Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 Review: Mini-LED In A Big Convertible Laptop
Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 Thermals And Acoustics
It's easy to appreciate how little noise the Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 makes during basic productivity work. While idle or under moderate load, the machine is very quite, like it's standard clamshell cousins. The same is true while browsing or even streaming a show or movie. The fans will spin up to audible levels under load, progressively increasing as heat builds up, but it usually requires taxing gaming or multi-threaded workloads to get the fans blaring at higher speeds.
Like the standard Dell 16, the 2-in-1 is configured with a dynamic power limit that drops to just 35 watts under sustained loads. This does have the effect of preventing the chip from overheating, but it's also why performance in some multi-threaded tests (like Cinebench), isn't quite as high as some other systems powered by the same processor. That somewhat lower power envelope also limits clock rates to around 2.5-3 GHz in sustained workloads.
Like the standard Dell 16, the 2-in-1 is configured with a dynamic power limit that drops to just 35 watts under sustained loads. This does have the effect of preventing the chip from overheating, but it's also why performance in some multi-threaded tests (like Cinebench), isn't quite as high as some other systems powered by the same processor. That somewhat lower power envelope also limits clock rates to around 2.5-3 GHz in sustained workloads.
Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1: Battery Life
Despite its relatively large size, the Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 uses a modest 64Whr battery, which is actually smaller than previous models. It’s a curious choice for a 16-inch 2-in-1 that’s supposed to be behave as both a laptop and productivity tablet.
It’s possible the lower-resolution IPS LCD on the base model might do better in terms of battery life. However, the Mini-LED configuration we tested is an obvious visual upgrade, so for any mix of content creation and consumption, a high-quality panel is hard to resist. As is, Dell shouldn't lay claim to “all-day battery life” with this machine, because it simply doesn’t stretch that far with mixed usage, but battery life is strong enough to get through a shift at work.
Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 Review: Top Conclusion Takeaways
The Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 is a well rounded, if somewhat conservative convertible, that balances a large display, solid performance, and battery life. It’s easy to appreciate how quiet the Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 runs and we think the display delivers well on visuals, but it’s also not completely optimal for heavy duty content creation. Audio, video, complex photo editing, or 3D rendering apps perform acceptably, but the Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1's lower power limits mean it won't catch other machines in this weight class in multi-threaded workloads. This is a machine for road warriors or students, who prefer a larger display and may use the Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 as their sole PC--it's certainly well-suited for productivity, browsing, media consumption and light duty gaming.
A 16-inch Mini-LED display that flips back 360-degrees is appealing as a creative canvas to work with, though it requires making some tradeoffs. Weight and size are the most obvious, which makes this machine somewhat less mobile. It also doesn't include a stylus or memory card, which will limit its appeal with some creators. The omission of an SD card slot on this machine is particularly surprising and we really wish Dell had included one.
Dell positions the 16 Plus 2-in-1 as a convertible laptop that will appeal to a broad subset of users. While its great for office productivity, most users probably won't need a $1,450 (currently on sale for $1,190) 16-inch laptop with a rotating screen to get their work done. The clear intention with the Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 is for more varied and flexible multi-use scenarios, but trying to design a device that caters to a broad swathe of laptop and tablet users meant making some concessions that result in sub-optimal performance or ergonomics. That said, the Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 is an attractive, well-built device that is absolutely worthy of consideration if you're shopping for a new convertible laptop, though a traditional clamshell with similar specs may offer somewhat better performance and could save you a few bucks too.
