Dell Inspiron 16 Plus (7640) review: A solid AI laptop for creatives that takes a side step from the previous model

Last year, I was impressed with the Dell Inspiron 16 (7630) laptop, which proved to be a powerful yet more affordable alternative to Dell's flagship XPS line (as seen in my XPS 17 review and XPS 15 review).

This year, many manufacturers have jumped onto the AI PC train, installing processors into their laptops that feature an AI-boosting NPU (neural processing unit). Dell's latest Inspiron 16 (7640) is no exception. 

After testing the Inspiron 16 Plus with its AI-accelerating Intel Core Ultra 7 processor for two weeks, I can say it is a good laptop fit for creatives and people on the go. It even has a strong graphical performance that handles 3D modeling software and some gaming.

Thanks to its excellent price point, it's also more affordable than some of Dell's other laptops while still providing the processing power people need in various scenarios.

• Dell Inspiron 16 Plus (7640) starting at $899.99 at Dell

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Price and specs

Pricing & specifications highlights

• It's not nearly as expensive as some other laptops on the market, but it's also well-priced for what's offered.
• Multiple configurations are available starting from $849.99. 
• You can purchase it from Dell or Amazon.
• Value rating: 4.5/5

Rather than having a small selection of preset configurations, Dell's website allows you to pick and choose the various components inside your Inspiron 16 Plus. The least expensive config starts at $849.99, but options like an RTX graphics card, a more powerful Intel Core i7 CPU (central processing unit), or the amount of storage selected can significantly increase the cost of the laptop. 

The version I specifically reviewed has an MSRP of $1,499.99 and features the AI-boosted Intel Core Ultra 7-155H CPU paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU along with 16GB DDR5 memory and a spacious 1TB solid-state storage drive. Even though it costs a lot of money, it's a well-priced laptop, considering what it's packed with. 

As previously stated, you can buy one of these laptops from Dell or Amazon. However, at the time of writing, I didn't see this model selling at Best Buy, Walmart, or Newegg. It's possible it could come to these retailers at a later date. 

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus recommended configuration

Ultra 7-155H | Intel Arc | 16GB RAM | 1TB SSD

The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus is great at any configuration, but the best value option is one with an Intel Core Ultra 7-155H, RTX 4050 L, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. That way, you'll get a GPU that's powerful enough to handle whatever gets thrown at it but can still save some money rather than purchasing the most expensive options. It should be a good fit for most people. 

Buy at: Dell |  Amazon

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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Design and build

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Build quality & design highlights

• Somewhat bulky compared to other laptops, but that's how it fits such powerful hardware.
• Decent selection of ports for various uses. 
• It features a barrel plug charging connection, but it can also be charged using the USB-C port.
• Design rating: 5/5

As I've discussed in other Dell laptop reviews, this company doesn't often update the look of its laptop casings. In fact, the current chassis design has been in use since mid-2020, and we likely won't see a massive design overhaul for this specific model for another few years. This isn't a terrible thing, though. Sure, Dell's laptops don't really stand out that much, but they are simple and elegant in their minimalist way, which makes them look good in any setting. 

There are intake fans on the bottom of the laptop and vents on either side to allow the components to cool themselves and work more efficiently. Given all the hardware it contains, the laptop is relatively slim when closed but still rather bulky compared to some contemporary laptops on the market.

Port-wise, the Inspiron 16 Plus offers a good selection of connections, including one USB-C Thunderbolt 4.0, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, an HDMI 1.4, a microSD card slot,  a barrel charging port, and a headphone jack. Connecting various PC accessories and a monitor or TV to the laptop is straightforward enough if needed.

When reviewing last year's model, I found it odd that the 7630 model still used a barrel plug for charging rather than coming with a USB-C charging port. Thankfully, this has been changed, with the new 7640 model finally shipping with the far more modern USB-C cable. As I previously mentioned, Dell hasn't overhauled the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus chassis in a while, which is why you'll still find a barrel plug connection on the right side, even though the laptop now comes with the USB-C charging cable.

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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Display

Display highlights

• The 16-inch WVA panel has a good viewing angle and contrast.
• Colors look good but aren't as great as other display types like OLED. 
• This screen doesn't get all that bright, which means it's far better suited to indoor use.
• Both touchscreen and non-touchscreen options are available when choosing your configuration. 
• Display rating: 4/5

To really understand the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus (7640) display, I spent several hours watching shows, playing video games, and working on Adobe programs. Considering that it uses a 16-inch WVA/IPS panel, I was surprised by how good the viewing angle was. Even when looking at the display from the side, it looks decently clear but just a little darker. 

