Once upon a time, Dell was synonymous with affordable office products. In recent years, however, Dell has made its way back to the top of the food chain with high-quality laptop production.
By 2018, they had a 16.2% global laptop market share.
Despite Dell’s growth, Lenovo maintains its number one position in the global PC market share.
If you’re reading this article, chances are good that you’re trying to decide between Dell vs Lenovo. Here are some factors to consider.
Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
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![]() | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2nd Gen 14" WQHD (2560 x 1440) Touchscreen Display 2-in-1 Ultrabook - Intel Core i7-7600U Processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD, Windows 10 Pro | Prime | Buy Now | |
![]() | Premium Lenovo Yoga C930 2-in-1 Convertible Business Laptop, 13.9" FHD IPS Touchscreen, Intel Core i7-8550U 12GB RAM 1TB SSD, Fingerprint Thunderbolt Win 10 + ePark Mouse & Active Pen | Prime | Buy Now | |
![]() | Latest Gen 8 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 14" FHD Ultrabook (400 nits) with 10th Gen Intel i7-10510U Processor up to 4.90 GHz, 1 TB PCIe SSD, 16GB RAM, and Windows 10 Pro | Prime | Buy Now | |
![]() | Newest Lenovo Chromebook Duet 10.1" FHD (1920 x 1200) Touchscreen 2-in-1 Tablet Laptop, 8-Core MediaTek Helio P60T, 4GB RAM, 128GB eMMC, Dual Cameras, Chrome OS with GalliumPi Accessories | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
![]() | 2021 Newest Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" Laptop, 14" HD Display, AMD Dual-Core A6-9220e Up to 2.4GHz, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, HDMI, Card Reader, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Windows 10 S, 1 Year Office 365 + Oydisen Cloth | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
![]() | Dell XPS 15 - 15 Inch FHD+, Intel Core i7 10th Gen, 16GB Memory, 512GB Solid State Drive, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home (Latest Model) - Silver | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
![]() | 2021 Newest Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Series 3593 Laptop, 15.6" HD Non-Touch, 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 Quad-Core Processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD, Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI, Windows 10 Home, Black | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
![]() | 2021 Latest Dell Inspiron 5000 Series 5502 15.6" FHD Laptop 11th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5-1135G7 16GB RAM 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD Backlit Keyboard FP Reader Webcam USB-C Windows 10 Silver LPT Cloth | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
![]() | Dell Top Performance Flagship 7000 Series Inspiron 17.3" 2-in-1 FHD IPS Touch-Screen Laptop, Intel 8th Gen i7-8550U, 16GB DDR4, 512GB SSD + 2TB HDD, HDMI, USB-C, Backlit keyboard, NVIDIA MX150, Win 10 | Prime | Buy Now |
Is Dell More Expensive Than Lenovo
Price is often the most important factor for people buying a new laptop. After all, not everyone has two grand they can drop on new Macbooks.
Lenovo is known as having some of the most affordable options, but is Dell actually that much more expensive?
Looking at Dell first, the most expensive option you can find is their line of gaming laptops, Alienware. However, Alienware is notorious for being extremely expensive, thus most people looking at them are willing to drop big money.
The most affordable option most consumers will consider is the Inspiron line.
These laptops are 2-in-1 PCs, meaning they work as both tablets and as laptops. Prices start as low as $300 and go up to $1,350.
Lenovo has many different options, but the most similar to the Inspiron line would be their Chromebook Duet. It comes with a touch screen, detachable keyboard, and starts at $250.
Types of Laptops Offered
Every computer brand has a wide variety of options for both the everyday consumer, the wealthy business tycoon and everyone in between. Here are some of the more affordable options Dell and Lenovo offer.
Dell Computers
Dell’s Inspiron Laptops were designed for both work and home use. They can transition between different positions due to their flexible design, so you can freely watch videos, edit photos, or more.
There’s also an optional Dell Active pen on select models that allow you to sketch, take notes, and write.
The 3000 series are the more affordable options that were made to meet all your everyday computing needs. If you only need a basic laptop, then this is your best choice.
The 5000 series are aimed at small business users who need a more powerful laptop without breaking the bank.
Dell’s most expensive Inspiron laptops, the 7000 series, are made for high performance and mobility.
