The Rise of AI-Powered Laptops: Dell, Acer, and ASUS Lead the Way

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 (Snapdragon X Plus) review: Marathon battery life, and it keeps its cool

Why you can trust Laptop Mag 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. Are you looking for an affordable, reliable, and long-lasting laptop? Keep your eyes on this page because the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 might be the answer. For $1,099, you can scoop up one of the latest Copilot+ PCs featuring a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 processor and incredible battery life. The Inspiron 14 Plus also boasts a sharp 14-inch display, a decent 1080p webcam, and cool thermals, so this laptop is usable in your lap. However, the display is dull compared to other laptops in its class, and the graphics from Qualcomm are disappointing. Despite these complaints, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 earns our Editor's Choice award and could easily make our best Dell laptops page. Let's jump in and find out. I reviewed the mid-range Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, which costs $899 (originally $1,099) and has a Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 14-inch, 2560 x 1600, 60Hz, touch display. Bump down to a 256GB SSD, and it'll cost $999 (yes, really, and this was originally $899 when we last checked), whereas upgrading to a Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 CPU with a 1TB SSD costs $999 (originally $1,199). Going from $899 to $999 (or $1,099 to $1,099) for a CPU upgrade and double the storage is a steal, so we'd recommend that option, particularly if you don't upgrade your laptop regularly. Check out the best budget laptops if you're looking for something on a smaller budget. Slick but boring. That's the only way to describe laptops like the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus that default to a silver chassis stamped with a glossy company logo. However, leaving the aesthetics aside, it is small, light, and thin, which is excellent for portability. The interior is pretty standard, too, with the gray keys creating a weird contrast against the silver deck. Walling in the keyboard are two vents, and surrounding the display are slim bezels topped with a thicker one sporting a webcam (no privacy shutter). At 3.17 pounds and 12.36 x 8.81 x 0.58~0.67 inches, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is the heaviest and the thickest amongst its competitors. Slim in comparison are the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (3 pounds, 12.3 x 8.67 x 0.59 inches), Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (2.8 pounds, 12.8 x 8.8 x 0.51 inches), and MacBook Air 13-inch M3 (2.7 pounds, 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches). There aren't many, but the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has the essentials. Find two USB Type-C ports and a microSD card slot on the left side and one USB Type-A port and headphone jack on the right. The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus' 14-inch, 2560 x 1600, 60Hz, touch display offers a wonderfully bright and sharp window into your favorite content. However, the gamut coverage is so low that everything looks drained of color. I watched the Borderlands trailer, and the reds of Cate Blanchett's hair and shirt were warm, but the blue of the vault was practically lifeless. Thanks to the high brightness, the details of the ship's interior were clear, while the high resolution made it all the more sharp. However, the unbalanced color coverage made everyone's skin look a tinge more yellow. According to our colorimeter, the Inspiron covered 69.1% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which is duller than the average premium laptop (88.7%). It also falls short of the Zenbook 14 (79.8%), Slim 7x (155.4%), and MacBook Air (77.8%). At 470 nits of brightness, however, the Inspiron blew past the category average (464 nits), the Zenbook 14 (339 nits), and the Yoga Slim 7x (464 nits). It even got the MacBook Air (476 nits) sweating to cross the finish line. The smaller a laptop gets, the less room you have to type, which makes it a challenge for laptops like the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus to feature a pleasant typing experience. However, the folks at Dell did a solid job, offering a well-spaced layout with pronounced keys that provided a bit of bounce. I typed 82 words per minute on the 10fastfingers.com typing test, which is just above my usual 81-wpm average. The keys felt sturdy and also had a bit of travel. The touchpad, however, is a bit resistant and felt like I was running my finger across flattened sandpaper. Add its sharp, shallow clicker; it becomes my least favorite combination. Without EQ software, there isn't a lot you can do for the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus' bottom-firing speakers, which is why it's good that it sounds decent. I listened to "Abyss" by YUNGBLUD, and the opening guitar came off a little soft, but there was some hefty bass in the following percussion. The vocals were also a bit low, but clear. It sounds like the percussion takes the lead in terms of the balance. The overall audio sounds compressed, so it's a bit muddled as a result, but it's decent for speakers not supported by software. Packed with the latest Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 processor, we're dying to know how it compares to the competition, especially its Elite sibling. It did well enough juggling a couple dozen Google Chrome tabs and a handful of YouTube videos. On the Geekbench 6.3 overall performance test, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus scored 13,281, wasting the average premium laptop (9,726). It also sped past the Zenbook 