The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023) is a Windows convertible laptop. This 7635 model isn't a direct replacement for the Dell Inspiron 16 7620 but rather an alternate model with AMD CPUs. It's available with an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U or Ryzen 7 7730U CPU, whereas the Intel-based 7630 model (successor to the 7620 from 2022) is available with an Intel Core i5-1335U or i7-1360P. Memory and storage max out at 16GB and 1TB, respectively. It has a 16-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS display, a 1080p webcam with a physical privacy cover, and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity. You can configure the laptop with a 64Wh or 86Wh battery. Ports include two USB-As, two USB-Cs (no Thunderbolt 4 or USB4), an HDMI 1.4, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack.
See our unit's specifications and the available configuration options in the Differences Between Variants section.
Our Verdict
The Dell Inspiron 16 is great for school use. It feels well-built and is fairly easy to carry around. Its 16-inch display gives you plenty of room for multitasking, and you also get a comfortable keyboard and a large touchpad. Its AMD Ryzen CPU can handle light productivity tasks and some more demanding workloads; however, its integrated GPU performs poorly, so it isn't ideal for students needing high graphical processing power. The battery lasts around ten hours of light use and charges quickly over USB-C. The display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings but not outdoors in broad daylight.
- Fairly portable for a 16-inch laptop.
- 10-hour battery life.
- Plenty of screen real estate for split-screen multitasking.
- Comfortable keyboard, large touchpad.
- Wide port selection for peripherals and external display.
- Integrated GPU isn't suitable for demanding tasks.
- USB-C doesn't support Thunderbolt 4 or USB4.
The Dell Inspiron 16 is mediocre for gaming. Its low-power CPU and integrated graphics aren't powerful enough to handle demanding AAA titles. You can play some lighter, older games, but you'll have to play at a lower resolution and with low graphical settings to get smooth gameplay. Also, its 60Hz display has a slow response time and doesn't support VRR to reduce screen tearing.
- Doesn't get hot or loud under load.
- Wide port selection for peripherals and external display.
- User-replaceable SSD.
- Integrated GPU isn't suitable for demanding tasks.
- CPU throttles under load.
- 60Hz display with slow response time.
- Soldered RAM.
The Dell Inspiron 16 is good for media consumption. It's fairly easy to carry around, and its battery lasts over ten hours of video playback. Its 16-inch screen looks sharp and colorful, and since it's a 2-in-1, you can set it up in tent mode when watching a video or use it as a tablet. The downside is that the display doesn't get very bright and struggles with direct reflections, so it isn't suited for sunny environments or outdoors in broad daylight. It also has a low contrast ratio, making blacks look gray in dim settings. As for the speakers, while they get very loud and fire upwards, they sound slightly unnatural, with very little bass.
- Fairly portable for a 16-inch laptop.
- 10-hour battery life.
- Up-firing speakers get very loud.
- Speakers sound slightly unnatural.
- Blacks look gray in dim settings.
The Dell Inspiron 16 is good for use as a workstation. Its CPU can handle some moderately demanding tasks, and it's pleasant to work on, as it has a good keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load. However, its integrated GPU performs poorly and isn't suitable for GPU-intensive workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. Also, you can only get up to 16GB of soldered RAM, and its USB-C ports don't support Thunderbolt 4 or USB4.
- Comfortable keyboard, large touchpad.
- Doesn't get hot or loud under load.
- Wide port selection for peripherals and external display.
- User-replaceable SSD.
- Integrated GPU isn't suitable for demanding tasks.
- CPU throttles under load.
- USB-C doesn't support Thunderbolt 4 or USB4.
- Soldered RAM.
The Dell Inspiron 16 is great for business use. It feels very well-built and is relatively easy to carry around for a 16-inch laptop. It has a large display for multitasking, a comfortable keyboard, and a large touchpad. Its AMD Ryzen CPU can easily handle general productivity tasks like text processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and video playback. Plus, its battery lasts over ten hours of light use. The webcam captures a detailed but underexposed image, and unfortunately, the USB-C ports don't support Thunderbolt 4 or USB4.
- Fairly portable for a 16-inch laptop.
- 10-hour battery life.
- Plenty of screen real estate for split-screen multitasking.
- Comfortable keyboard, large touchpad.
- Wide port selection for peripherals and external display.
- USB-C doesn't support Thunderbolt 4 or USB4.
- Static background noise during video calls.
Changelog
- Updated May 07, 2025: We've updated this review to Test Bench 0.8.3, which removes the viewing angle tests and adds a GPU Total Graphics Power comparison in the GPU section. The Pen Input test in the Extra Features section has also changed, as it now shows whether the laptop supports pen input rather than the inclusion of a stylus in the box. See the changelog for more details.
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Updated Nov 11, 2024:
Added mention of the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 (2024) as an alternative with an OLED display in the Contrast Ratio section.
- Updated May 28, 2024: We've updated the review for conciseness and readability.
- Updated Dec 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.2.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (7635) with an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U CPU, 16GB of memory, and 512GB of storage. The CPU, memory, and storage are configurable; the options are available in the table below. Our review applies only to the 7635 model.
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See our unit's label here.
Popular Laptop Comparisons
The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 is a great general productivity laptop and among the best in its class. It stands out for its sturdy build, long battery life, and excellent thermal and noise handling. However, its lack of Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 support is disappointing, as there are cheaper laptops that support these standards.
See our recommendations for the best business laptops, the best Windows laptops, and the best budget and cheap laptops.
For most uses, the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023) is better than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 (2021). The Inspiron 16 has a sturdier build and a longer battery life, and it's more versatile, as its 2-in-1 form factor lets you set up the laptop in tent mode for media consumption or use it as a tablet. It has a better keyboard and touchpad and is available with newer, faster CPUs. The Inspiron 16 also has a wider port selection, and unlike the IdeaPad 3, its USB-C ports support charging and video output.
For most uses, the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023) is much better than the Acer Aspire 3 15 (2023). The Inspiron 16 has a sturdier build and a longer battery life and is available with much faster CPUs. It also provides a better user experience overall with a brighter and more colorful display, a more comfortable keyboard, and a more responsive touchpad. The Inspiron 16 has a wider port selection, as it sports a second USB-C port, and its 1080p webcam captures a significantly sharper image on video calls.
The Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 (2021) and the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023) are both productivity-focused 2-in-1 convertibles. The Dell is better overall; it has a sturdier build, a larger and brighter display, a larger touchpad, a better webcam, and a wider port selection. It also performs better, as it's available with newer, faster AMD Ryzen 7030 series CPUs. The Lenovo has longer battery life, though both laptops can comfortably last through a typical workday of light use.
For most uses, the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023) is better than the ASUS VivoBook 15 OLED K513 (2021). The Inspiron 16 has a sturdier build, and it provides a better user experience with a more comfortable keyboard, a larger touchpad, and a better 1080p webcam. It also has a wider port selection, and unlike the VivoBook, its USB-C ports support charging and video output. The Dell Inspiron 16 is available with newer, faster CPUs, and its battery lasts over ten hours of light use, whereas the VivoBook lasts only around six. The only advantage the VivoBook has over the Inspiron 16 is its OLED display. Its near-infinite contrast ratio and full Adobe RGB and DCI P3 coverage make it a better option for media consumption and color-critical tasks like photo editing and graphic design.
Test Results
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