Of course, compared to the superior OLED displays offered on other Dell laptops, this WVA/IPS one pales in comparison. I was honestly a little surprised when I saw that there weren't any OLED display choices when configuring the laptop since OLEDs are especially common for creative and gaming uses, which the Inspiron 16 Plus is capable of. You'll really only be given the choice of a touchscreen or a non-touchscreen panel, of which my review was the latter.

But why doesn't Dell offer an OLED display for this model? This could be because OLEDs tend to cost a bit more, and the Inspiron 16 Plus is meant to be less expensive than Dell's flagship laptops. Still, I can't complain too much about the WVA/IPS. Colors come through well with plenty of contrast to help them pop, and you likely wouldn't notice how much better an OLED display was unless you had one right next to the laptop to compare it to. That said, if you do a lot of creative work, you might prefer to have an OLED display. 

• RELATED: OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED display guide

When I used a colorimeter on the WVA display, it produced 100% of sRGB, 81% of AdobeRGB, and 83% of P3. These are nice results overall. Testing the contrast and brightness abilities also showed that the display offers a decent difference between light and dark to help images look more dynamic. So, even though it's not the best display type out there, the 16-inch panel is a good option. My colorimeter only measured a peak of 313 nits of brightness, which is exactly where Dell claims it should be. That said, this isn't very bright, so you'll get the best viewing experience when using the laptop indoors rather than out in bright sunlight. 

I'll dive more into gaming in the next section, but I'll just quickly say that this display's 60Hz refresh rate is good and helps it keep up with your creative 3D rendering or gaming needs.

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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Performance and thermals

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Performance & gaming highlights

• Good CPU and great GPU performance allow the laptop to handle a wide range of work and play tasks with relative ease. 
• Creatives will appreciate how quickly this laptop renders imagery and how smoothly it performs various functions.
• It's even good for some more intensive gaming sessions, even though it's not a gaming laptop. 
• This Intel Core Ultra AI-boosted laptop isn't as powerful as last year's non-AI model in some ways and isn't as impressive as Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite AI laptops. 
• Performance rating: 4/5

As I always do when testing a laptop, I spent plenty of time with the Inspiron 16 Plus to check its performance. During the two weeks, I used it for work, played several hours of video games, worked in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, and ran it through a gauntlet of benchmark testing. This laptop offers some great performance, and combined with the previously mentioned 60Hz refresh rate of the display, this leads to smooth 3D rendering. It can even handle some gaming sessions despite not being anywhere close to the best gaming laptops.

I couldn't help but compare this AI PC configured Inspiron 16 Plus (Intel Core Ultra 7-155H CPU and RTX 4060 L GPU) to last year's non-AI PC review model (Intel Core i7-13700H CPU and RTX 4060 L GPU). Despite being somewhat similar, the newer Inspiron 16 Plus consistently scored lower than the previous year's model in every CPU benchmark test, although sometimes it was only by a little bit. However, the newer model blasted the older one's prolonged GPU test results out of the water despite having the same graphics card. So, really, this is a trade-off situation where the AI NPU is likely assisting the GPU to a decent extent. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as the overall performance of the CPU is solid, just slightly lower than I'd prefer. 

But what about other Dell models from this year? You can see from our own Daniel Rubino's Dell XPS 14 (9440) review or Zachary Boddy's Dell Inspiron Plus (7440) review that these Core Ultra 7-155H devices earned very similar results in my PCMark and Geekbench CPU benchmark testing. These scores show that the latest Inspiron 16 Plus can handle day-to-day office work and even more demanding tasks, making them perfect for work or school.

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• RELATED: You can learn more at our AI PC guide, NPU guide, Copilot+ PC FAQ, TOPS guide, or by looking at our list of the best AI PCs. 

As you likely know, AI PCs are relatively new to the market, and we at Windows Central have gotten a better understanding of these devices now that we've reviewed several of them. One thing I've learned is that the AI-boosted Intel Core Ultra CPUs aren't as powerful as the AI-boosted Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite CPUs. As such, even modest-looking laptops like the Snapdragon X-toting Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 9) outperform the Intel Core Ultra-toting Dell Inspiron 16 Plus (see our Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 9) review for more information).

For reference, the Inspiron 16 Plus only got a 12,545 multi-core score in the Geekbench 6 CPU test, while the Yoga Slim 7x earned a 13,687 multi-core score. The same is true for CPU rendering capabilities, where the Inspiron 16 Plus got a multi-core score of 859 while the Yoga Slim 7x earned a 1,009 multi-core score. As such, if processor power is important to you, it might be worth considering a Snapdragon X Elite laptop.

