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
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.
- Keyboard doesn't cause fatigue over extended period.
- CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
- Good webcam video quality.
- Brighter QHD display option.
- Bulky and heavy.
- Battery lasts less than 5 hours of light productivity.
- Touchpad doesn't track well.
- Cheap-feeling plastic build.
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.
- CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
- No noticeable CPU or GPU thermal throttling.
- User-replaceable memory and storage drive.
- No MUX switch.
- Only one storage drive slot.
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.
- Brighter QHD display option.
- Loud speakers.
- Flicker-free backlight helps reduce eye strain.
- Bulky and heavy.
- Battery lasts less than five hours of video playback.
- 120Hz display looks dim and washed out.
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.
- CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
- No noticeable CPU or GPU thermal throttling.
- User-replaceable memory and storage drive.
- Only one storage drive slot.
- Thunderbolt 4 support only on RTX 3060 and 3070Ti models.
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.
- Keyboard doesn't cause fatigue over extended period.
- CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
- Good webcam video quality.
- Brighter QHD display option.
- Bulky and heavy.
- Battery lasts less than 5 hours of light productivity.
- Touchpad doesn't track well.
- Cheap-feeling plastic build.
Changelog
- Updated Oct 04, 2024: Added mention of the MSI Katana A15 AI (2024) as an alternative with NVIDIA 40-series GPUs in the GPU section.
- 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.
- Updated Dec 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.2.
- Updated Nov 03, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.1.
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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.
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You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Laptop Comparisons
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Dell G15 (2022) and the Lenovo LOQ 15 (2023) are both 15-inch budget gaming laptops that provide a similar user experience. The Dell is available with Intel 12th Gen CPUs and NVIDIA 30-series GPUs, while the Lenovo is available with AMD Ryzen 7040-series CPUs and NVIDIA 40-series GPUs. In terms of raw performance, the Dell model's top-end RTX 3070 Ti GPU and the Lenovo laptop's RTX 4060 GPU are very similar; however, it's worth noting that the RTX 40-series GPUs support frame generation, a feature that can dramatically increase frame rates by inserting A.I.-generated frames (in supported games).
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