14's Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (12,707) and the MacBook Air's M3 (12,087). However, its Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 sibling (housed in the Slim 7x), surpassed it by just 469 points (13,750). They are virtually on par with one another. But let's give it a more real-world test: The Inspiron 14 transcoded a 4K video to 1080p in 6 minutes and 23 seconds on our HandBrake test, which just skids over the 6:39 average. It again beat the Asus Zenbook 14 (6:36) and MacBook Air (6:32), but the Slim 7x (5:16) created a sizable difference this time around. Dell's 512GB SSD sports a transfer rate of 1,510 megabytes per second, clocking faster speeds than the average premium laptop (1,478 MBps). It also surpassed the Zenbook 14's 1TB SSD (1,236 MBps) and the Slim 7x's 512GB SSD (1,416 MBps). When competing with the MacBook Air on the Blackmagic Read/Write test, the Inspiron scored 3,589/3,130 MBps versus the Air's 512GB SSD (3,059/3,031 MBps). A wave of Snapdragon X Elite CPUs have swirled through our testing lab, but this Dell Inspiron 14 Plus features one of the first Snapdragon X Plus chipsets we've tested. As a Copilot+ PC, we're going to find out if the laptop at the back of the pack can make the same impact on AI performance (see how we test AI PCs). As we learn more about what these AI PCs can do, our methods will adapt as necessary. But let's see how the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus performed. On the Geekbench ML 0.6 AI performance test, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus hit an ONNX/CPU score of 2,764. It missed the mark against the Zenbook 14 (2,971) and Slim 7x (2,903). The MacBook Air did not take this test, but the HP Spectre x360 14 2024 (2,876) did and outpaced the Inspiron 14. Despite that, Qualcomm's CPU may not be optimized for Geekbench ML 0.6. And this doesn't test the NPU, which is where Qualcomm ultimately beats the competition. Copilot+ PCs support new software and features as well. There's Recall, which is an interesting and controversial feature that tracks the history of your PC. It's similar to your browser history, so you can hop around your timeline to see what you did hours ago. While this information is intended to be stored locally, it makes sense to worry about it connecting to the cloud. You do have the option to adjust the type of information stored, however. Right now Recall is limited to Windows Insiders and disabled by default. Our favorite Copilot+ PC features include Windows Studio Effects and Live Captions. AI art programs are also available, but they are not without controversy. As we've seen with the rest of the Snapdragon X series, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus' Qualcomm Adreno graphics were below to the competition. On the 3DMark Fire Strike synthetic graphics test, the Inspiron 14 Plus scored 5,965, which couldn't get near the average premium laptop (9,238) or the Zenbook 14's Intel Arc Graphics (8,064). Meanwhile, it actually surpassed the Slim 7x's identical Qualcomm Adreno (5,800). We booted up Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (Medium, 1080p) benchmark, and the Inspiron 14 averaged 21 frames per second, falling short of the 30-fps minimum for playability. It matched the Slim 7x, but the game was playable only on the Zenbook 14 (31 fps) and the MacBook Air's M3 (41 fps). It's yet another Dell Inspiron showing off its incredible battery life skills. On the Laptop Mag battery test, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus survived 18 hours and 20 minutes, outlasting the average premium laptop (11:36). It also outlived the Zenbook 14 (15:52), Slim 7x (14:14), and MacBook Air (15:13). That's an incredible feat, as two of those are the laptops with best battery life. It's rare not to find me tearing up a laptop webcam for its painfully poor image quality, and yet I'm here to say that the Inspiron 14 Plus' 1080p shooter is quite decent! It captured the strands of hair on my head without distorting them. It balanced the contrast well enough to detail each of the blinds in the window behind me, where it would usually overexpose the light and wash out most of my background. And the color in the My Hero Academia poster in the background was pretty consistent with how it looked in person. You could get one of the best webcams, but you don't need it here. This is a laptop you can actually use in your lap (this really shouldn't be impressive, but it is). After streaming a 15-minute video, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus' underside climbed up to 88 degrees Fahrenheit, which is safely below our 95-degree comfort threshold. The center of the keyboard and touchpad hit 97 and 80 degrees, respectively. Meanwhile, the hottest it got was 100 degrees, located just above the F8 key. The Inspiron 14 Plus comes with the MyDell app, which features system information and display and battery settings. Meanwhile, Dell Support Assistant features performance and network settings, hardware scans, and full system scans. The Inspiron 14 Plus comes with a one-year limited warranty. See how Dell performed on our Tech Support Showdown ranking. The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is a champ of a laptop. It boasts great performance, excellent battery life, strong thermals, and a solid webcam. However, while its display is sharp, it's remarkably dull, and its graphics don't live up to Qualcomm's aspirations. If you want a stunning display, go with the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x. It also features faster overall performance and a competitive battery life. Not to mention, a much more comfortable keyboard. But overall, if your focus is affordability and incredible battery life, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is the one to buy.