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As for graphics capabilities, before really testing it with gaming, I downloaded and installed the latest NVIDIA drivers, ensuring the graphics card is working at its best. While playing Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 with medium to high graphics settings (non-ray tracing or ray tracing: low), the laptop averaged 50 to 60 FPS (frames per second). 

I further tested the laptop's graphics abilities by running benchmarks in Cyberpunk 2077. On the ultra-highest settings, including turning on DLSS Ray Reconstruction and path tracing, the laptop averaged about 21 FPS, which is admirable and to be expected for such demanding settings. As such, this is pretty good for a 'non-gaming' device. Still, if you want better gaming results, it's best to play on one of the best gaming laptops. 

Thermals and fan noise

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After running the laptop through CPU stress tests for 20 minutes, I whipped out my thermal camera and took measurements. In general, it's best for a device to stay well below 176 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (80 degrees Celsius (C)) in order to run efficiently, and this laptop didn't have any problems in this area. 

The hottest parts of the Inspiron 16 Plus are the vents and bottom, which both measured in at a peak of 117 degrees F (~47 degrees C). This was hot enough that putting this laptop on my lap was uncomfortable to the touch. The center of the keyboard measured in at a peak of 105 degrees F (~40 degrees C) while the area above the keyboard got even hotter, reaching up to 111 degrees F (~43 degrees C). It's certainly warm, but the keyboard won't scald your hands. 

While the laptop was in the middle of a demanding graphics test, I pulled out my decibel meter and measured the sounds it made at 51dB. This is louder than I'd prefer, especially due to the whininess of the fan. Thankfully, these fan noises really only become notable when the CPU or GPU gets stressed, so I didn't hear it all of the time. 

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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Battery life

Battery highlights

• The battery lasted roughly 12 hours on average when performing basic office tasks. 
• As always, graphically demanding tasks can reduce battery life to about an hour and a half or less. 
• Dell has finally swapped to a modern USB-C charging cable rather than relying on the old barrel plug. 
• Battery rating: 5/5

Today's best laptops are expected to last around 10 hours on one charge when performing basic tasks like running simple programs, surfing the internet, and attending video calls. I'm happy to report that the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus hit this target and even excelled, with an average battery life of 11 hours and 54 minutes when the display was at about 200 nits brightness, and the laptop was running everyday functions.

I tested this anecdotally and quantitatively by using the laptop for work and in my free time and running it through multiple battery life tests. On average, getting this many hours out of it allows me to get a lot done without worrying about being near an outlet. I also ran a Windows 11 battery life report after using the laptop for a couple of weeks, and it estimated that the laptop can typically last about 12 hours and 48 minutes. This battery life makes it a great laptop for folks on the go, whether students, creatives, office workers, or other busy people.

As is always the case, running graphically demanding or processor-heavy software can seriously reduce battery life. The same is true for the Inspiron 16 Plus. When working with 3D modeling software or running certain games, the laptop might last only an hour and 30-ish minutes when unplugged. 

Something I previously mentioned is that this Dell Inspiron 16 Plus still has a barrel plug connection. However, the laptop ships with a far more modern charging USB-C cable and charges up via the USB-C port. Because of this, it's far more convenient to juice this device back up with one of the best laptop power banks when needed.

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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Keyboard and touchpad

Keyboard and touchpad highlights

• Comfortable spacing between keys and a satisfying typing experience makes for a great keyboard. 
• Fingerprint reader is reliable and easy to access.
• The touchpad is responsive and doesn't take any excessive swiping. 
• Keyboard and touchpad rating: 4.5/5

There isn't much to discuss regarding the Inspiron 16 Plus keyboard and touchpad. The keys are spaced nicely so that my fingers can press down on them without feeling crowded, and they are also responsive enough for any situation. 

The biggest nicety here is the fingerprint reader, located on the top right of the keyboard, which doubles as a power button. I easily set up Windows Fingerprint recognition, and the laptop didn't give me any issues when reading my finger after that. 

Since this is an AI PC and a Copilot Plus PC, it's not at all surprising to see that it has the new Copilot key between the spacebar and arrow keys. Pressing this button quickly brings up the Copilot side menu or puts it away. Additionally, the function row on the top of the keyboard is filled with useful commands like mute, volume adjustment, a play/pause button, brightness alteration, display settings, and more. 

Meanwhile, the touchpad is a little on the smaller side, given how much space there is on the casing, but it works effectively and always allows me to navigate around without extra swiping, thanks to its ~4.5 x 3.25-inch dimensions. 

