The best Dell laptops are reliable and deliver great performance for years, which makes them an excellent choice if you're looking to upgrade or invest in a new laptop. But with so many models now available, we've helped narrow it down to only the best-of-the-best that Dell has to offer.
The great thing about Dell is they seem to have laptops to suit many needs and budgets too. From 2-in-1 laptops to gaming laptops and ones for daily use, you're sure to find a Dell laptop that is right for you.
Now, if you're a student looking for a great laptop, Dell is a good way to go, but we do also have a list of the very best student laptopsthat provides a variety of brands that are suitable.
So check out the full list of our top-rated Dell laptops below before you do anything else.
- The Dell Labor Day sale is live! Check out doorbusters of up to 70% off today.
Best Dell laptops 2023
Why you can trust T3 Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The Dell XPS 13 series has consistently wowed us here at T3, and while the '9315' version of that laptop is super, it's the newer, longer-lasting and all-round better XPS Plus that now takes our top spot in this best-of list.
As with any XPS, the Plus is powerful, supremely well-built, and compact, so just about everything you could possibly want in your search for the best Dell laptop around at the moment.
With great Intel processors installed and up to 32GB of RAM if you spec it, this is a portable computer that's going to be able to handle everything that you want to throw at it. From late-night Netflix to early-morning report writing, you'll find the Dell XPS 13 Plus a highly capable and competent laptop.
It's that 13.4-inch display with the super-thin bezels that really makes this laptop stand out though: you can go from Full HD through to 3.5K or greater-than-4K options, the choice is yours (as is the expense!). Whichever you choose for your needs, though, you won't be disappointed by this stellar laptop. It's the best Dell for most people.
The Dell XPS 15 9500 has wowed us even more than previous versions of the flagship laptop, and if you've got enough money to be able to afford it, this is undoubtedly one of the best Dell laptops in the business – you pay a little bit extra than the XPS 13 for that 15.6-inch display, but we think it's worth it.
In our Dell XPS 15 9510 review, we praised the laptop for its "cutting-edge processor performance and a bright, clear 15-inch OLED screen that makes your content look great." The 11th gen Intel Core i7 is still speedy, though there is now a 9520 model that comes with the 12th gen models up to an i9-12900HK, which are faster still.
This has left only a single option on the Dell website for the 9510 model but the specs are top-notch – from the Nvidia Geforce RTX3050 graphics card to the 16GB RAM. This is still a little cheaper than the 9520 equivalent.
If you're looking for a solid laptop under $1000, the Dell Inspiron 15 is a great option. Formally known as the Inspiron 5000 series, the Inspiron 15 is the more powerful of the Inspiron options. It comes in a choice of Intel and AMD processors, including 11th gen Intel Core models up to i7-11390H and AMD up to the Ryzen 7 5700U.
There's Intel Iris Xe or Nvidia GeForce MX450 graphics on the Intel or AMD Radeon on the AMD version. Memory is up to 16GB and storage is up to 1TB. The screen is a standard FHD (1920x1080) display in either regular or touch versions but this is plenty for most people.
The other thing that's great about the Inspiron 15 is that is has plenty of ports. There are two USB-A, one USB-C, an HDMI 1.4, an audio jack and an SD card slot. You can easily spec this machine to suit your needs and not pay for any of the bits you don't.
The Dell XPS 13 series has consistently wowed us here at T3. It's powerful, supremely well built, and compact, so just about everything you could possibly want in your search for the best Dell laptop around at the moment.
In our Dell XPS 13 OLED review, we acknowledge that this is "a laptop that combines power and portability in a stylish package."
With the latest 11th-gen Intel processors installed and up to 16GB of RAM installed, this is a portable computer that's going to be able to handle everything that you want to throw at it. From late-night Netflix to early-morning report writing, you'll find the Dell XPS 13 a capable and competent laptop.
It's that 13.4-inch display with the super-thin bezels that really makes the XPS 13 stand out though. The 3.5K OLED option is a touch more expensive than the 4K UHD+ version, and while both are extremely impressive, we'd opt for the OLED.
Dell XPS 13 vs Dell XPS 15: which of Dell's premium portables is better?
If you want to game on your laptop but you don't want to go overboard in terms of size and price, get the Dell G5 15: it'll play all the latest Windows games very nicely indeed (ranking as "next-level gaming" on the official 3DMark benchmark score), and comes with a subtle lighting effect underneath that you can enable or disable as needed.
Dell has kept this down to a fantastic price considering the components you get inside, components that include a healthy 8GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB graphics card to keep those frame rates nice and smooth. The star of the show is the 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 display though, with a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz.
When you're not gaming, you can of course use the laptop for everything else as well – it's not so flamboyantly styled that you won't be able to get it out in the local coffee shop. We're impressed with the thermal management and the battery life of the Dell G5 15 as well – definitely one of the best Dell laptops for gamers.
No one does it quite like Alienware and the m15 R3 is no exception.
"All mighty, all-powerful, the Alienware m15 R4 remains a top dog in the world of gaming laptops. It's missing a few features you’d expect from portables of its caliber, but that doesn’t change the fact that this is a laptop that’s designed to impress, especially in gaming." – T3's Alienware m15 R4 review
There's something about Alienware that says gaming; you know the true purpose of the machine is to crank the resolution up as high as possible and watch as the FPS doesn't drop an inch.
