dell G15 (2022) and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (2021) are both budget gaming laptops. In terms of user experience, the Lenovo comes out ahead because it has a sturdier build as well as a better keyboard and touchpad. However, the Dell's Intel 12th Gen. CPUs perform better than the Lenovo's AMD Ryzen 5000-series processors, giving you better frame rates in games. The Dell also has higher-end configuration options, like a QHD 240Hz display and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU.

ASUS TUF Dash F15 (2022)

The ASUS TUF Dash F15 (2022) and the Dell G15 (2022) are both 15.6-inch budget gaming laptops available with Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and NVIDIA RTX 30-series GPUs. Build-wise, the ASUS is better. It feels sturdier than the Dell, and it's more portable because it's lighter and more compact. It also has a better keyboard and touchpad, and its battery lasts longer.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023)

The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2023) is better than the Dell G15 (2022) for most uses. The ASUS has a sturdier build, a better keyboard and touchpad, VRR support, and significantly longer battery life in light uses. On the other hand, the Dell has a better webcam and doesn't get as hot under load. Performance depends on the configuration you get; the Dell has more options to suit smaller budgets. While both devices have user-upgradeable RAM and storage, the ASUS has two storage slots, while the Dell only has one.

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i (2021)

The Dell G15 (2022) is better than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i (2021) for gaming and other demanding production workloads like video or 3D graphics. The Dell is available with newer and faster Intel 12th Gen. CPUs, as well as more powerful GPU options, like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 and 3070 Ti. It's also available with a 240Hz QHD display, whereas the Lenovo is only available with FHD screens. However, the Lenovo is more portable, and it feels more sturdily built. The Lenovo also has a better keyboard and touchpad, and it doesn't get as hot or loud under load.

HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15 (2021)

The Dell G15 (2022) is better than the HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15 (2021). The Dell is available with higher-end display and GPU options, like a 1080p 165Hz and 1440p 240Hz panel, as well as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 and 3070 Ti GPU. Also, the Dell's Intel 12th Gen. CPUs perform better than the HP's AMD Ryzen 5000-series processors, and it doesn't get as hot or loud under load. On the other hand, the HP laptop's build feels sturdier, and its touchpad has better tracking.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Form Factor
Traditional (Clamshell)

The Dell G15 laptop has a relatively simple design. Aside from the patterned speaker grills and the orange-colored keyboard backlight, it isn't too heavy on the gamer aesthetic. It has a tapered shape, so although it looks thick and chunky from the back, it looks a lot thinner from the front with the lid closed. There are vents on both sides of the laptop, the back, and the bottom. It's available in three color schemes: Dark Shadow Gray, Obsidian Black Special Edition, and Specter Green with Camouflage.

6.5
Design
Build Quality

The build quality is just okay. There aren't any flaws in the construction, but it doesn't feel particularly sturdy either. It has a cheap-feeling plastic chassis with a finish that picks up fingerprints and scratches easily, and there's flex in the display and keyboard deck. The Obsidian Black Special Edition model has an aluminum lid. If you want a similar gaming laptop with better build quality, check out the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023).

6.5
Design
Hinge
Range
130°
Stability
Good
One Finger Lift
No

The Dell G15 5520's hinge is okay. It feels smooth when opening and closing the laptop, and it's solid, with almost no wobble at all when typing aggressively or moving the laptop around. However, there's a little too much resistance to open the lid with one hand, which might be disappointing for some, as it's a nice quality-of-life feature.

5.4
Design
Portability
Size
15.6"
Thickness
1.2" (3.0 cm)
Width
14.0" (35.6 cm)
Depth
10.7" (27.3 cm)
Volume
177.9 in³ (2,915.6 cm³)
Weight
5.6 lbs (2.5 kg)
Charger Size
21.1 in³ (346.5 cm³)
Charger Weight
1.5 lbs (0.7 kg)

The Dell G15 2022 and its power adapter are both bulky and heavy. If you want a more portable 15-inch gaming laptop, check out the ASUS TUF Dash F15 (2022).

8.4
Design
Serviceability
Ease Of Access
8.5
RAM Slots
2
Storage Slots
1
Replaceable Battery
Yes
Replaceable Wireless Adapter
Yes

The serviceability is great. It's very easy to access the internals as you only have to remove eight Philips screws and undo a few plastic clips. Four of the eight screws are captive, meaning they remain attached to the bottom panel, so you don't have to worry about losing or misplacing them. You can see the service manual here.