Acer Swift 14 AI review: Power and longevity wrapped in aluminum

Why you can trust Laptop Mag 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. Reliable, long-lasting performance is the key to victory in almost any context, but especially so in laptops. That's what Acer achieves with the Swift 14 AI. For $1,199, Acer offers incredible performance from the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 chipset combined with over 17 hours of battery life. Its aluminum chassis and a silky touchpad make for a more premium experience. While the display may be sharp and feature a high refresh rate, it does take a major hit in brightness and color. Despite those drawbacks, the Acer Swift 14 AI offers many of the hallmarks of an excellent laptop -- but does it make it onto Laptop Mag's list of the best laptops? Let's find out. I reviewed the $1,199 version of the Acer Swift 14 AI, which features a Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 processor, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and a 14.5-inch, 2560 x 1600, 120Hz display. This is available at Best Buy. You can step down to the $1,049 model, which comes with the lower-tier Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100. That's the only other available model, and it's only at Acer and Newegg. (If you're looking for something on a smaller budget, check out the best budget laptops.) Even with its relatively light chassis, the Acer Swift 14 AI still feels robust; like I'm holding a sturdy metal brick, thanks to its aluminum build. The diamond-cut edges reveal glossy silver accenting its gray overall design. It looks as premium as a gray laptop can look. In the top right there's a glossy Acer logo, and in the top left, there are some indecipherable connected dots, representing Acer's AI branding for this laptop. The interior features more of the same gray look, and the gray keyboard doesn't contrast very well against the deck, especially since it's a few shades off. The keyboard itself is slightly depressed into the chassis, while the touchpad below is a step higher and features a similar dotted design as the lid except it's powered with LED lights (more on this later). The bezels on the side of the glossy display are thin, but the top is pretty thick, housing a webcam and even an extended lip beyond that. At 3.2 pounds and 12.7 x 8.9 x 0.38 inches, I was excited to see the thinnest laptop I'd ever tested. Unfortunately, that "0.38-inch" is inaccurate despite showing up that way on retailer websites. I knew it was wrong the moment I pulled the laptop out of the box -- it felt relatively thick. I measured it myself, and it measured 0.67 inches. It's possible someone hit a "3" instead of a "6." An Acer representative tells Laptop Mag that the larger size is the official size, which is just slightly different: 12.7 x 9.0 x 0.66~0.72 inches. So, if you see "0.38" inches listed as the thickness for the Swift 14 AI on a retailer's website, know that it's wrong. (Acer tells Laptop it is going to fix the issue.) Here's how Swift 14 AI compares with the competition: There's a decent array of ports on board the Swift 14 AI, and while there's no HDMI port, Acer includes a Type-C to HDMI dongle. On the left you'll find one USB Type-A port and two USB Type-C ports, while the right side features one USB Type-A port and a headphone jack. Need more ports? Check out our best USB Type-C hubs and best laptop docking stations pages. The Acer Swift's 14.5-inch, 2560 x 1600, 120Hz display skirts the line between vivid and dull, between bright and dim. It's neither good nor bad, but at the very least you get to watch content on a high-res, high-refresh screen. I watched the Borderlands trailer, and in one scene Cate Blanchett's red hair popped on screen, and in another scene the vault's mysterious blue glow fell flat against the dark polyhedral objects. The day sky behind the characters was washed out but the night sky revealed the stars beyond Claptrap. Unfortunately, the glossy panel is working heavily against the Acer Swift 14. Using this laptop in the dark is your best bet. According to our colorimeter, the Swift 14 covered 75.6% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which falls short of the average premium laptop (88.3%). It's too far off from the MacBook Air (77.5%) and Zenbook 14 (79.8%). And it did beat the Inspiron 14 (69.1%). At 367 nits of brightness, the Swift 14 faces a wide gap against the category average (461 nits), MacBook Air (482 nits), and Inspiron 14 (470 nits). However, it did just outshine the Zenbook 14 (339 nits). Typing on the Acer Swift 14 is comfortable, but it's not satisfying. The keys are as bouncy as they can be with low travel. I also noticed the space between the top of the touchpad and the spacebar flexes under pressure, so keep that in mind if you typically click around the center of the touchpad. I typed 77 words per minute on the 10fastfingers.com typing test, which is below my usual 81-wpm average. Typing always felt a little off, like I couldn't get my fingers positioned quite right. But most folks should be able to get used to it with time, unless you have larger hands, in which I'd recommend a bigger laptop. The 5.1 x 3.1-inch touchpad is surprisingly smooth given the price point, and that's likely because the company needed a more quality component to house its LED lights in. The lights are backing Acer's "AI indicator," so anytime you're using an AI feature, the aforementioned dots will light up. You can see it work even if you press the Copilot button. With a pair of side-firing speakers, the Swift 14 pumped out decent audio but it lacked the bass to carry percussion instruments. I listened to "Abyss" by YUNGBLUD and the opening guitar serenaded me until the vocals came through. Clear but hollow, like the richness had been sapped from the mids and highs. The following percussion was sharp; not unpleasant, but each beat sounded like the drummer was hitting an empty can. Acer includes a stripped-down version of the DTS audio app, which features presets for Music, Voice, and Entertainment