Dell Inspiron 15 7570 Core i5 vs. Core i7: Which should you buy?

While you essentially get the same laptop when it comes to design, ports, keyboard, and touchpad, the Core i5 and Core i7 versions of the Inspiron 15 7570 do have a few key differences. Let's take a look at the difference in performance between the two CPUs as well as what to expect when buying either model.

Dell Inspiron 15 7570 Core i5 vs. Core i7 tech specs and performance

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Header Cell - Column 0 Intel Core i5-8250UIntel Core i7-8550U
CoresFourFour
ThreadsEightEight
TDP15 W15 W
Base frequency1.60 GHz1.80 GHz
Max turbo frequency3.40 GHz4.00 GHz
Cache6 MB8 MB
GraphicsIntel UHD Graphics 620Intel UHD Graphics 620

The biggest differences between these two CPUs are the base frequency and maximum turbo frequency that can be hit, making the Core i7 version better for power users. It will handle multitasking much better, and it won't eat much more power in the process.

Both quad-core CPUs have the same integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, but the Inspiron 15 7570 comes with a dedicated NVIDIA MX130 graphics card (GPU) with 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM for far better performance. Dell offers 8GB of DDR4-2400 MHz RAM with Core i5 and Core i7 models, but you might be able to find a Core i7 model with 16 GB elsewhere if you need the extra RAM for something like multimedia editing.

Features

Pushing the CPUs to the side, either laptop is still going to offer most of the same key features. You still get a backlit keyboard and sizeable touchpad, plenty of ports — including three USB-A 3.1, HDMI, USB-C 3.1, and Ethernet — and you get the same silver chassis that weighs in at about 4.40 pounds (1.99 kg).

You'll notice, however, that the Core i7 model is available from Dell with an FHD touch display, while the Core i5 model is stuck with non-touch. 4K touch models can also be found that likewise come with the Core i7 CPU, but are much rarer. If you'd like active pen support or an IR camera for quick logins with Windows Hello, you'll have to stick with a Core i7 model, as these features are only available with a touch display.

Considering the price difference between Core i5 and Core i7 models is just more than $100 from Dell, you might consider opting for the more powerful CPU just for the added benefit of Windows Hello and active pen support.

The Core i5 model is great for most people

With a Core i5 Inspiron 15 7570, you're getting a dedicated NVIDIA MX130 GPU, 8 GB of RAM, and a 15.6-inch FHD non-touch display. It comes with the same selection of ports, and it's built into the same chassis as the Core i7 options. If you don't need the extra performance, a touch display, or an IR camera, you can save money and still have a laptop that can get through a normal day's work.

The Core i7 model has a few notable perks

While the Core i5 and Core i7 laptops are nearly the same, you will have a few extra options if you opt for the latter. It is available with up to a 4K touch display with active pen support and an IR camera, but the extra price might not be worth it if those features aren't necessary or you don't need the extra performance of the Core i7 CPU.

Cale Hunt
Contributor

Cale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than eight years of experience writing about laptops, PCs, accessories, games, and beyond. If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware, there’s a good chance he knows about it, has written about it, or is already busy testing it.