Dell G7 gaming laptop review: Old design, new hardware

Price: Rs 1,49,990

Rating: ****

Specifications: 15.6-inch IPS display, 1920 x 1080 pixels, 8th generation Core i9, 16GB RAM, 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD, Nvidia GTX 1060 with 6GB GDDR5 memory, 3 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB Type-C, Ethernet, HDMI, SD card reader, fullsize keyboard, 720p webcam, WiFi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, 4-cell battery, Windows 10 Home Plus, 2.86kg


Pros: Bright full HD anti- Bulky glare display, design, durable construction, top- thick screen notch specifications, runs bezels, cool under stress, power 5,400rpm button has integrated hard drive fingerprint scanner, quick (slower), charge support, Killer Gig bulky power Ethernet

Cons: Bulky design, thick screen bezels, bulky power adapter

Dell’s Alienware series is what the hardcore gamer typically chooses. For the casual gamer or power user, there’s the XPS range. But there is a demand for powerful gaming machines without the bling — which explains why the G series from Dell exists. The range includes G3 and G7 gaming laptops in different configurations. Our review is based on the top-of-the-line G7 laptop.

For the asking price, you get Intel’s flagship 8th generation Core i9 processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, an Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU, a 128GB SSD and 1TB hard drive. The hard drive is a stock 5,400rpm drive which is disappointing at the asking price — a 7,200rpm drive would have been ideal. However, the Dell G7 is still one of the cheapest laptops with an Intel Core i9. As expected, the laptop delivers fantastic performance for gaming as well as multimedia. We were able to play most games with medium to high settings at full HD resolution without any issue. We were able to run games like Far Cry 5, Star Wars Battlefront 2, Call of Duty WWII and PUBG with Ultra settings at full HD resolution without any issue. Even with over an hour of continuous gaming, the laptop was just slightly warm –mostly thanks to the large vents at the back and dual fan cooling system. The trouble with large vents though is that they make the laptop bulky. It actually looks like a laptop from a few years ago. That being said, the chassis is magnesium alloy which looks and feels durable. A single screw underneath the machine gives you access to upgradable components inside.

Open it up and you see the full size keyboard with blue backlighting and the highlighted WSAD keys (that’s how you know it’s a gaming laptop). One very thoughtful feature was the fingerprint scanner in the power button — more laptops should have this. There are multiple ports available including a USB type-C but you get a combined headphone/microphone jack which some may not like. The display is a 15.6-inch anti-glare unit with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. It offers good brightness and wide viewing angles. The thick, ugly bezels around the display are an eyesore – Dell should have used slimmer bezels (or used a large screen in the same form factor).

Since this is a gaming laptop, Dell has borrowed a few features from the Alienware range. You get Killer Gigabyte for smooth connectivity and a full control center to boost network connectivity for gaming. You also get Smartbyte diagnostics preloaded, Waves MaxxAudio Pro for superior audio and Dolby Audio support.

Battery life with these specs will not be great. We managed between 3 to 4 hours with constant WiFi connectivity and mixed usage including 45 to 50 minutes of gaming. Thankfully there is support for quick charge which gives you a 25% charge in 15 minutes. The power adapter is quite chunky though; something to consider if you’re going to carry it around.

With the Dell G7, you get a laptop which combines old school design with the latest hardware. Basically, you are compromising on design to get the top-of-the-line processor and powerful graphics. At this price, the G7 has no immediate competition when it comes to raw power. The next highest priced gaming laptop with a Core i9 (Acer Predator Helios) is priced at Rs 1 Lakh more. If you want the best of performance and style, the Asus Zenbook Pro 15 (priced at Rs 2 Lakh ) gives you a Core i9 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, GTX 1050 Ti GPU and 4k display in a compact design.