Dell G16 review: Staid looks with strong midrange performance

Price When Reviewed

$1,499.99

Best Prices Today: Dell G16

$1099.99

$1499.99

The Dell G16 is a midrange gaming PC that prioritizes perform over kind. It’ll serve you effectively in case you are in search of the most important pixel-pushing bang on your gaming buck and are prepared to place up with an uninspired design to get it. Beneath the seize, grey exterior is a robust CPU-GPU duo —  the Core i7-12700H processor and RTX 3060 graphics — that places this laptop computer on the head of the midrange gaming pack. 

The 16-inch show provides a QHD decision that’s one notch above the FHD panel often on provide at this value and offers the Dell G16 added versatility. You seemingly gained’t run video games above 1080p with the RTX 3060, however the larger decision supplies extra room to multitasking on the 16:10 show and a finer image for detailed graphics work. On the entire, the Dell G16 seems to be like a funds gaming laptop computer that delivers sturdy midrange gaming efficiency for a value that’s someplace between funds and midrange. And when it’s on sale, its value almost dips into funds territory the place it provides nice worth.

Looking for extra laptop computer choices? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops.

Dell G16: Specifications and options

Our Dell G16 take a look at system prices $1,499.99 from Dell and on the time of this writing was on sale for $1,099.99 at Best Buy. It options the next specs:

• CPU: Quad-core Intel Core i7-12700H
• Memory: 16GB
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
• Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
• Display: 16-inch QHD (2560 x 1600) 165Hz show
• Webcam: 720p
• Connectivity: Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C, 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, combo audio jack
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
• Biometrics: None
• Battery capability: 84 Watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14.1 x 10.7 x 1.1 inches
• Measured weight: 5.7 kilos
• Price: $1,499.99

The Dell G16 sequence begins at $1,339.99 with the Core i7-12700H, 16GB of RAM, RTX 3050 Ti graphics, and a 512GB SSD. Our take a look at system encompasses a GPU improve to the RTX 3060 that provides $160 to the invoice. Other improve choices embody the Core i9-12900H and as much as RTX 3070 Ti graphics. You may also double the RAM to 32GB and the SSD to 1TB. 

Dell G16: Boring, cumbersome design

The Dell G16 is unlikely to show heads. The chunky chassis options a mixture of plastic and aluminum in a boring darkish grey coloration that appears like a greater match for a company workhorse than a gaming rig. There may be very little concerning the design that disguises the Dell G16 as a gaming laptop computer. Perhaps the crisscrossing vents on the diagonal above the keyboard are a touch, or the purple “G” logos on the wrist relaxation and proper edge. (It’s arduous to inform if the “G” stands for “gaming” or simply “gray.”) The G16’s design is about as simple because it will get.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Most of the chassis is constituted of plastic, together with the keyboard deck, backside panel and bezels framing the show. The lid is constituted of aluminum and supplies inflexible safety for the show. Despite being plastic, the keyboard deck feels sturdy with little to no flex. The tradeoff for this sturdiness is heftiness. The Dell G16 suggestions the scales at 5.7 kilos, which is considerably heavier than different 16-inch fashions we’ve reviewed. By comparability, the HP Envy 16 weighs 5 kilos, the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 weighs 4.7 kilos, and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 weighs solely 4.3 kilos. The Dell G16 can also be portly at 1.1 inches thick. There’s nothing concerning the design that feels modern or trendy apart from the show’s facet ratio.

Gaming laptops of yore had been both 15.6-inch fashions or 17.3-inch fashions with a large 16:9 facet ratio. The Dell G16 is a member of a brand new era of laptop computer based mostly on a 16-inch show with a taller 16:10 facet ratio. With more room from prime to backside, the show feels a lot roomier than a 15.6-inch 16:9 show and roughly the identical as a bigger 17.3-inch 16:9 show. The taller facet ratio isn’t helpful for video games, however it supplies extra room for multitasking throughout common Windows use and means you’ll have to scroll much less by way of lengthy paperwork and net pages. 

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Likewise, the QHD decision isn’t all that helpful for video games, particularly with a midrange RTX 3060, because it’s uncertain you’ll crank the decision previous 1080p. But this finer decision supplies a sharper image than a FHD panel — textual content and edges of photos look crisper and permit the Dell G16 to double as a content material creation machine in between gaming periods. This versatility provides to the G16’s general worth, and it’s priced aggressively to start with.

The show’s 165Hz refresh price is just about the usual for a midrange laptop computer and leads to easy visuals. With the RTX 3060 unlikely to push body charges previous 165 fps with any frequency, it greater than suffices. The show’s brightness can also be ample; I measured a most of 460 nits, which is much better than the 250- or 300-nit panels discovered on most funds fashions and a few midrange fashions.

The 720p webcam is a disappointment. Nearly each laptop computer we’ve seen this yr aside from really funds fashions encompasses a 1080p digital camera that produces a superior picture. The Dell G16’s 720p webcam produces poorly uncovered photos that lack element in darkish and light-weight areas and are beset with noise.

Many gaming and entertainment-minded laptops discover room for 4 audio system for higher, fuller sound, however the G16 sticks with the usual pair of stereo audio system. They have sufficient oomph to fill a small room however the readability declines as you push the amount towards its max. And even at 50 %, the sound isn’t dynamic and lacks a bass response.

