Dell Inspiron M5030

Dell Inspiron M5030 review

While there's nothing specifically wrong with Dell's Inspiron M5030, when compared to the excellent laptops from Lenovo and MSI at this price point it is hard to recommend. Nevertheless, the impressive battery life may be enough to convince those for whom portability is a requirement. General portability is great and, although the 2.6kg chassis is fractionally heavier than the other laptops, the 303-minute battery life is significantly better than the competition – giving you over an hour more power than the nearest rival. This will suit those who spend a lot of time on the move. The M5030 is one of the more attractive laptops, featuring a circular pattern that glints when it catches the light. Build quality is decent enough, but you'll need a laptop bag to ensure the machine's safety on the road. It's also worth noting that this is quite a chunky laptop; the Acer Aspire 5336-T353G32Mnkk is the slimmest at only 35mm. If you plan to carry your new laptop around in a slim sleeve, then the Dell will not be the ideal option for you. Although not as bad as the Acer's, the 15.6-inch screen is still quite disappointing, providing surprisingly washed out images.