as well as a Custom preset with an EQ and a few settings for automatic enhancements. Unfortunately, it's not enough to create well-rounded speakers. With a shiny new Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 processor, the Acer Swift 14 AI juggled through a couple dozen Google Chrome tabs and a handful of YouTube videos without so much as a stutter. Let's see how that translates to our benchmarks. On the Geekbench 6.3 overall performance test, the Acer Swift 14 AI scored 14,531, soaring over the average premium laptop (9,853). That crushes the competition, including the MacBook Air's M3 (12,052), the Zenbook 14's Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (12,707), and the Inspiron 14 Plus' Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 (13,281). Looking at a more real-world test, the Acer Swift 14 AI transcoded a 4K video to 1080p in just 4 minutes and 46 seconds on our HandBrake benchmark, dominating the average premium laptop (6:36). It was also nearly two minutes faster than the MacBook Air (6:30), Zenbook 14 (6:36), and Inspiron 14 Plus (6:23). Acer's 1TB SSD rocked a transfer rate of 1,891 megabytes per second, transcending the category average (1,493 MBps), the Zenbook 14's 1TB SSD (1,236 MBps), and the Inspiron 14 Plus' 512GB SSD (1,510 MBps). AI is the new big trend in tech. Whether or not it will stick around for long is beyond me, but we're here to see what chips like the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 can do. As a Copilot+ PC, we're going to test the Acer Swift 14's AI performance (see how we test AI PCs). Since this is relatively new, our testing methods will adapt as necessary. With that caveat, let's see how the Acer Swift 14 AI did. On the Geekbench ML 0.6 AI performance test, the Acer Swift 14 AI hit an ONNX/CPU score of 2,925, which beats the Inspiron 14 Plus (2,764). However, it just misses the Zenbook 14 (2,971). The MacBook Air did not undergo this test, but the HP Spectre x360 14 2024 (2,876) did and the Swift outpaced it. For context, Qualcomm's CPU may not be optimized for Geekbench ML 0.6. This doesn't test the NPU, which is where Qualcomm ultimately beats the competition. New software and features come to Copilot+ laptops. The most interesting and controversial feature is Recall, which tracks the history of your PC. Like your browser history, you can hop around your timeline to see what you did hours ago. Now, this information is supposed to be stored locally, but with all these privacy lawsuits, it makes sense to be worried. You can adjust the information stored, and as of now, Recall is limited to Windows Insiders and disabled by default. Windows Studio Effects and Live Captions are among our favorite Copilot+ PC features. While AI art programs are also available, they are not without controversy. As we've seen with the slew of Snapdragon X Elite laptops, the Qualcomm Adreno GPU isn't pulling its weight. Don't expect greatness, or anything like it. On the 3DMark Fire Strike synthetic graphics test, the Acer Swift 14 AI scored 5,754, falling short of the average premium laptop (9,109). The Inspiron 14 Plus' Adreno GPU falls in a similar boat (5,965), but the Zenbook 14's Intel Arc Graphics is much closer to the standard (8,064). In a real-world test, the Acer Swift 14 AI hit an average of 21 frames per second on the Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (Medium, 1080p) benchmark. That fails the 30-fps minimum, which the Inspiron 14 Plus also failed (21 fps). However, the game is playable on the Zenbook 14 (31 fps). The Acer Swift 14 AI joins its Copilot+ siblings with its excellent battery life. On the Laptop Mag battery test, the Swift 14 survived 17 hours and 30 minutes. That crushes the average premium laptop (11:49). It even speeds past the MacBook Air (15:03) and Zenbook 14 (15:52), both of which are among the laptops with best battery life. However, the Inspiron 14 Plus cleared it by exactly 50 minutes (18:20). It's rare to see anything more than a 1080p webcam in a laptop, but Acer shoved in a whole 1440p webcam into the Acer Swift 14 AI. Is it good, though? Well, not really. It does balance contrast better than most, as I could see the detail in the window blinds behind me where I would otherwise see a washed-out pillar of light. However, the color saturation is way off; everything looked a tinge more green than it should have. And despite the high resolution, the details were grainy; I couldn't even tell where my hairline was (please, I'd like to keep it as I go into my thirties). I'd recommend picking up one of the best webcams. Maybe don't put the Acer Swift 14 AI in your lap. After streaming a 15-minute video, the Acer Swift 14 AI clocked in at 100 degrees Fahrenheit on the underside, which is above our 95-degree comfort threshold. Meanwhile, the center of the keyboard and touchpad hit 94 and 79 degrees. The hottest temperature we saw was 118 degrees, located on the left rear underside just above the second vent from the left. Acer loves filling its laptops with bloatware, from the Booking.com app to its own App Explorer. Kick those to the curb and focus on the AcerSense app. There you'll find all the important bits, including performance settings, performance monitoring, battery settings, updates, system checkups, and blue light settings. The Swift 14 AI comes with a one-year limited warranty. See how Acer performed on our Tech Support Showdown ranking. The Acer Swift 14 AI isn't perfect, but it's pretty damn good. Its battery life and performance are top notch. The touchpad is great and I love the specs for the display. However, in practice, the display is pretty poor. If you are looking for something prettier, check out the MacBook Air, which is leagues brighter and offers slightly more color depth. It also features competitive battery life and performance, not to mention a better keyboard and touchpad experience. Despite that, the Acer Swift 14 AI is a great choice for those who want something reliable and capable of putting in that AI elbow grease (a.k.a. doing the work for you -- sorry not sorry).

