Dell Vostro 14: Value for money

The 14in display is large enough for multi-tasking comfortably. However, the resolution is not full HD.

If you are on a tight budget, a laptop is still a better choice than a hybrid device.

Although hybrid 2-in-1 devices are all the rage, the plain vanilla laptop is still a good choice if you want more bang for your buck in terms of performance and features.

Case in point is the Dell Vostro 14 (5468) – it comes with a 2.70GHz Intel Core i7-7500U processor, 8GB RAM and Nvidia 940MX graphics chip for RM3,599.

The Vostro is quite sleek and slim, and has a nice gold and black design. It tips the scales at 1.66kg.

It had no problems handling most programs and the 14in ­display is large enough for multitasking. You can easily work on a Word document and watch YouTube videos, something that’s harder to do with convertible devices as they tend to have ­smaller screens.

Game on

The Vostro is meant for ­professionals on a budget but it’s also great for casual gaming. For instance, it had no issues handling titles such as Diablo 3 and Shadow Tactics: Blade Of The Shogun. However, you can only play most games on low to mid-range ­settings.

The Vostro sports an interesting gold and black colour design, unlike the conventional all black option.

It’s worth mentioning the cooling system is great, as the laptop didn’t heat up much even when it was struggling to keep up with some games.

The only thing that baffles us is that the screen is not full HD – the 14in display only has a resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels. You won’t notice the low resolution when working on documents or surfing the Web but it’ll become obvious when playing HD videos.

Also, the laptop weighs 1.66kg so it’s a bit on the heavy side and something to bear in mind if you are looking for a laptop for working on the go.

The Vostro has plenty of slots for your needs.

On the plus side, the Vostro has a wide variety of ports, including three USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and VGA outs for connecting to a larger display and an Ethernet port. Also, photographers will like that it comes with an SD card for easily transferring images from their camera.

Battery life is pretty good – when used mainly for web surfing, working on documents and watching videos, it lasted around five hours. When used purely for gaming, it lasted about two to three hours, which is not too bad as games tend to stress the machine harder.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a laptop that doesn’t cost a bomb and don’t fancy a 2-in-1 convertible then the Vostro is worth a look.

It’s a pretty good workhorse with plenty of ports and a good cooling system. However, it’s let down by the screen which is only 1,366 x 768 pixels. So if you plan to watch lots of movies then the Vostro is probably not the ideal choice.

The review unit costs RM3,599 as it’s the highest end model but you can get it for as low as RM2,399 if you pick cheaper parts.

Pros: Stylish design; efficient cooling system; good battery life; affordable.

Cons: Poor display; it’s a bit heavy.

Vostro 14 (5468)
(Dell)
PROCESSOR: 2.70GHz Intel Core i7 7500U processor
DISPLAY: 14in HD (1,366 x 768 ­pixels)
GRAPHICS: Nvidia 940MX
MEMORY: 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD
PORTS: Three USB 3.0, HDMI out, VGA out, Ethernet port
DIMENSIONS (W x H x D): 240 x 340 x 18.5mm
WEIGHT: 1.66kg
OTHER FEATURES: Windows 10 Home
PRICE: RM3,599
RATINGS: 3.5 stars
Review unit courtesy of Dell Malaysia, 1800-88-0301