Design
In The Box

  • Dell G15 gaming laptop
  • 180W power adapter and cord
  • Documentation

Note: Models with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070Ti GPU have a 240W power adapter.

Display
Display
Screen Specs
Resolution
1920 x 1080
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Pixel Density
141 PPI
Panel Type
IPS
Touch Screen
No
Screen-To-Body Ratio
83%

The Dell G15 gaming laptop is available with the following displays:

  • 15.6" IPS 1080p 120Hz
  • 15.6" IPS 1080p 165Hz
  • 15.6" IPS 1440p 240Hz

A 1080p resolution is fairly common for a gaming laptop this size, and it's a good match for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 3050 Ti, and 3060 as it isn't too hard to drive. Images and text look decently sharp, and you get enough space for split-screen multitasking. The 1440p display looks sharper, but you'll have to pair it with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti to get the most out of it, as the other GPUs will struggle to push high frame rates at 1440p. The 16:9 aspect ratio is good for gaming and media consumption; however, some may find it doesn't have enough vertical space for productivity, meaning you have to scroll more when reading a document or website.

7.7
Display
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No

The lowest-end display configuration is the 1080p 120Hz panel. It provides better responsiveness and displays a slightly clearer image than a standard 60Hz panel, but the response time is slow, causing noticeable ghosting behind fast-moving objects. The 1080p 165Hz panel has an advertised response time of 13ms, which is faster but still slow for its refresh rate, and the same goes for the 1440p 240Hz panel, which has an advertised response time of 10ms.

8.0
Display
Contrast
Native Contrast
1,749 : 1

The 120Hz panel has a great contrast ratio for an IPS panel. However, it's still a relatively low number compared to other panel technologies like VA or OLED. Blacks look grayish in dim settings, so it isn't the best option for dark room viewing. The 1080p 165Hz and 1440p 240Hz panels will likely have similar contrast.

6.8
Display
Brightness
Maximum Brightness
283 cd/m²
Minimum Brightness
14 cd/m²

The Dell G15's 120Hz panel gets reasonably bright, a little better than the advertised 250 cd/m². It's enough for use in most indoor settings but not quite for a brightly-lit environment or outdoors in broad daylight. For dark room viewing, it gets dim enough to help reduce eye strain. The 1080p 165Hz has an advertised 300 cd/m² of brightness, which is only marginally better. The 1440p 240Hz panel has an advertised 400 cd/m² of brightness, which is bright enough for outdoor use, albeit just barely.

7.3
Display
Reflections
Screen Finish
Matte
Total Reflections
5.05%
Indirect Reflections
2.94%
Calculated Direct Reflections
2.11%

The reflection handling is decent. It has a matte anti-reflective coating that diffuses bright, direct reflections like a lamp or open window during the day; however, it doesn't reduce the intensity of the reflections and spreads them out instead, causing a haziness in other areas of the screen. It makes it hard to view dark content but isn't as much of a problem when viewing bright content. You can still see some reflections when viewing bright content with the screen at max brightness, though they aren't overly distracting.

7.5
Display
Black Uniformity
Uniformity (Std. Dev.)
1.000%

The Dell G15's black uniformity is good. The screen looks a little patchy, but there's no visible backlight bleed, and the patchiness is only noticeable when viewing dark content in a dim setting.

6.4
Display
Horizontal Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Left
24°
Color Washout From Right
24°
Color Shift From Left
34°
Color Shift From Right
39°
Brightness Loss From Left
26°
Brightness Loss From Right
27°
Black Level Raise From Left
60°
Black Level Raise From Right
60°
Gamma Shift From Left
23°
Gamma Shift From Right
24°

The Dell G15's horizontal viewing angle is passable. The image looks inaccurate from the side, but the picture quality is still good enough to share casual content or even text documents with someone else. If you need perfect accuracy for color-critical work, it's best to be more or less directly in front of the screen. The other panels will likely have similar viewing angles.

