Dell Inspiron 14-7430
Processor
The Dell Inspiron 14-7430 is equipped with the Intel Core i5-1335U is a mid-range mobile CPU for thin and light laptops based on the Alder Lake architecture (Raptor Lake-U / RPL-U series). It was announced in early 2023 and offers 2 performance cores (P-cores, Golden Cove architecture) and 8 efficient cores (E-cores, Gracemont architecture). The P-cores support Hyper-Threading leading to 12 supported threads when combined with the E-cores. The clock rate ranges from 1.3 to 4.6 GHz on the performance cluster and 0.9 to 3.4 GHz on the efficient cluster. The performance of the E-cores should be similar to old Skylake cores (compare to the Core i7-6700HQ). All cores can use up to 12 MB L3 cache. The CPU supports only “Essentials” vPro management features. Compared to the P-series (28W) or H-series (45W), the 15W TDP may limit the sustained performance.
Display
The idea of a convertible laptop is that it can become both a workhouse as well as an entertainment device whenever you need it. The Dell Inspiron 14-7430 2-in-1 is one such device. The way it has been designed gives the feeling of a serious workhouse and a professional machine. There’s a saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. This Dell laptop fits the bill perfectly. Because once you are done working, simply pick up the laptop and turn it 360-degree to transform it into a 14-inch giant Windows tablet for your entertainment needs. The 360-degree hinge, by the way, is smooth to operate and can be turned at any angle as per the need. The only issue here is that it failed our one-hand test. Now, we understand that it’s hard to accomplish the one-hand hinge opening with a convertible device. However, we have seen several devices do that and at this price point, we think Dell could have gone with a slightly better hinge mechanism.
Keyboard & Touchpad
The keyboard and trackpad area is also well designed with the keyboard moved a little upwards, there’s a lot of palm rest and Dell has used that space for a larger trackpad. The keys here are adequately sized with good key travel. They have two levels of backlit as well. They are also relatively silent. The trackpad supports multi-touch gestures and the tracking response is good.