Dell Inspiron 13Z

Bottom Line

The Dell Inspiron 13z is a light and portable laptop similar to the Lenovo IdeaPad U310 (*Est. $630 and up) , but without its speedy solid-state drive.

Performance

Fine for everyday users. The base configuration's Core i3 processor and 6 GB of RAM should more than meet the needs of most users, but reviewers cover a step-up model (*Est. $750) with a beefier Core i5 processor and 8 GB of RAM. That configuration earns kudos for its performance, which proves mostly competitive with much pricier Ultrabook offerings. Both available models sport a 500 GB hard drive spinning at 5,400 RPM, which makes the Inspiron 13z feel pokier than options like the Lenovo IdeaPad U410 (*Est. $650 and up) with its fast solid-state cache drive.

Battery life is good, but reviewers hate the amount of bloatware Dell crams into the machine. Like most ultraportables, the Inspiron 13z lacks an optical drive; if you need to read CDs and DVDs, Dell's bigger and bulkier Inspiron 15R (*Est. $550 and up) is a compelling alternative.

Ergonomics

Ports and port covers. The lightweight Inspiron 13z boasts an accurate, comfortable keyboard and touchpad along with a bevy of ports, but the clunky port covers irritate reviewers across the board. It also lacks an optical disc drive.

Design

A mixed bag. While users can change the look of their Inspiron 13z with Dell's swappable SWITCH lids (*Est. $30 each), experts say the laptop feels cheap overall due to its abundant use of plastic. The audio and video are a mixed bag, too. The 13.3-inch, 1,366-by-768-pixel display is bright, but colors fail to pop and it gets worse if you move away from the optimal head-on viewing position. Likewise, the audio hits high volumes but lacks punch.

Support and Reliability

In-home repair. Dell fails to win a PCMag.com Readers' Choice award this year, but the company offers 90 days of phone support and one year of in-home assistance after a remote check of your laptop.

Value

Decent value, but others offer more. The Dell Inspiron 13z easily handles everyday tasks and is a breeze to tote around, but cheap laptops like the Lenovo IdeaPad U410 and Dell Inspiron 15R deliver as good or better performance -- and fewer flaws -- at more competitive prices.