- 【Memory & Storage】Memory is 16GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once. Hard Drive is 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive which allows to fast bootup and data transfer, and 1TB Hard Disk Drive for ample storage space
- 【Processor】10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 1.00GHz Quad-Core Processor (6MB SmartCache, up to 3.60GHz), Intel UHD Graphics
- 【Screen】15.6 HD Anti-glare LED-backlit Non-touchscreen (1366 x 768) Display
- 【Ports and Operating System】2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Combination Audio Jack, 1 x RJ-45 Connector, 1 x Multi-format SD Media Card Reader; Wireless-AC + Bluetooth Combo; Windows 10 Home 64-bit
- 【Operating System】Windows 10 Home-The Windows 10 Home operating system offers built-in security and app like Mail, Calendar, Photo, Microsoft Edge, and more to help keep you safe and productive
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Lenovo Computers
Lenovo has a large line of different computers at different price ranges. Currently, some of their most affordable laptop lines include the ThinkPad, the IdeaPad, and their Chromebook Duet.
One of Lenovo’s most well-known lines is the ThinkPad. The most affordable in that specific line is the E Series.
The E Series ThinkPad boasts itself as the perfect balance between power, portability, and the price at $467.99. However, the ThinkPad line also goes up to as high as $2,499.00 for the newest ThinkPad X1 Fold PC.
A more affordable Lenovo option is the IdeaPad 1, which starts at $279.99. For school work and light office work, it’ll give you the right amount of performance and battery life.
- - AMD A6-9220e accelerated processor; Dual-core processing. AMD A6 APU handles the AMD Radeon graphics alongside the central processor to balance the load, enabling great performance, rapid multitasking and immersive entertainment.
- - Beautiful 14 display Typical 1366 x 768 HD resolution. Energy-efficient LED backlight. 4GB DDR4 Memory for full-power multitasking; 64GB eMMC flash memory: This ultracompact memory system is ideal for mobile devices and applications, providing enhanced storage capabilities, streamlined data management, quick boot-up times and support for high-definition video playback.
- - 802. 11ac wireless LAN; 2 x USB 3. 0, 1 HDMI 1. 4; 1 headphone/microphone combo, AMD Radeon R4 integrated graphics
- - Windows 10 Home in S mode (free upgrade to Windows 10 home). Microsoft Office 365 Personal 1-year subscription for f
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Dell vs Lenovo Reviews
Dell reviews are primarily positive due to their affordability and range. More specifically, the Dell Inspiron 14 7000 recently got a 4.5 out of 5 ratings on PC Magazine.
According to them, the Intel “Comet Lake” CPU is powerful and efficient, while the device itself is thin and light. Battery life was also impressive.
The only cons they had to mention were that the screen wasn’t as bright as it could be, and the touchpad was noisy when clicked. Despite those minor flaws, it has become a favorite ultraportable for many users.
For Lenovo reviews, Techradar has labeled their laptops as powerful and affordable options for every task.
As of 2019, the Lenovo Yoga C930 topped their list of best Lenovo Laptops. It has an excellent battery life, a robust set of features, and is currently available at around $950 at various sellers.
Photo and Graphic Design
What matters most when debating Dell vs Lenovo is what you’re using your laptop for.
Your average consumer typically uses their computers for home and light business use, such as sending emails, typing up spreadsheets, and watching YouTube videos. If you want to do photo editing or graphic design, however, you’ll need something with a bit more power.
When shopping around for a laptop suitable for photo editing, you want something with high enough RAM and processing power. One of the best options for this type of work is the Dell XPS 15 9750.
The Dell XPS 15 boasts a six-core Intel Core i7-9750H, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. The high RAM lets you run multiple programs with no problems, and the SSD allows you to read and write data very quickly.
It also offers an excellent FullHD touchscreen with CinemaColor technology so you never have to worry about getting your photo colors just right.
Graphic design is a different kind of beast than photo editing. It encompasses making brochures, website design, and much more.
The Dell XPS 15 is, once again, a good option for this line of work. However, some reviewers claim it has less battery life than other offerings.
The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon is an alternative with a battery life that is claimed to last up to 18.3 hours. It also has fast charging technology, just in case, the battery does manage to run out.
Deciding Which Is Better
Is Lenovo better than Dell, or is Dell better than Lenovo? As it turns out, there is no clear-cut answer to that question.
While you can’t beat the prices for a Lenovo laptop, you also can’t ignore Dell’s performance. You need to decide what purpose your laptop is going to serve and what your budget is.
The best way to decide between Dell vs Lenovo is by checking out online reviews. Check out our buyer’s guide for some useful advice on some of the top laptops available today.