1. Positioning
Dell markets the Vostro as a laptop with the feature set that small businesses need: “Vostro laptops are easy to set up, easy to manage, powerful and affordable.”
Dell Vostro has always been an interesting machine in terms of price / performance ratio. But in recent years, the line has evolved nicely in terms of design. Whereas Vostro used to resemble a piece of plastic that evokes the feeling of a low-grade product, now the body is made of brushed aluminum. The lid is lighter, the bottom is black. There are even two color shades for the cover to choose from.
Otherwise, it’s still a classic Dell laptop. The main advantages are the following:
- A wide selection of “stuffing” (there are models i5, i7 of the 11th generation Intel, there is a variant with discrete graphics GeForce MX450)
- Diverse port selection
- Reinforced chassis with 15 MIL-STD-810H tests
- Webcam with privacy shutter
- Improved cooling system (the fans use a fluid dynamic bearing system for longer life and quieter)
- Easy to update and repair
- Ready for Windows 11
- Dell Connect software that allows you to display your smartphone screen on a laptop, etc.
2. Specifications
- Screen: 14-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080 60Hz Anti-Glare Non-Touch 260nits Wide View LED-Backlit Narrow Bezel ComfortView Plus
- CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11300H (8MB Cache, up to 4.40 GHz)
- Graphics: Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
- Memory: 8 GB DDR4, 1 x 8 GB, 3200 MHz
- Storage device: SSD M.2 2280, PCIe Gen 3 x4 NVMe, 512 ГБ
- OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (includes Windows Home and Ubuntu)
- Battery: 4-cell polymer battery, (54 Wh), 65 W adapter (proprietary connector, 330 g w / cable), supports Type-C charging
- Connection: Intel AX201, 2×2 MIMO, 2400 Мбит/с, 2,4/5 ГГц, Wi-Fi 6 (Wi-Fi 802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.1
- Keyboard: island type, illuminated, short stroke (1 mm), waterproof
- Touchpad: supports gestures, slightly increased in size 7 by 11.5 cm
- Audio: stereo speakers, 2W x 2W = 4W
- Webcam: 720 HD, curtain
- Other: no fingerprint reader (comes with i7 model)
- Ports:
- 1 RJ-45 Ethernet port
- 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports
- 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 x2 Type-C® DisplayPort / Power Delivery (i5 only)
- 1 x USB Type-C ™ Thunderbolt 4.0 DisplayPort / Power Delivery (i7 only)
- 1 headset jack
- 1 x HDMI 1.4 port
- 1 DC input connector
- 1 microSD slot
- 1 socket of the wedge lock
- Materials (edit): aluminum body
- Colors: titanium gray (there is also gray-green)
- Dimensions (edit): 17.99-17.02 x 321.27 x 212.8 mm, weight 1.4 kg
- Price: Approx Rs. 53500
3. Appearance
Every generation of Dell Vostro is getting better. The new model immediately catches the eye with narrow bezels around the screen and an enlarged touchpad. The fit of the laptop has also changed slightly. Dell borrowed the idea with the ErgoLift hinge from ASUS (I’m not sure what exactly ASUS is the inventor), when the bottom edge of the screen is also a stand that slightly lifts the laptop case above the surface. This solution places the keyboard at a more comfortable angle and improves cooling.
4. Screen
The laptop is equipped with an anti-glare IPS LCD panel with a size of 14 inches Full HD, a refresh rate of 60 Hz. The user can choose from 2 options:
- 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 60Hz Anti-Glare Non-Touch Display with 45% NTSC Color Gamut, 250 nits Brightness, Wide Viewing Angle, LED Backlit, Narrow Bezel;
- 14 ” Full HD 1920 x 1080 60Hz Anti-Glare Non-Touch 100% sRGB 300 nits Wide Angle LED Backlit Narrow Bezel with ComfortView Plus.
There is nothing to think about. The second option with a brightness of 300 nits is worth buying. The first option will save a little, but the 250 nits brightness means that the laptop will only work indoors. In turn, the matte 300-nit panel will allow you to fearlessly sit by the window on a clear day and not peer into the screen.