Dell G16: Mushy keys, tiny touchpad

The solely nod to players on the keyboard is the outlining and daring lettering on the WASD quartet of keys. Otherwise, it’s a regular keyboard. The keys are comfortable to the purpose of feeling a bit too mushy. I’d have most popular a firmer really feel with a snappier response. The keyboard lacks a quantity pad, and as a replacement is a column of volume-control keys. I’d argue these are extra helpful than squeezing in a numpad. There’s additionally a microphone-mute key on this column, however there’s no key to kill the webcam. And and not using a bodily shutter, the Dell G16 supplies no means to make sure your privateness when the digital camera isn’t in use. The lack of a numpad additionally means you get 4 full-size arrow keys, which is all the time appreciated.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

The keyboard options RGB backlighting however at its most elementary. It’s one-zone lighting you can management through the Alienware Command Center app. You can set the lighting to be static or select from a handful of animations. We don’t count on per-key RGB lighting on a midrange gaming laptop computer, however four-zone lighting actually isn’t unprecedented on a $1,500 mannequin.

The touchpad is woefully undersized. The keyboard is shifted down on the keyboard deck to accommodate the vast venting on the prime, which leaves little room for the touchpad beneath the show. And just like the keys themselves, the touchpad’s click on response feels a bit mushy with an excessive amount of journey required to carry out a click on. You’ll wish to hold your headphones helpful due to the average-at-best audio system, and also you’ll additionally wish to hold your mouse close by due to the subpar touchpad.

The Dell G16 encompasses a helpful collection of ports, however I’d wish to see a second Thunderbolt 4 port and would fortunately commerce one of many three USB Type-A ports for it. The laptop computer encompasses a barrel charger, so at the very least you possibly can hold the Thunderbolt 4 port free if you are charging the system.

You’ll discover ports on both facet of the system:

IDG / Matthew Elliott

IDG / Matthew Elliott

And there are extra ports on the again:

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Dell G16: Performance

As you’ll quickly see, the Dell G16 is a robust midrange performer, posting sturdy outcomes on our software and multimedia checks in addition to our graphics and gaming checks. We in contrast its efficiency to that of different RTX 3060-based gaming laptops in addition to a Lenovo Legion 5 Pro with RTX 3070 graphic and a pair with RTX 3050 Ti graphics.

Despite its closely vented, cumbersome chassis, the Dell G16 was one of many noisier gaming laptops we’ve examined. Its cooling followers kicked in not solely throughout our 3D graphics and gaming checks, however in addition they revved up throughout our multimedia checks. And they get loud! They even ran continually whereas we streamed YouTube movies.

First up is PCMark 10, which measures efficiency on on a regular basis computing work together with workplace productiveness duties, net searching, and video chats. The Dell G16 completed first, beating out the opposite programs with the identical Core i7-12700H CPU in addition to the 2 with the Core i9-12900H chips. 

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Our HandBrake benchmark checks how a laptop computer is ready to deal with crushing CPU masses over a prolonged interval—on this case, transcoding a 30GB MKV file to a format appropriate for Android tablets utilizing HandBrake, the free video encoding utility. The Dell G16 completed second to the Acer Predator Triton 300 SE, and this pair had a considerable benefit over the remainder.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Next up is Cinebench, one other CPU-intensive take a look at however one which renders a fancy 2D scene over a brief time period. The Dell G16 once more completed second, this time to the Dell XPS 17 9720. The two Dells together with the MSI Katana GF76 had been the clear winners on Cinebench.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Dell G16: Graphics efficiency

Our first 3D graphics checks are two benchmarks from 3DMark — Time Spy and Port Royal. The Dell G16 did effectively on each checks, ending first among the many RTX 3060 programs and trailing solely the RTX 3070-based Lenovo Legion 5 Pro.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Moving on to real-world video games, we first run Rise of the Tomb Raider at 1920×1080 decision set to Very High and in DX11 mode. The Dell G16 turned in a body price of 131 fps, which was tops among the many RTX 3060 programs. On the newer Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1920×1080 decision, the Dell G16 averaged a formidable 114fps, which was once more first among the many RTX 3060 laptops. Finally, on  the extra demanding Metro Exodus at 1920×1080 on the benchmark’s Extreme preset, the Dell G16 averaged 36fps, which was just a few frames-per-second forward of the remainder of the RTX 3060 laptops and trailed solely the 50 fps of the RTX 3070-based Lenovo Legion 5 Pro.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

IDG / Matthew Elliott

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Dell G16: Battery life

To take a look at a laptop computer’s battery life, we loop a 4K video utilizing Windows 11’s Movies & TV app, with the laptop computer set to Airplane mode and earbuds plugged in. We set the display screen brightness at a comparatively shiny 250 nits to 260 nits, which is an effective brightness for watching a film in an workplace with the lights on. The Dell G16’s 84 watt-hour battery lasted six hours on our battery rundown take a look at, which is a bit beneath common. You gained’t have the ability to stray too removed from a wall outlet with the Dell G16.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Dell G16: Strong midrange performer

The Dell G16 isn’t a lot to take a look at, with its largely plastic design that’s each boring and hulking. The high-resolution, 16-inch show with a 16:10 facet ratio lends the laptop computer utility past gaming and this added versatility improves the system’s worth proposition. For gaming alone, nevertheless, it provides super worth as one of the vital highly effective RTX 3060-based laptops we’ve examined. Midrange consumers who need the most effective efficiency for his or her greenback and don’t want the flashiest design ought to contemplate the Dell G16.