6.4
Display
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Below
25°
Color Washout From Above
25°
Color Shift From Below
31°
Color Shift From Above
38°
Brightness Loss From Below
26°
Brightness Loss From Above
26°
Black Level Raise From Below
45°
Black Level Raise From Above
45°
Gamma Shift From Below
24°
Gamma Shift From Above
25°

The vertical viewing angle is passable. The image dims and washes out when viewing from above or below. It's fine if you're only looking at documents or content where accuracy isn't important, but you need to look at the screen from more or less straight on if you need perfect accuracy, which can be hard if you're in a tight space with very little room to tilt the screen.

6.9
Display
Out-Of-The-Box Color Accuracy
Avg. White Balance dE
2.11
Avg. Gamma
2.17
Avg. Color dE
5
Avg. Color Temperature
6,544.5 K

The Dell G15's out-of-the-box color accuracy is alright. Most colors look inaccurate because the 120Hz panel has a narrow color gamut and can't reproduce the correct colors. However, the white balance is great, and the color temperature is very close to the 6500k target. The gamma sticks to a mostly flat 2.2 instead of following the sRGB curve, making dark content too dark and bright content too bright.

4.2
Display
Color Gamut
sRGB xy
66.81%
sRGB uv
54.48%
Adobe RGB xy
49.74%
Adobe RGB uv
47.19%
DCI P3 xy
49.46%
DCI P3 uv
43.8%
Rec. 2020 xy
35.48%
Rec. 2020 uv
32%

The 120Hz panel has a poor color gamut. It doesn't even have full coverage of the commonly-used sRGB color space, making most content look dull and washed out. It also has very limited coverage of the wider Adobe RGB, DCI P3, and Rec. 2020 color spaces. This panel isn't suitable for any color-critical work or viewing HDR content. The other displays will look better as the 1080p 165Hz panel has an advertised 100% sRGB coverage, and the 1440p 240Hz panel has an advertised 99% DCI P3 coverage.

10
Display
Flicker
Flicker-Free
Yes
Flicker Frequency
No Flicker
Flicker Active Below
0%

The Dell G15 laptop's backlight is entirely flicker-free, which helps reduce eye strain.

Interface
7.8
Interface
Keyboard
Typing Quality
7.5
Numpad
Yes
Backlighting
Adjustable
Operating Force
61 gf
Actuation Force
32 gf
Pre-Travel
0.89 mm
Total Travel
1.42 mm

The Dell G15 gaming laptop has a good keyboard. It feels spacious, and it has a fairly standard layout that's easy to get used to. The plastic used for the keycaps is okay; it isn't particularly premium or cheap. The keys have a lot of travel and don't require much force to actuate, but they feel a little mushy. Overall, it provides a good typing experience and doesn't cause fatigue over time. You can toggle between two backlight brightness levels or turn it off completely using F5; however, you can't change the color. There are models with a 4-zone RGB backlight if you want more colors, and there's also an Obsidian Black Special Edition model with a 12-zone RGB backlight.

6.0
Interface
Touchpad
Tracking Quality
6.0
Size
9.8 in² (63.0 cm²)
Material
Plastic
Dedicated Buttons
No

The touchpad is mediocre. It's tiny even though this is a 15.6-inch device. There aren't any issues with palm rejection, but it doesn't always respond to taps, and actions like dragging and dropping can be frustrating. Also, the click mechanism feels mushy and cheap.

8.5
Interface
Speakers
Max Volume
79 dB SPL
Standard Error @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
4.5 dB
Slope @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
-1.3
Bass Extension (Low-Frequency Ext.)
298 Hz
Treble Extension (High-Frequency Ext.)
11 kHz
Dynamic Range Compression @ Max Vol.
1.9 dB

The Dell G15 has up-firing speakers that get pretty loud with minimal loss in sound quality at max volume. They have a lot of emphasis in the mids and low-treble frequencies to produce clear vocals, but they lack bass and treble extension and sound a little boxy and hollow. In short, they're great for spoken content but aren't ideal for music or movies.

7.4
Interface
Webcam & Microphone
Video Quality
7.5
Resolution
720p
Position
Top Center
Privacy Cover
No
Face Unlock
No

The webcam's video quality is good. Even though it's a 720p camera, it captures a decent amount of fine details with vibrant colors, good exposure, and very little noise. The microphone sounds loud and clear with almost no background noise, but voices are slightly nasal.

