Dell Inspiron 13 5301: The subnotebook is stylish, but it shows a couple of shortcomings in the test

Traditionally, the Inspiron 13 models have been among Dell's cheapest laptops. In 2021, the manufacturer has launched the model number 5301. As usual, the subnotebook is particularly compact and available in different configurations in addition. We reviewed the Dell Inspiron 13 5301 0D0XN, which is the middle configuration. It's equipped with the Intel Core i5-1135G7.

In addition to the Tiger Lake CPU, the manufacturer opts for the integrated Iris Xe Graphics with 80 EUs from Intel's 11th generation. Furthermore, this model comes with the 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM that is typical for all Inspiron 13 5301 models, and a 256 GB SSD. The latter delivers a solid performance in our test, but it can't keep up with many other SSDs.

The same applies to the CPU performance. The Dell Inspiron 13 5301 lags marginally behind the Intel Core i5-1135G7's average. In contrast, the GPU exploits its potential, which is, of course, far from sufficient for it to make the device a gaming laptop. However, the laptop is still suitable for playing the odd game at low graphics settings, although it does get quite warm under full load. On the other hand, the noise level remains pleasant, partly because Dell slows down performance considerably when too much heat is generated.

The display is matte and not particularly bright at 280 cd/m². However, it's sufficient for working outdoors in the shade. The display's remaining metrics don't impress us, either, but they're sufficient for a subnotebook in this price range. We would have wished for longer battery runtimes, but this is prevented by the modest 40 Wh battery.

Buyers will get a solid and compact notebook for around 700 Euros (~$827). "It's not brilliant in any discipline, but it's not completely disappointing in any area, either," is the verdict in our Dell Inspiron 13 5301 0D0XN review.