This Dell Laptop With Co-Pilot+ Wasn't Enough to Convert Me to Snapdragon

Key Takeaways Consistently strong battery life with fast charging (up to 10 hours of performance in testing). Stunning 2.5K display for vivid graphics, but the keyboard and touchpad weren't fantastic. Co-Pilot+ AI integration brings in unique, helpful features, while the Snapdragon CPU is speedy but limited. The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) laptop is on the cusp of innovative PC tech. Its Snapdragon X Series processor makes it one of the few Microsoft Co-Pilot+ PCs available, and AI-integrated features set it apart. That said, snappy processing and Co-Pilot+ might not be enough to make it a must-buy. Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) 6/ 10 The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) laptop offers an ARM architecture with a Snapdragon X Plus series CPU, a Qualcomm Adreno GPU, a 14-inch QHD+ display, and AI features with Microsoft Co-Pilot+. ProsOutstanding battery life and fast chargingBeautiful 2.5K graphicsCo-Pilot+ integrated AIFast, effective processing ConsNo HDMI portSo-so keyboard and touchpadSome apps and games still aren't native to ARM or won't even install $1,099.99 at Dell How We Test and Review Products Price and Availability The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) laptop is now available, starting at $999.99 for the base model. My configuration sells for $1,099.99, and you can increase specs like RAM and storage for a higher price. Specifications Operating System Windows 11 Home CPU Snapdragon X Plus, X1P-64-100 (10 cores up to 3.4GHz), NPU integrated GPU Qualcomm Adreno GPU RAM 16GB (LPDDR5X, 8448MT) Storage 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive Display (Size, Resolution) 14-inch QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) Display (Supports Dolby Vision; Anti-Glare Touch) Camera Integrated Widescreen FHD (1080p) IR Webcam Speakers Quad Qualcomm Aqstic speaker system (2 x 2W tweeter, 2 x 2W woofer) Colors Ice Blue Ports 2 x USB 4 Gen Type-C Ports (with Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4a), 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x Micro SD card reader, 1 x 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack Dimensions 0.57 -- 0.66 x 12.36 x 8.8 in (14.69 - 16.9 x 314 x 223.75mm) Weight Starting at 3.17lbs (1.4kg) Brand Dell Model Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 Adaptor and Battery 65W Type-C adapter, 54Wh integrated battery Keyboard English backlit Copilot key keyboard Connectivity Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 Wi-Fi 7 2x2, Bluetooth 5.4 Box contents 1 x Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 laptop, 1 x 65W AC adapter, 1 x quick start guide Expand The Design: A Classic Dell Look The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) has a fairly typical build and takes on a classic look rather than anything unusual, innovative, or fancy. Its body reminded me of other Dells I've reviewed, including the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 (7435) and the Dell XPS 15. And while its sleek aluminum chassis feels premium, the overall effect is bland. The iconic "Dell" logo is on the back cover, while the Inspiron logo is on the bottom of the device, in front of the ventilation. With the laptop open, the Inspiron 14 Plus features no bezel at the top. Instead, there's a smooth multimedia bar with integrated microphones, a webcam, and an privacy shutter. Close The keyboard measures about 11 inches long and 4 inches wide, while the precision touchpad sits below and measures about 4.5 by 3.25 inches. The power button is at the top right of the keyboard and doubles as a fingerprint scanner. Its two 2W up-firing speakers flank either side of the keyboard, while the two down-firing speakers sit in the bottom front corners. Ports: Sufficient Connectability The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is equipped with a sufficient number of ports, though I always like to see more than less. On the left side, I found two USB4 40Gbps (USB Type-C) ports (both have DisplayPort and Power Delivery) and a microSD card reader. The right side had a USB-A port included in the device (3.2 Gen 1) and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack. Close While having the option of both USB-C and USB-A is great to see on a slim laptop, the device lacks an HDMI port, which might be a pain point for some users. However, those USB-4 ports offer DisplayPort, which some monitors (and even some TVs) support these days. I couldn't connect the laptop to my smart TV via DisplayPort since I didn't have a compatible cable. Still, I was able to hook up to a separate monitor using it, and I could've bought a USB-C hub that included an HDMI port. If it matters to you, you'll make it work, but it might be a slight annoyance and require extra steps. The Inputs: Underwhelming Keyboard and TouchPad Like the simple design of the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, the inputs left me feeling a little underwhelmed. The keyboard was a standard chiclet style, with plenty of room for typing, but its typing feel wasn't springy. It didn't leave me with