The 8 Best Dell Laptops of 2021

Best Overall: Dell XPS 13 9360

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Dell's XPS line has long been some of the best in the Dell laptop department, and the Dell XPS 13 9360 is a great example of that. Everything about the design is just gorgeous, especially with the Infinity Edge display that virtually eliminates the bezel on the top and side of the screen. It's a very immersive experience, but it also means the webcam is placed in the bottom bezel below the screen. The result is an unfortunate angle for video conferencing. Be sure to trim your nose hairs.

But beyond that, this laptop has a luxurious keyboard that's amazing for typing. The rest of the body is covered in a soft-touch carbon material that simply feels great. The laptop isn't too heavy, slipping in under 3 pounds, but it's also not the lightest out there. All the same, the great keyboard and screen really make this the best overall pick for a Dell laptop. They're just that good.

Best for Business: Dell Inspiron 15.6"

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The Dell Inspiron comes in a number of different configurations, but this one is particularly good for business. It's not terribly powerful, having a fairly low-end Intel Celeron processor and Windows 10S, but that can actually be good for business applications. Windows 10 S won't install apps from outside the Windows 10 app store which is flush with business applications. Windows 10 S is also resistant to a lot of different malware due to those restrictions. But the Celeron itself is underpowered and will really work only for some web surfing and document creation, which is perfect for business.

On the plus side, this laptop offers a lot of everything else. There are 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage that will keep you going for a long time. There are also several ports on this computer, including an SD card reader, HDMI output, three USB Type-A ports and a headphone jack. There's a lot to like here, but don't plan on doing anything more than the basics on this laptop.

Best Rugged: Dell Latitude 5420 Rugged Extreme Tablet

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If you need a rugged laptop, the Dell Latitude 5420 Rugged laptop even has "rugged" in the name. It's built like a tank to withstand anything the outdoors might throw at it. It has built-in impact resistance and can withstand drops of up to 3 feet. Like any device designed to work outside, this laptop comes with a bright screen that you can read in direct sunlight. The keyboard has a great feel with nice pitch and 1.5 millimeters of travel.

The base configuration doesn't include a touchscreen, but a small upgrade gets you a multi-touch display. You might not want it, though, because the touchscreen is not terribly accurate. Adding to that headache, the stylus, which has its own bay in the body of the laptop, can be difficult to get out. These might fall under the category of first world problems, however. If you have the base model, or don't plan to use the touchscreen, this is a tough laptop with a built-in handle that's easy to carry and will stand up to the elements.

Best Gaming: Alienware m17 R4

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Alienware is Dell's gaming line of laptops, and they come by their reputation honestly. The Alienware M17 R4 is an absolute beast of a machine with an amazing graphics processing unit (GPU) that will punch through gaming, video editing, and more. You can choose between NVidia's Geforce 3070 and 3080, either of which is more power than you'll know what to do with. All of this comes with a quick, smooth 360 Hz screen which will be next-level for gaming.

But with great power comes great battery depletion. This laptop won't last long when disconnected from the power cord—an unfortunate reality with these GPUs. Bottom firing speakers are also a choice I would not have made when designing this laptop. The sound gets muffled and a little distorted when the laptop is on a desk. You'll want to pack your gaming headphones along with this laptop.

Best Budget Gaming: Dell G3 15

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If you're a gamer on a budget, Dell has got you covered, too. The Dell G3 15 is an inexpensive gaming laptop with a mid-range GTX 1650 GPU. The plus side of this is that the laptop actually gets good battery life when you leave your cable at home. The laptop comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. Bear in mind, you might want to get an external hard drive if you plan to install a lot of games.

But overall, the Intel Core i5 and GPU will give you really good gaming performance in a pretty slim package. The display is a bit dull, though, so you might not get the best graphics for your gaming. It's a compromise that Dell made here. But if you can look past that, this will give you all the power you need to grind out some games when and where you need to.

Best 2-in-1: Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 Laptop

4.6

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One of our favorite kinds of laptops is the 2-in-1 because you get both the laptop and the tablet experience. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is a great example, with a great build that is very lightweight. It comes in at under 3 pounds which is great to hold in tablet mode. The keyboard takes some getting used to. It has a MagLev design, resulting in a 24 percent reduction in thickness.

But if you can get used to it, you'll have a great laptop with awesome performance and great battery life that can also turn into a tablet. All that is a pretty enticing package, which is why the XPS line is one of our favorites. It's a versatile and powerful laptop that will do anything you need it to. It's a good all-arounder.

Best Budget: Dell Inspiron 15 3000

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The Dell Latitude 15 3000 series is a nice mid-range laptop for a budget price. It's actually one of the better deals in this list because of how low the price is compared to the power it brings. The keyboard is just OK; it's a little more spread out than we generally like. There's also no USB Type-C port which is disappointing. But beyond those minor complaints, it's hard to look down on this laptop.

You get good battery life and enough power to game or even do some light editing, in a package that's very transportable. It even has a touchscreen, which is a nice plus for a laptop this inexpensive. Overall, this is a great budget-friendly option with just enough force to make the kid in all of us happy.