Dell Inspiron 5000 an attractive contender to take on Macs

The all-in-one market has long been dominated by Apple but the Dell Inspiron 5000 range is an attractive contender.

Chris Griffith reviews the Dell Inspiron 5000.

The past 10 years have seen the sales of desktop computers fall against a rise in laptop and tablet buyers. The appeal of a product that can be quickly packed away or taken with you is high. The benefits of a desktop, however, usually mean increased performance for the price and a total package for efficient and ergonomic work.

The all-in-one market has long been dominated by Apple ­offering a powerful computer in a beautiful design, but competition is arriving. Windows-based computers have had to battle the ­appeal of an Apple Mac for years. We have an attractive contender with Dell bringing the Inspiron 5000 range to the market.

Computer manufacturers are pumping out new models with the latest 10th generation Intel processors. This new heart inside our desktops and laptops offers increased performance, and more efficient use of memory and computing power.

You need to make sure you are buying a product with the latest hardware, and the all-silver Intel sticker will highlight this. Our Dell all-in-one review desktop has the latest Intel processor inside its 24-inch display.

The full high-definition touch screen is surrounded by a thin bezel and has legs that could be mistaken for a TV stand. There’s a soundbar beneath the screen, which if placed appropriately could look like your home entertainment package. Missing from the typical desktop package is a DVD/CD drive. These days these disks are redundant. Everything happens online or via USB ­storage.

Dell Inspiron 5000 all-in-one desktop computer

The Dell Inspiron’s power button is under the soundbar. Remember this, otherwise you might have difficulty ever turning on and using your computer. The almost silent boot-up time reminds me of using an Apple Mac, with the computer bringing us to a state of ready before we’ve sat down.

The Inspiron comes with Dell’s familiar, all-white bluetooth mouse and keyboard, but you could operate the computer with your hands, if you tilt the touchscreen backwards.

The world’s most used computer operating system, Windows 10, runs on this device. I installed games and entertainment applications to test the performance of the computer.

Playing Forza Horizons on the ­Inspiron delivers very average frame rates and, while still being a playable game on this computer, you wouldn’t prefer this over a dedicated gaming machine.

Loading times are excellent, but the integrated graphics on this computer do not deliver the detail and fast rendering to truly allow the game to shine.

Fortunately, with Xbox integration on Windows 10, the screen and speaker can be used for console gaming, even with the Xbox controller.

Switching over to Stan and Netflix, this is living. The soundbar on the Inspiron delivers excellent sound and the display, while only being 24 inches — which in television terms is considered small — is perfect for a study break or work lunch with entertainment. The 1920x1080 resolution display allowed video to look excellent without any performance issues.

Dell Inspiron 5000 all-in-one desktop computer

I thought that I’d need to add a webcam for video calls, but there’s a manual pop-up camera in the top of the screen for 720p video. Skype video worked really well but I couldn’t get the default camera on the computer to work.

It’s hard to upgrade this computer. You can’t open it to add more memory or swap components, so you need to carefully consider your choice of components at the time of purchase.

On the positive side, the Dell has a large variety of connectivity options. Two HDMI (input/output) ports let you easily extend the display by plugging in a monitor. You can display vision from another device on the screen.

You can connect accessories to the USB-C and four USB-A ports and there’s a full-size SD card slot for accessing photos and videos. The Inspiron features Wi-Fi and has a traditional Ethernet port for internet connectivity.

The Inspiron is perfectly suited as a family computer for children doing school work, for parents wanting to use email, browse the web and shop online.

You’ll need a sizeable kitchen bench area for the Inspiron, but if you have the room it will be excellent for entertainment while you’re cooking, viewing recipes and making use of the large touch screen for performing any task.

The Inspiron is an excellent all-rounder packed into a simple and elegant form factor. It struggles in specialisations like video editing and hardcore gaming, but there are other options in the Dell range, or other brands, that target that area specifically.

For the study nook in the house or the home office, the Dell Inspiron with the latest Intel processor is an excellent offering and a sign that desktops still have a purpose in the household, adapting to family life and carrying out daily tasks.

Geoff Quattromani is a tech commentator across radio, print, online and television. Check out his podcast “Technology Uncorked” for new information each week.