that snappy feeling that I enjoy on other laptop keyboards, such as my Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (Gen 8) laptop or other devices I've reviewed, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 (AMD). I also found the touchpad to be a little "sticky," for lack of a better word. Instead of feeling super-smooth against my fingers, it was slightly textured, which meant my perspiring fingertips were less than ideal. Instead of a slick glide during scrolls, I noticed my fingers skidding and sticking. Aside from this gripe, the touchpad was precise and easy to use for every conceivable action, and the buttons felt satisfyingly clicky. The touchscreen, on the other hand, was responsive and accurate! Display and Graphics: A Pleasing 2.5K Resolution Abigail Whether streaming movies, shows, or YouTube videos, one of the best features of the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus was its 14-inch IPS display. From its QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600p) resolution to its standard refresh rate of 60Hz, my review laptop did well at capturing minute details and gave me little to complain about. Videos of wildlife, travel destinations, and nature on YouTube showed me a cornucopia of color and texture. From a pink and purple sunset over glaciers to an insect macro, I found the graphics enthralling. The screen offers a nice balance of saturation and contrast, plus 400 nits of brightness, though I longed for blacker blacks. This is certainly no OLED! Most impressive were detailed images of the plumage on a peacock or eagle, which made me feel like I could reach out and touch their feathers. Graphics in gaming were just as beautiful, assuming you can get a game to run smoothly. Performance: Co-Pilot+ AI and Smooth Processing The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus' performance was smooth, especially for my work. Since I typically use a handful of productivity apps for work and little else, I didn't run into too many issues with the ARM chipset compared to an x86-based Intel or AMD processor. For most of my tasks, 16GB of RAM combined with the Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 CPU (which has 10 cores and 10 threads and an integrated NPU for the AI tasks) was plenty of muscle. During heavy loads, I downloaded large files with over 30 internet tabs open while running Steam, Spotify, and an Adobe installer in the background. Processing was as smooth as butter, but it put the 16GB of RAM at about 93% use, while the CPU was at 35%. Using PCMark, the Inspiron 14 Plus scored a respectable 12,670 overall, with 21,635 for Excel, 7,179 for Word, 12,889 for Edge, and 12,874 for PowerPoint. These stats are well above the minimum suggestions for good performance. I didn't run into glaring issues with the Inspiron 14 Plus, except for some limitations I found with the ARM chipset. These will vary depending on which apps and programs you use, but it's something to consider if you're switching from an Intel system to an ARM one. For instance, my Xbox app only showed cloud gaming (after troubleshooting, uninstalling, and downloading again), so I couldn't see Game Pass games or download from within the app. The games I downloaded were from Steam and the Microsoft Store. Unfortunately, most games are not yet native on ARM. Let me also point out that many games on the Microsoft Store couldn't be installed on the Inspiron at all, thanks to the ARM chip. For apps that weren't native but still installable, I could use them, and the device used emulation via Prism instead (software emulation to create compatible code), which may affect performance and slow processing. This is unfortunately still the case for many Adobe apps. As for gaming, the Inspiron 14 Plus did its best, but I often noticed high latency levels in games like Rise of the Tomb Raider. Based on benchmark scores, I wouldn't recommend it for someone who likes to play a lot of demanding games. On 3DMark's TimeSpy, it scored an overall 1,296 (for reference, an above-average gaming laptop like the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 scored over 17,000) and a 322 on Steel Nomad. Games that required fewer resources seemed to function well, such as Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and Broken Age. Its performance is satisfactory if you can find compatible games you like that don't require a lot of heavy processing. Co-Pilot+ Features Integrated AI on your PC sounds like the way of the future, but it isn't quite fantastic yet. The Inspiron 14 Plus features a Co-Pilot+ key (to the right of the alt-right key) and integrated features that I found helpful but not ground-breaking. Hitting the key brought up Co-Pilot+ (like you'd see on your Bing browser), and I could ask it for recipes (like a vegetarian polenta lasagna) or anything I could dream up. However, it still had limitations, as all AI assistants do. Especially when I was creating text based on research, which required fact-checking. The benefits of the AI integration are live captions for translating over 40 languages into English, and some camera and video effects like automatic framing, eye contact, and blurred background. To name a