5. Keyboard and touchpad
I could not help but notice that on the promo video, which shows all three new models (13, 14 and 15 inches), a very large touchpad is drawn. In reality, it turned out to be smaller, 7 by 11.5 cm. For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that this is an enlarged touchpad, since the standard size is 6.5 by 10.5 cm. The touchpad is comfortable, supports gestures, its lower part is pressed through, imitating mouse buttons. However, the sensitivity of the touchpad is good, so I performed all the actions with tapes.
The advertisement indicates that the keyboard is waterproof, but the list of technical specifications on the site does not say about this. The keyboard has a slightly shorter travel, which makes the keys feel a little stiffer. Since this is a 14-inch model, there are paired arrow keys, and Home, End and other service buttons are combined with function keys.
There are models without backlighting, but the test sample had a standard backlighting of 2 levels.
I won’t sing dithyrambs to the keyboard, but I won’t be able to scold her either. Before us is a standard keyboard, which is very appropriate for this laptop.
6. Performance
11th generation Intel processors, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD storage, integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics.
I suppose you yourself understand that this is a rather powerful, but office laptop. Intel Iris Xe graphics will allow you to play World of Tanks in Full HD at medium-high settings. Simple photo processing is possible, or video can be glued together. But first of all, the laptop is designed for office applications and the Internet.
Before moving on to performance tests, let’s talk about configuration options.
There are 2 processors to choose from:
- 11th Generation Intel® Core ™ i5-11300H Processor (8MB Cache, up to 4.40 GHz)
- 11th Generation Intel® Core ™ i7-11370H Processor (12MB Cache, up to 4.80 GHz)
Which relies on three video cards (2 integrated and one discrete):
- Intel® UHD Graphics
- Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
- NVIDIA GeForce MX450 2GB GDDR5 Memory
The combinations can be different. For example, I have a model with an i5 processor on the test, but Intel Iris Xe goes to it.
When choosing a processor, think about what tasks the PC faces. If you think that a faster processor will help you open your browser faster, then you are wrong. This requires fast RAM and storage. But to count complex Excel, in which the calculations are carried out sequentially, and a more powerful processor will help to render video.
If you plan to play at least a little bit or edit video on a laptop, then you should not take the version on UHD Graphics. Better to choose Iris or GeForce MX450 (about 10-20% more powerful than Iris). The latter, at the very least, will allow you to play modern AAA games in Full HD at medium-low settings. Intel Iris Xe is an intermediate option for those who play games that are comparable in demand to World of Tanks.
In terms of upgrade, everything is stable. The laptop has a simple design, and Dell, as always, allows you to easily replace the RAM and storage with a screwdriver. And if something breaks down, then the laptop can be easily repaired by replacing the broken module.
The work of engineers is excellent. The laptop is quiet, does not heat up. All stress tests went well.
7. Battery life
The laptop has a relatively small 54W battery. A nice bonus is that the power adapter is compact and lightweight (330 g including the cable). And also the laptop can be charged using the Type-C port, a powerful adapter from a smartphone.
Battery life is standard. Doesn’t set any records. In office mode, the laptop is enough for 6-8 hours of work.
When watching 4K video at maximum brightness on YouTube, the laptop will last 5-5.5 hours. Under maximum load – 1.5 hours less.
I did not like that Dell removed the option to extend battery life, which allowed limiting the charge to a given percentage. For example, Lenovo or ASUS can limit the charge level to 60% or 80%.
8. Peculiarities
It’s nice that the laptop comes with a minimum amount of pre-installed software. There is only “McAfee” -antivirus and “MS Office”.
There is also proprietary software from Dell. I recommend studying and configuring it. There are helpful solutions out there.
9. Conclusion and competitors
Dell Vostro 14 5410 leaves a pleasant experience. A good workhorse that you can rely on and that will last a long time. The laptop has passed certain endurance tests and is what is called business-rugged. That is, protected for life in difficult corporate conditions (shaking in a backpack and luggage, etc.) An additional plus is a simple repair and upgrade.
10. How to Buy?
Go to Dell’s website from here. Look for Dell Vostro 5410 and customize your product.
11. Offer
As of now, there is an offer going on where in you can get Rs 5000 cashback if you buy using an ICICI Credit Card so make full use of it.