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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Camera, mic, and audio

Camera, mic, and speaker highlights

• A built-in webcam shutter gives peace of mind in regard to privacy. 
• The mic is excellent for carrying your voice during video meetings.  
• There are four speakers, and they provide excellent sound quality. 
• Camera, mic, and speaker rating: 4.5/5

I'm always a big fan of built-in webcam shutters, so I was delighted to see a small, unobtrusive one on the Inspiron 16 Plus. All I have to do is slide this physical switch back and forth along the top of the panel to use it, which I prefer over electronic shutters.  

I attended a handful of work meetings using the Inspiron 16 Plus and never had any issues with how the mic carried my voice to co-workers. Additionally, the 1080p webcam captures crisp detail with accurate colors as long as I'm using it in a well-lit area, but that's the standard caveat for any webcam. 

As far as audio goes, there are four speakers — two shooting down on the underside of the casing and two speakers running along the top of the keyboard. They can get decently loud, but the bass isn't all that great and gets lost in the rest of the sounds. As always, you'll want to invest in one of the best computer speakers to get the best audio quality.

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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Competition

You don't have to look beyond Dell if you want an even more powerful laptop that can handle more intensive computational and graphical tasks. I always point people toward the Dell XPS line for those sorts of things. As you can see from my Dell XPS 16 (9640) review, this is a reliable and steady laptop that can handle practically anything you throw at it. Of course, the fact that they offer high-end processors and graphics cards can make some configurations a bit more expensive, starting at $1,699.99 at Dell.

If you're interested in one of the Snapdragon X Elite laptops I keep referring to, I suggest checking out the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 9). It has a gorgeous 14.5-inch OLED display that produces amazing color and contrast for your creative projects. Thanks to the extremely long battery life, it's excellent for people who are constantly on the go. This laptop has a starting price of $1,199 at Lenovo or you can also try to find a deal for it at Best Buy. 

Looking outside the Dell line, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is an excellent choice, with internal hardware and performance similar to the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus. As I said in my Lenovo Legion Pro 5i review, it offers a sturdy design, great graphical performance, and a decent IPS display. However, you'll want to mostly keep it plugged in as the battery doesn't last long. It has a starting price of $1,399.99 at Lenovo.

If you're looking for a powerful but compact computer that handles creative work and gaming, then the ASUS ROG G22CH desktop is perfect. As you can read in my ROG G22CH review, its small form factor allows it to fit in more places, whether on your desk, floor, or TV stand. Plus, there are various configurations with different NVIDIA RTX GPUs. It has a starting price of $1,599.99 at Best Buy.

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Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Scorecard

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus: Should you buy it?

✅ You should buy this if...

• You want a laptop with a large display and a high refresh rate: The 16-inch WVA panel offers great color and contrast to show off videos, games, or your own personal projects in a very good way. Plus, the 60Hz refresh rate is able to keep up with intensive rendering programs for a smooth experience overall. 
• You're looking for a powerful laptop with strong CPU and GPU performance: Thanks to the powerful processor and graphics cards utilized, this laptop can run very smoothly even when handling some demanding programs. This makes it great for 3D modeling software, creative programs, or even some gaming.
•  You need something with strong battery life: In my testing, the laptop ran for up to roughly 12 hours when doing office tasks and lasted for about an hour and a half when doing more demanding work. Typically, the best laptops can last up to 10 hours when doing common work tasks, so this is really good battery life.

❌ You should not buy this if...

• You want a laptop with an OLED display: I totally get it. OLED panels provide a far better viewing experience for creatives due to their ability to produce true black and make colors pop more. If you're really focused on getting a laptop with the best display, then the Inspiron 16 Plus' WVA, while good, isn't what you're looking for.
• You need something with a small form factor: Although the simple design of the Inspiron 16 Plus is relatively compact, given all of the hardware this laptop contains, it's still bulky compared to some other options out there. 

Anyone looking for a powerful laptop that can handle a mixture of day-to-day office work, more intensive rendering programs, and even some gaming will benefit from the Inspiron 16 Plus. Depending on the configuration, it can be a bit costly, but it's also well-priced, given the impressive performance of the hardware. The large 16-inch display's 60Hz refresh rate only adds to the laptop's smooth experience. Of course, having such good battery life also makes this an excellent option for people who travel or are constantly on the go. 

If the specific configuration I reviewed doesn't quite fit your needs, then being able to choose between such a wide selection of GPUs, memory, and storage options when configuring the laptop can help you create the perfect Dell device for your specific use case. Perhaps most importantly, there is the option for either an AI PC build or a non-AI PC build, depending on what CPU you choose. 

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