few. Thanks to the onboard NPU, these features work smoothly. One feature I was excited about was Co-Pilot+'s Retrace, which would've helped me retrace my steps from past searches or information that I couldn't recall. However, the feature is still not available and will be released at a later date. I also messed around with Cocreator in Paint, which is integrated into the Paint app and generates an AI image based on your prompt and drawing. I couldn't quite get the pizza image I wanted, but I tried, and I could see this being a fun feature for novices and designers looking to conceptualize something quickly. AI image creation is a learning curve for most people who don't yet know the right language to get what they want (including little old me). The Speakers, Camera, and Microphones: Decent Performance for Most Instances Although I'm not going to call the Inspiron 14 Plus' quad-speaker system the best one I've ever heard (it's not), it performs better than most dual-speaker systems. My enjoyment of the speakers varied depending on what media I was consuming. As expected, 100% volume resulted in a compressed, squashed sound, which I find the case for most laptop speaker systems, especially compared to smartphone speakers. On particular tracks, like the song We Follow by indie artist From Indian Lakes, the treble came through unpleasantly muddy and twangy, with smoother mids and a bass that was all but lost in the mix. The sweet spot was somewhere around 70% or so, where treble felt less harsh, but bass was still lacking. Synthy guitar parts came across squashed in the Citizen song Call Me If You're Lonely, while Mat Kerekes' Ohio had a muddy, too-bright mix. Still, some songs sounded great on the speakers at 50 to 70% volume, and I didn't always notice glaring issues with the sound balance. Overall, the speakers were immersive enough for gaming, streaming, and music but still left a lot to be desired. The webcam, however, gave me crisp, clear 1080p video at 30FPS. In brightly lit rooms, I video chatted for work or spent time with far-away friends without worrying about my stream quality. In dimmer environments, however, it was as muddy as one would expect -- but nothing out of the ordinary. Close The microphones did a beautiful job of capturing my voice, even in noisy spaces. My voice came through front and center, even with music and traffic noises in the background, thanks to its temporal noise reduction (another AI feature). The audio also sounded nice karaoke-ing some songs. The microphones didn't cut off my high notes or use noise-cancellation in a way that totally cut out the audio. My only complaint was a high sibilance that picked up both for speaking and singing, though most laptop microphones are probably in the same boat here. Battery and Charging: Ultra-Strong Battery Game One argument for an ARM chipset is battery life, and boy does the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus deliver on this promise! Dell's lab benchmark quoted "up to 21 hours" of battery life for video playback with the brightness at 150 nits (37.5% brightness). Although I never experienced 21 hours of battery life -- and frankly, I doubt a typical user would -- I did get an impressive average even with the brightness set to 350 to 400 nits. I calculated a 0.17% per minute drain rate, which meant I was losing about 10% of my battery per hour. That equates to 10 steady hours of performance, which, in my experience, is almost unheard of on x86 PCs. The charge rate was also speedy. The Inspiron 14 Plus comes with ExpressCharge, which charges up to 80% in 60 minutes when your battery is low. I never saw 80%, but I did see a 60% jump in one hour, and I averaged a charge rate of 0.93% per minute (55.8% per hour). That means a full charge took as little as 1 hour 48 minutes. Should You Buy the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) Laptop? If you're looking for something other than an Intel (or AMD) processor and want to dive headfirst into a PC with ARM architecture, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) laptop isn't a bad option. It's a nice midrange system for someone who works a lot using typical programs, i.e. Microsoft Word, various internet tabs, Photoshop, Excel, etc. But, because some apps still don't support specific features for ARM chips, people who want to do everything on a PC without waiting for an expansion of native app compatibility might want to reconsider an ARM PC until this happens. However, as ARM PCs become more popular, it may happen quicker than you'd think. Personally, I am unconvinced it's worth it to transition to a Snapdragon CPU for now because of the inconsistent compatibility, and I would give it more time for these CPUs and the software to mature. Other limitations of the Inspiron 14 Plus include a so-so keyboard, no HDMI port, and a price tag that might not be worth it when comparing specs to other laptops. You can also pick up a Surface Pro with a Snapdragon chip or a Lenovo ThinkPad T14, if you're set on getting in on the ARM game. Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) 6/ 10 The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441) laptop offers an ARM architecture with a Snapdragon X Plus series CPU, a Qualcomm Adreno GPU, a 14-inch QHD+ display, and AI features with Microsoft Co-Pilot+. $1,099.99 at Dell

