Dell Inspiron 15 5578 Review

The Dell Inspiron 15 5578 is a 15.6-inch convertible laptop. This is the sister model of the structurally identical Inspiron 15 5568 that we have recently reviewed. One of the differences between the devices is their processors: While the 5578-1777 is equipped with a Kaby Lake processor, the sister model has a Skylake CPU on board. The Inspiron's competition consists of laptops such as the HP Pavilion x360 15 and the Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK.

Since the two Inspiron models are structurally identical, we will not cover the case, connectivity options, input devices or speakers in this article.

Specifications

Processor

Intel Core i5-7200U 2.5 GHz

Graphics adapter

Intel HD Graphics 620, Core: 300-1000 MHz, Single-channel, 21.20.4526

Memory

8192 MB  , DDR4-2400, Single-channel, two memory banks (one bank occupied)

Display

15.6 inch 16:9, 1920x1080 pixel 141 PPI, Capacietive, 10 touch points, Active stylus support, pressure-sensitive, LG Philips (Dell 156WF7), IPS, glossy: yes

Mainboard

Intel Kaby Lake-U Premium PCH

Storage

SanDisk X400 256GB, SATA (SD8SB8U-256G), 256 GB  , 200 GB free

Weight

2.82 kg ( = 99.47 oz / 6.22 pounds), Power Supply: 288 g ( = 10.16 oz / 0.63 pounds)

Price

$799

Dell Inspiron 5000 series

Display

Pixel grid

The Inspiron's  display has a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The screen offers a good contrast ratio (976:1). The brightness, on the other hand, is too low (242.3 cd/m²). A laptop in this price range should provide at least 300 cd/m² of luminance. On a positive note, we never experienced any PWM backlight flickering with this display.

In factory default setting, the display's DeltaE 2000 color difference is 4.94 - not bad. Manufacturers should strive for a difference of less than 3. The screen does not suffer from a blue cast.
The combination of a  solid-state disk and powerfuld processor produce a fast system. The Inspiron's good score in the PC Mark benchmark demonstrates strong overall performance. The computer also achieved good scores when we ran more demeanding applications than simple office and internet-related programs. A slight improvement in the device's overall performance would be possible if the user were to install a second RAM module - then the active dual-channel mode would increase the system's graphics performance.

 The Inspiron does not irritate its users with a relentless fan, or an antiquated whizzing hard drive. In idle mode, the machine generally goes about its business in perfect silence; even under load the fan is not an overachiever. The computer also remains cool no matter the circumstance.

A fast solid-state disk enables the system to run with speed. It is possible to switch out the SSD, as the base plate is removable.