Connectivity
7.5
Connectivity
Ports
USB-A Ports
3
USB-C Ports
1
Thunderbolt
No
USB-C Charging
No
USB-C Display Out
Yes
HDMI
2.1
DisplayPort
No
3.5mm Jack
Combo mic/headphone
Card Reader
No
Ethernet
Yes
Proprietary Port
No
Security Lock
No

The Dell G15 gaming laptop has a good port selection. All of its USB ports support USB 3.2 Gen. 1 data transfer speed (up to 5Gbps). The USB-C can output a video signal to an external display, but it doesn't support charging, meaning you can't use it to charge the laptop. The USB-C on models with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or 3070Ti support Thunderbolt 4.

Connectivity
Wireless Communication
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Bluetooth
5.2

The wireless adapter is an Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201. Some models have an Intel Killer 1650i wireless adapter.

Configuration
Configuration
CPU
Brand
Intel
Model
Core i5-12500H
Core Count
12
Thread Count
16

The Dell G15 is available with the following CPUs:

  • Intel Core i5-12500H (12 cores/ 16 threads, up to 4.50GHz, 18MB cache)
  • Intel Core i7-12700H (14 cores/ 20 threads, up to 4.70GHz, 24MB cache)

They're both high-power mobile CPUs designed for gaming laptops and mobile workstations. Unlike Intel's 11th Gen. processors, this new generation of CPUs utilizes a hybrid architecture with a mix of performance and efficiency cores, similar to Apple's M1 SoC and other ARM-based processors found in most smartphones. Both CPUs have 8 efficiency cores, but the Core i5-12500H has four performance cores, while the Core i7-12700H has six, providing better multi-thread performance. Only the performance cores have Hyper-Threading technology to allow the cores to work more efficiently and process more threads simultaneously.

For gaming, the Core i5-12500H is powerful enough to provide a good experience. Upgrading to the Core i7-12700H doesn't affect performance significantly in GPU-limited games, but it's noticeable in CPU-intensive titles like real-time strategy and open-world games. The Core i5 is suitable for demanding production workloads like video editing and 3D animation, but the Core i7 can complete tasks and provide a smoother experience overall.

Configuration
GPU
Brand
NVIDIA
Model
GeForce RTX 3050
Dedicated/Integrated
Dedicated
VRAM Size
4 GB

You can configure the Dell G15 with the following GPUs:

  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 with 4GB GDDR6 VRAM (95W TGP)
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti with 4GB GDDR6 VRAM (95W TGP)
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 with 6GB GDDR6 VRAM (130W TGP)
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM (140W TGP)

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 3050Ti, and 3060 are GPUs designed for 1080p gaming. The RTX 3050 can deliver around 60 fps or slightly more at medium or high settings. The RTX 3050 Ti is only marginally better, with around a 10% performance increase on average over the 3050. The RTX 3060 is a good deal faster than the RTX 3050 and will get you higher frame rates, around 90 fps in very demanding games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Assassin's Creed Valhalla, but well over 100 fps in lighter games. The RTX 3070 Ti is the top-end configuration and the best GPU to pair with the QHD 240Hz display.

All four GPUs support ray-tracing and DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling). Ray-tracing has a high-performance cost, so it usually isn't worth enabling on the RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti as it will cause the frame rate to drop to an unplayable level. It may be worth it on the RTX 3060 and 3070 Ti, but you'll have to also enable DLSS to make up for the performance loss. DLSS is a feature that boosts performance in supported games by rendering images at a lower resolution and subsequently upscaling it to minimize any loss in visual quality. However, the performance increase depends heavily on each game's implementation. DLSS also tends to work better at higher resolutions, so you may only see a small performance increase if you play at 1080p.

Configuration
RAM
Capacity
8 GB
Modules
1
Type
DDR5
Speed
4,800 MHz

You can configure this laptop with 8, 16, or 32GB of memory. For gaming, it's best to get at least 16GB because 8GB isn't enough for some games and will cause stutters. Also, the 8GB model uses a single RAM module in a single-channel configuration, which can reduce performance in CPU-intensive scenarios.

Configuration
Storage
Advertised Capacity
256 GB
Usable Capacity
173 GB
Drive 1
KIOXIA KBG40ZNS256G
Drive 1 Type SSD
Drive 2
No 2nd Drive
Drive 2 Type No 2nd Drive

You can configure this laptop with a 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD.

