Dell G5 15 SE 5505 Gaming Laptop — amazing price tag justified by performance
Dell G5 15 SE 5505 — equipped with Ryzen processors, the device shows great performance. However, the Radeon GPU shows middling results. Besides, the fully plastic design clearly confirms that the gadget is budget-oriented.
Pros:
- CPU shows excellent work
- The appropriate price for a gaming unit
- Bright and responsive screen
Cons:
- Overheats under load
- Design decisions and chosen materials aren’t good
- Plastic seems flimsy
- Average graphics performance
It’s the latest release of the company among laptops that are suitable for gaming. Here we can see the existing G5 series in a new configuration. Thanks to modern AMD elements, the price tag is remarkably affordable. The Ryzen CPU shows power above expectations. However, it’s hard to say the same about the Radeon gaming graphics card in the laptop.
Dell’s most recent budget product for gaming is the well-known G5 series. And it works on AMD components. The switch to the Red Team is the reason why it costs that little. For a price point below $1,000, the laptop performs on a fairly high level. Its versatility and power make it an optimal choice for budget-strapped gamers.
The Ryzen 7 CPU provides great performing potential. However, the graphics subsystem based on Radeon doesn’t show anything exceptional. It works fine at best. So the gadget can hardly be a good substitute for a desktop computer regarding performance. If this is what you’re looking for in a gaming notebook, you might be disappointed.
It doesn’t mean you can ignore the screen’s potential, though. Graphics quality leaves much to be desired, while the picture is quite the opposite. It will be smooth and fast with FHD, running at 144Hz, which is fairly high.
The device has one more serious drawback. It gets really hot during gaming sessions. The keyboard and the bottom reach especially high temperatures. Actually, gaming laptop stands and desktops are invented especially for this case. But you won’t be able to use the gadget on your lap.
Another disadvantage concerns the design. Similar to the situation with graphics, it has space for improvement. An all-plastic case gives an impression of high fragility. Even the laptop’s considerable weight doesn’t change anything. So you should treat it very carefully, otherwise, the case may not get through.
To make up for it, the battery life is simply phenomenal for the given category. Most gaming notebooks die before the end of the movie. Meanwhile, the SE works a few more hours playing videos or executing regular everyday tasks.
You can even play for several hours, providing that it’s moderate gaming. And you’ll need to adjust the system settings to operating time, not performance.
The budget segment has laptops for gaming with more power. But it’s hard to beat the SE when it comes to price. It is formed by the AMD components.
Obviously, it’s not the most good-looking model on the market. However, this option can leave some money in your pocket after purchase. SE is a nice combination of affordability and decent performance. So we find it hard to refuse.
Dell G5 15 SE Gaming Laptop Specs: Ryzen 7 4800H, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Radeon RX 5600M, 15.6″ 144Hz Full HD Display
Price options for the Dell G5 15 SE
The entry-level model retails for $880 on the company’s official website. It comes with Ryzen 5 4600H and a 1080p gaming monitor. Its refresh rate is standard and operates at 60Hz instead of 144Hz.
The Dell G5 15 from this review costs $980 on Amazon. There’s also a pricier configuration retailing for $1,300. It offers a significant boost to the SSD, which rises up to 1TB.
The laptop provides options for upgrading to some degree. Specifically, you can improve the RAM and SSD, as well as the battery and Wi-Fi adapter. It’s done so that you’re able to form a more budget configuration. It allows you to choose what you really need based on your financial situation.
Design
The Dell G5 15 SE 5505 best gaming laptop has a silver all-plastic body with the company’s logo placed on the lid. Overall, it resembles the hood of a car. At least, the device doesn’t try to look like something innovative and overly modern. And this is the best thing we can think of when seeing the SE’s design.
When it comes to visual aesthetics, the conservative approach defines Dell’s policy the best. The gadget looks almost like a corporate laptop from the business section on their website. The only thing that differs is its weight of 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs).
And here comes a convenient solution which is LED backlighting. It is used in the base of the chassis and the keyboard. However, the feature lacks uniformity in the given model.
The material quality reveals the laptop’s budget identity at once. As soon as you touch the device, it becomes obvious. The SE seems even heavier than it is. If the manufacturer reduced the weight by 200–300g, it would have been of great benefit.
The base panel seems to have more reliable plastic, than the lid. The latter part feels extremely fragile and not able to withstand any minor hit.
The screen bezels aren’t very big, yet quite noticeable. However, you’ll quickly forget about them. Traditionally, right above the screen is the integrated 720p webcam.
Speakers are located on the case bottom closer to the sides. They are tilted enough to provide a clear unmuffled sound, even when put on the bed. However, the design is still disappointing. And it seems to have become a common practice among laptop-producing companies.
As for the keyboard, it provides a typical layout, including a numeric keypad. The space between the keys isn’t the best as it’s significantly reduced. So if you’re transitioning from a standard gaming keyboard, typing may be difficult at first. In any case, this solution is better than what some other laptops offer.
The keys’ level of responsiveness is satisfactory. Also, since it’s a gaming gadget, the keyboard is RGB backlit. Alienware provides the pre-installed utility with full control over it.
The touchpad is fine, as long as you don’t use it in games. It’s handy enough to find a game in your Steam library, but that’s it.
There’s one small thing that makes the overall usage more convenient. The power adapter has a thin LED ring. This handy solution helps identify it among tons of other black cables on our desks.
Read more: https://best.kevin.games/gaming-laptops/dell-g5-gaming-laptop-full-review