An upgrade from Alienware's previous lineup – the m13, m15, and m17 – the new R4 models showcase this philosophy perfectly. Our preference has to be the middle option, however, as it balances having a big screen without also having a laptop that's essentially a desktop.
From the huge array of ports – from Ethernet to Thunderbolt to HDMI – to the customizable keyboard and controls, this laptop has you covered, and then some. The cooling system has been specially designed to deal with the most demanding tasks, too, ensuring you get every ounce of performance you need. It really doesn't get much better than this.
Our top pick for the best Dell laptop is also available in a 2-in-1 configuration, so you can prop it up to watch some movies or fold it right over and use it as a (thick) tablet – depending on your requirements and what you're going to be using your tablet for, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 might be an even better deal for you than the standard version.
You still get the excellent build quality and the top-level specs: some of the latest and greatest Intel processors around, plus a maximum of 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage space (though the very best specs will of course cost you a hefty amount of money). On a laptop this size you can't expect too much in terms of graphics, but the integrated Iris Plus chipset will handle all the basics with ease.
There's even the option of a 4K resolution screen here, on what is already one of the brightest and best display panels in the business. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 isn't for everyone – those on a budget and those needing a more spacious screen will want to look elsewhere – but it certainly ticks a lot of important boxes.
"The Dell XPS 17 9710 is a powerful laptop with screen real estate to spare, but it is large in size and has a price tag to match." – T3's Dell XPS 17 9710 laptop review
If you want the power of a workstation without sacrificing style, the new Dell XPS 17 is absolutely stunning. Its 17-inch, 500-nit display can be configured as FHD+ or 3840 x 2400 UHD, and if you max out the options you can have 64MB of DDR4 RAM, a 2TB SSD and a 6GB GeForce RTX 2060 in a PC powered by an 8-core, 5.3GHz 10th Generation Intel Core i9. You don’t have to max out the options to get great performance, but it’s a lot of fun if you do.
This XPS 17 is pretty as well as powerful. It has the same stunning looks as its smaller siblings but, despite its svelte case, there are still plenty of expansion options, thanks to four Thunderbolt 3 ports with power delivery and DisplayPort. The XPS also has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 for all your wireless needs. It’s a little on the heavy side at 2.11kg, but laptops of this size are usually bought as desktop replacements so that’s not a huge issue.
How to choose the best Dell laptop for you
Choosing the best Dell laptop works the same way as it does for any other laptop: decide where your own particular sweet spot is in terms of price and power, and make your choice accordingly. Paying more will usually get you better performance and more longevity of course.
There's a balance to be struck between power vs portability that's worth considering – not only are more powerful laptops more expensive, they're more difficult to lug around, and if you want the top-tier laptop components, you'll also need a bigger laptop to fit them all into.
The Dell badge gives you a certain guarantee in terms of quality, so whichever laptop you opt for it's going to serve you well – you just need to decide the sort of specs you need, the price you can afford, and the amount of effort you want to put into carrying it around.
Our guide has been designed to help you find the best Dell laptop for school, the best Dell laptop for work and the best Dell laptop for gaming. We’ve also gathered all the specifications, designs and prices so you can easily compare the different options, though it's worth mentioning that the Dell laptop range is constantly being updated, so you might find that specifications differ slightly from what we’ve described here.
Dell makes many of the best laptops overall today, and Dell's range includes some of the best gaming laptops and best student laptops available. But which are they? Well, they're these ones.
Want to save some money and grab a new Dell laptop cheap? Head on over to T3's best Dell laptop deals guide to shop all of the best discounts.
Which Dell model laptop is best?
This question requires a little more from you to determining that, specifically what exactly you're looking to do with your brand new Dell laptop. Are you a gamer? Maybe you're in need of a student laptop?
If you're someone who just needs a new personal laptop for basic home use, the XPS Series is a solid choice for all-around performance and value. The XPS line (along with the Inspiron line) are two of Dell's flagship models, both of which are excellent values that offer a range of laptops at budget-friendly and premium prices.
As a gamer, you'll want to look at Dell's G Series line of gaming monitors. Many of the latest models feature NVIDIA's RTX graphics cards, making them ideal for modern gaming on the go. The G Series does run a bit pricier depending on the specs you setup under the hood of your new laptop, but you can grab a rig ready for high-performance 60FPS 1080p gaming for as low as $600 if you're lucky!
Of course, Alienware gaming laptops take it up a notch with premium parts and performance ratings. Many can handle 4K gaming with ease, but these will be even more expensive over Dell's proprietary G Series line up.
Which Dell laptop series is the best?
This all will boil down to exactly what you expect of your new Dell laptop. If your a gamer, their G Series or even the Alienware line are your best bet. If you're looking for business, their Inspiron and XPS lines are fantastic to go with. Here's a quick rundown of what the best Dell laptops are for gaming, schoolwork and more:
G Series – ideal for high performance gaming and available in setups with the latest NVIDIA RTX cards
Inspiron Series – ideal for personal use and light business use at great price points
XPS Series – all-around performers great for business, academics, personal use and more
Aside from these main laptop line ups, the rest are pretty straight forward and are designed for specific tasks including workstations for modeling, editing and more.