Performance
9.4
Performance
Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)
CPU Single-Thread
1,650 points
CPU Multi-Thread
8,500 points
GPU Compute
62,214 points

The Dell G15 5520 with an Intel Core i5-12500H has an outstanding overall score in Geekbench 5. It has remarkable single- and multi-thread performance, meaning it can handle all types of workloads, including demanding tasks like video editing or 3D animation. The overall performance is still behind Apple's M1 Pro and M1 Max SoCs but among the best for x86 CPUs of its generation. The Core i7-12700H is faster overall, but mainly in multi-threaded workloads because it has two more performance cores.

As for the GPU compute, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 has an excellent score and can handle demanding workloads, though the RTX 3060 and 3070 Ti will provide a much smoother experience and complete tasks faster.

9.8
Performance
Cinebench R23 (CPU Rendering)
Single-Thread
1,725 points
Multi-Thread
13,810 points

The Dell G15 2022 with an Intel Core i5-12500H performs remarkably well in Cinebench R23. It has fantastic single- and multi-thread performance, beating even the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) with an M1 Max SoC. It's more than capable of handling even the most demanding professional rendering tasks. If you want better performance still, you can upgrade to the Intel Core i7-12700H.

9.1
Performance
Blender (3D Rendering)
CPU Render Time
3.1 min
GPU Render Time
0.8 min
GPU Render Time (Optix)
23 s

The performance in Blender is outstanding. Although the Intel Core i5-12500H can render the bmw27 scene quickly, it's always better to use the dedicated NVIDIA RTX GPU because it supports NVIDIA Optix API hardware acceleration.

8.3
Performance
Basemark GPU (Game Scene)
Overall Score
61,241

The Dell G15 gaming laptop with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 has a great score in the Basemark GPU benchmark. It's better than the RTX 3050 in the HP Victus 16 (2021) and the Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 6 15 (2021), but only slightly. The RTX 3050, 3050 Ti, and 3060 can provide a smooth gaming experience at 1080p, though you may have to lower some settings on the RTX 3050 to get to 60 fps in very demanding titles. In the case of the RTX 3070 Ti, it can reach at least 60 fps at 1440p, even in graphically-intensive games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2.

9.3
Performance
Storage Drive Performance
Sequential Write Speed
959.3 MB/s
Sequential Read Speed
2,143.9 MB/s
Random Write Speed
173.7 MB/s
Random Read Speed
61.2 MB/s

The storage drive performance is outstanding. Its fast read and write speeds make the system feel snappy and responsive, shortening the time it takes to boot up, launch apps, and transfer files. The speed of the SSD may vary depending on the size, as larger SSDs tend to perform better.

4.3
Performance
Battery
Capacity
56 Wh
Battery Life (Web Browsing)
4.7 hrs
Battery Life (Video Playback)
4.2 hrs
Battery Life (Gaming)
1.0 hrs
Charge Time
2.3 hrs

The Dell G15 has poor battery life. Regardless of your workload, you'll have to plug it in at some point to get through a typical 8-hour workday, and the same goes for media consumption. For gaming or demanding tasks like video editing, you'll have to use the laptop plugged in almost the entire time. Some models have a larger 86Wh battery, so if battery life is something you care about, it's best to check the specifications first. Battery life varies greatly depending on your usage and the laptop's configuration, as higher-end GPUs and displays with a faster refresh rate or higher resolution consume more power.

5.9
Performance
Borderlands 3
Avg. FPS
55 fps
1% Low
30 fps
0.1% Low
14 fps
1% Low Delta
15 ms
0.1% Low Delta
52 ms
Avg. FPS On Very Low
119 fps

The Dell G15 gaming laptop's performance in Borderlands 3 is middling. The average frame rate at high settings is decent, but there are frequent stutters. You'll have to lower the settings a bit to reach 60 fps with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 or 3050 Ti. Upgrading the memory to 16GB in dual-channel mode will improve performance, especially the 1% and 0.1% lows. The RTX 3060 and 3070 Ti can run this game smoothly without any issues.