I've tested hundreds of laptops. The Asus Zenbook S 16 has one of the most unique designs I've seen

However, the machine has an somewhat middling battery life and a tendency to run hot. I'm always excited to go hands-on with new Asus laptops because I never know what I'm going to get. The brand puts a lot of effort into making each each model unique, with no two models being quite the same. Recently I had the opportunity to test the company's Zenbook S 16 and two things stood out to me during my time with the device: its performance and design. The device runs on the recently-released AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, alongside an integrated Radeon 880M GPU and 24GB of RAM. Additionally, it sports an AMD XDNA 2 NPU (neural processing unit) to further boost performance via artificial intelligence. There's been a lot of hype surrounding this processor as it's supposed to be AMD's answer to Intel's AI chips and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X, but is it better than its rivals? Also: One of the best college laptops I've tested is not a MacBook or Lenovo ThinkPad (and it's $200 off) When it comes to general workloads, the Ryzen AI 9 failed to match the Snapdragon's performance, according to the benchmarking tests I did. However, the Zenbook S 16 did much better on the graphics side, earning a top score of 24,327 on 3DMark's Sky Diver and 8,723 on PCMark's Digital Content Creation tests. These numbers tell me the device is a solid pick for image and video editing; maybe a bit of gaming as well. Because of the hungry hardware, though, the battery isn't particularly amazing. It lasts about 10 hours on a single charge, which is decent, but not as energy efficient as the Snapdragon X chip, which has set the bar pretty high since it first launched with the first round of Copilot+ PCs this summer. I adore the display. It is a 16-inch 3K (2880 x 1800 pixels) OLED touchscreen that runs at a speedy refresh rate of 120Hz. The glass appears to be covered in an anti-fingerprint coating because no matter how many times I touched it, not a single smudge was left behind. Asus' machine also covers the entire DCI-P3 color gamut, allowing it to show over a billion colors on screen at once. It is even Pantone validated, meaning it displays all those shades with a high degree of accuracy. All of this is to say: it looks very pretty. And the visual fidelity is made even better thanks to the thin bezels surrounding the glass. Asus designed this laptop well, resulting in one of the best-built computers of 2024. One of the first things you'll notice when you pick it up is how sturdy yet lightweight it is. The Zenbook is made out of "ceraluminum", a composite material made of ceramic and aluminum, a totally new approach as most laptops are made of aluminum, magnesium alloys, or plastic. The material is primarily used in aerospace design due to its strength, scratch resistance, and lightness. All of which directly apply to this laptop (particularly the latter), as the Zenbook weighs just 3.3 pounds. Also: I'm a hybrid worker, and my laptop of choice is not a MacBook or a Dell I am also pleased to announce the laptop passes the one-finger test: it doesn't budge an inch when the lid is lifted. You can place this on your lap and you don't have to worry about it sliding off (although I don't recommend doing this). The Zenbook S 16 can run uncomfortably warm. The rubber foot on the bottom of the device doesn't prop it up very high, so the heat expelled by the vents can stay trapped. It does have cooling fans, but under a heavy load, the device remained a high operating temp. I wasn't a big fan of the keyboard either. It wasn't the worst typing experience, but I did find the keys too mushy for my tastes. They didn't have the springy feel that I look for. Luckily, the trackpad makes up for it. It's spacious, taking up about half of the wrist rest. What's neat is it supports Smart Gestures: sliding your finger up and down on the right side, for example changes the display brightness while the left side controls volume. Also: The work laptop with the best display I've tested is not a MacBook or ThinkPad Of course, I cannot neglect to mention the awesome sound system. Asus gave this laptop Harman/Kardon speakers, enabling booming output. They even support Dolby Atmos for full audio immersion. The bass had a real punch to it and and the mid tones were crisp, especially for a laptop. I recommend the Asus Zenbook S 16 to users who want a premium, lightweight laptop that transports well and has a gorgeous OLED display. Visual creatives in particular, will gravitate toward this device. AMD's next-gen chipset provides solid performance, but it falls short in running as cool as other processors on the market, and its battery life is not the best. Prices for the laptop start at $1,399. It is a little expensive, although I'd argue it's well-priced for what you're getting. If you want something more budget friendly, check out the Asus Vivobook Pro 15 which is currently on sale for $899 ($400 off the regular price).