Battery Rundown Test
After fully recharging the laptop, we set up the machine in power-save mode (as
opposed to balanced or high-performance mode) where available and make a
few other battery-conserving tweaks in preparation for our unplugged video
UXQGRZQWHVW :HDOVRWXUQ:L)LR̆SXWWLQJWKHODSWRSLQDLUSODQHPRGH ,Q
WKLVWHVWZHORRSDYLGHR²DORFDOO\VWRUHGS¿OHRIWKHVDPH7HDUVRI6WHHO
short we use in our Handbrake test—with screen brightness set at 50 percent
DQGYROXPHDWSHUFHQWXQWLOWKHV\VWHPTXLWV
The 2020 Dell G5 15 SE’s battery life was a head above the rest, with the
exception of the 2019 model. It’s not the most portable laptop, but it’s still
SOHQW\SRVVLEOHWRWDNHZLWK\RXDQGLWZLOODFWXDOO\ODVWR̆WKHFKDUJHUIRUORQJ
enough to make that worthwhile.
A SOLID BUDGET OFFERING
The new Dell G5 15 SE hits a lot of the marks you’d want for an entry-level
gaming laptop. It doesn’t feel cheap, delivers solid frame rates at full HD,
includes plenty of ports, and has good battery life. The performance outside of
gaming is also solid thanks to AMD’s chip, but the graphics performance isn’t a
chart-topper. On the negative side, the design is a bit ho-hum, it’s heftier than
competitors, and the storage is a bit restrictive.
Overall, this is a good but not exceptional mainstream gaming laptop. At the
higher end of entry-level pricing, we prefer the Acer Predator Helios 300 for
superior gaming performance and a better build. And on the low end of the
price range, the Editors’ Choice MSI GL65 9SC is just $699 for a similar feature
set (but more modest gaming performance), making it our top pick for a true
value buy.
MATTHEW BUZZI
PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION (^) I SUBSCRIBE (^) I JULY 2020