7.9
Performance
Civilization VI
Avg. FPS
84 fps
1% Low
57 fps
0.1% Low
55 fps
1% Low Delta
6 ms
0.1% Low Delta
6 ms
Avg. FPS On Minimum
178 fps
Avg. Turn Time
7.49 s

Civilization VI runs well on the Dell G15 with an Intel Core i5-12500H and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050. The average frame rate at high settings is well above 60 fps, and there aren't any noticeable stutters. The average turn time is decent, though not a significant improvement over Intel 11th Gen. CPUs, like the Core i5-11400H in the HP Victus 16 (2021). Upgrading to the Core i7-12700H will only shorten the turn time slightly. Every configuration can run this game smoothly.

9.4
Performance
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Avg. FPS
219 fps
1% Low
124 fps
0.1% Low
78 fps
1% Low Delta
4 ms
0.1% Low Delta
8 ms
Avg. FPS On Low
285 fps

The performance in CS:GO is outstanding. The average frame rate at high settings is fantastic, well above the refresh rate of this laptop's 1080p displays. There are some stutters, but they don't happen often. Upgrading the memory to 16GB in dual-channel mode will improve the overall performance, bringing it closer to the performance of the HP Victus 16 (2021). Every configuration of this laptop can run this game smoothly.

7.5
Performance
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
Avg. FPS
74 fps
1% Low
52 fps
0.1% Low
35 fps
1% Low Delta
6 ms
0.1% Low Delta
15 ms
Avg. FPS On Lowest
91 fps

Shadow of the Tomb Raider runs well. The frame rate at high settings is above 60 fps most of the time, though it can sometimes dip into the 30s. Again, upgrading the memory to 16GB in dual-channel mode will improve performance, especially at lower settings. The RTX 3050 Ti, 3060, and 3070Ti can run this game without any issues. The large frametime spikes are scene changes and aren't representative of the laptop's performance.

6.9
Performance
Thermals And Noise
Keyboard Temp While Idle
32 °C (89 °F)
Keyboard Temp Under Load
45 °C (113 °F)
Fan Noise While Idle
26.0 dBA
Fan Noise Under Load
50.5 dBA
Power & Fan Control App
Yes

The Dell G15's thermal and noise handling is alright. In an idle state, the keyboard deck is cool, and the fans are barely audible. The keyboard deck gets warm under load; however, the hot spots are near the top, away from where most people rest their hands. The fans are audible under full load, but they aren't overly loud or annoying. The above results are measurements taken in the Balanced thermal profile. If you don't mind a little more fan noise or prefer a quieter laptop, you can change the thermal profile through the Alienware Command Center software. The other options are Performance, Quiet, and Battery Saver. If you want a gaming laptop with quieter fans, check out the HP Victus 15 (2022).

9.2
Performance
Performance Over Time
CPU Temp (Cinebench)
92 °C
CPU Perf. Loss (Cinebench)
4% loss
GPU Temp (Heaven)
69 °C
GPU Perf. Loss (Heaven)
1% loss

The performance over time is outstanding. The CPU gets pretty hot under load, but the GPU remains relatively cool. There's a small amount of thermal throttling on the CPU and GPU; however, it isn't noticeable. The other configurations will likely perform similarly.

Additional Features And Software
Additional Features And Software
Software
Operating System
Windows 11
Additional Software
Yes

The Dell G15 gaming laptop has many pre-installed applications, including:

  • Alienware Command Center: Lets you monitor the system's thermals and adjust the power profile.
  • Dell Customer Connect: Lets you answer surveys to help Dell improve their products.
  • Dell Digital Delivery: Lets you download digital content purchased from Dell.
  • Dell Mobile Connect: Lets you connect your smartphone to the laptop, similar to Windows' My Phone app.
  • Dell Update: Lets you check for firmware and driver updates.
  • Disney+: App for the video streaming service.
  • Dolby Access: Adds Dolby Atmos support. This is only a 7-day trial; a one-time purchase is necessary to continue using the app.
  • IntelliGo Neptune: Lets you enable AI noise canceling to reduce surrounding noise when using the built-in microphone.
  • My Dell: Lets you access information about the laptop, register your device with Dell, and adjust system settings.
  • Spotify: App for the music streaming service.
  • SupportAssist: Helps optimize the laptop for best performance and troubleshoot issues.

Additional Features And Software
Extra Features
RGB Illumination
No
Touch Pen
No
Secondary Display
No
Biometrics
No