A STURDY BUILD, AND DESIGN THAT BLENDS
IN
The G5 15 SE is a pretty modest-looking laptop,
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found on the lid—silver with two vertical lines and a
shiny Dell logo in the center. Other than that, the
notebook is basic-looking, with gray plastic on the
bottom panel and a plain black keyboard deck. While
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design a bit boring, but others may appreciate the
restrained look that can blend in anywhere.
In terms of size, the G5 15 SE is also pretty standard.
Most laptops, even potent gaming machines, have
gotten thinner and lighter in recent years, but the G5
doesn’t fully follow this trend. It’s not bulky, but at 0.85
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as thin and light.
This isn’t entirely surprising among budget rigs—
making a laptop slim and sleek is costly, and the money
is better spent elsewhere to prioritize getting you a
better deal on features and performance—but it is a bit
heftier than some competitors. The Predator Helios 300
measures 0.9 by 14.2 by 10 inches, while the MSI GL65
9SC comes in at 1.1 by 14.1 by 9.8 inches, and each
weighs 5.1 pounds.
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The whole chassis is plastic, including the lid, but it’s
very sturdy. The keyboard is satisfying to type on, with
decent travel. The key caps feel a tad small, but at least
this is done to accommodate a full number pad. The
keys are backlit across four zones, allowing you to
customize the lighting in each area. As for the touchpad,
it’s basic and feels plasticky, but it’s serviceable with no
real issues.
Dell G5 15 SE
(2020)
PROS Sturdy build.
AMD CPU delivers
superior multimedia
performance. Capable
of 60fps in AAA
games. 144Hz display.
Good port selection.
Relatively long
battery life.
CONS Underwhelming
design. A bit heavy.
Slightly cramped
storage capacity for
modern games.
BOTTOM LINE A
capable and
affordable gaming
laptop, the Dell G5 15
SE checks plenty of
the right boxes. But
some questionable
design and feature
choices keep it from
standing out.