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Dell Vostro 14 5490: Business laptop with dedicated GPU in review

Business entry level.

With the Vostro series, Dell primarily targets small businesses that want to offer a good compromise between performance and cost. Our 14-inch Vostro 5490 even has a dedicated graphics card, but the fan control is not well developed.

The entry-level business range of Dell's laptops starts with the Vostro series. The name of our test device is Vostro 14 5490, and it thus belongs to the mid-range 5000 series. According to Dell, the laptops are primarily aimed at small businesses looking for reasonable performance in combination with some security solutions. For 809 Euros (~$913) (plus VAT), our configuration comes with a Core i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of fast SSD storage (NVMe), and even a dedicated graphics card from Nvidia (GeForce MX250). However, there are also optional models without a dGPU, in which case the entry-level price is 639 Euros (~$777) (plus VAT).

Dell Vostro 14 5490 (Vostro 14 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-10510U 4 x 1.8 - 4.9 GHz, Comet Lake-U
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce MX250 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1582 MHz, RAM: 1502 MHz, GDDR5, 430.86
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-2666, 1 slot, dual-channel, max. 40 GB
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, B140HAN, LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Comet Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Toshiba KBG40ZNS512G NVMe, 512 GB 
, 410 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Comet Lake PCH-LP - cAVS
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm, Card Reader: microSD, USB-C
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless AC 9462 (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth Yes
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.9 x 321.8 x 227.7 ( = 0.7 x 12.67 x 8.96 in)
Battery
42 Wh, 3-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: yes
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.484 kg ( = 52.35 oz / 3.27 pounds), Power Supply: 326 g ( = 11.5 oz / 0.72 pounds)
Price
960 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Price
82.1 %
v7 (old)
01 / 2021
Dell Vostro 14 5490
i7-10510U, GeForce MX250
1.5 kg17.9 mm14.00"1920x1080
85 %
v7 (old)
12 / 2020
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
R5 4500U, Vega 6
1.7 kg20.4 mm14.00"1920x1080
83.2 %
v7 (old)
07 / 2020
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
R5 4500U, Vega 6
1.6 kg18 mm14.00"1920x1080
87 %
v7 (old)
08 / 2020
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
i7-10510U, UHD Graphics 620
1.2 kg16.6 mm14.00"1920x1080
85.3 %
v7 (old)
10 / 2020
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
i5-10310U, UHD Graphics 620
1.6 kg20.7 mm14.00"1920x1080

Case and connectivity

The dark gray case is visually very discreet, but it's very well made and doesn't feel cheap at all. We can't complain about stability in this price range either. The bottom cover is only secured with a few cross-head screws. Besides the RAM modules, you can also access the M.2 2280 SSD as well as a 2.5-inch hard drive. The WLAN module is also only plugged in and can consequently be replaced.

The Vostro 5490 offers many ports including a modern USB-C connector that can also be used for charging or connecting external monitors. However, Thunderbolt 3 is not integrated. Dell has skimped a bit on the WLAN module (1X1) and the microSD reader, because they are very slow.

Size comparison

331 mm / 13 in 235 mm / 9.25 in 20.4 mm / 0.803 in 1.7 kg3.72 lbs323 mm / 12.7 in 216 mm / 8.5 in 20.7 mm / 0.815 in 1.6 kg3.52 lbs324 mm / 12.8 in 238 mm / 9.37 in 18 mm / 0.709 in 1.6 kg3.53 lbs325 mm / 12.8 in 230 mm / 9.06 in 16.6 mm / 0.654 in 1.2 kg2.58 lbs321.8 mm / 12.7 in 227.7 mm / 8.96 in 17.9 mm / 0.705 in 1.5 kg3.27 lbs297 mm / 11.7 in 210 mm / 8.27 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Port configuration

Left: Power supply, HDMI 1.4b, 2x USB-A 3.1 Gen.1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 (DisplayPort, charging)
Left: Power supply, HDMI 1.4b, 2x USB-A 3.1 Gen.1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 (DisplayPort, charging)
Right: microSD, 3.5 mm audio jack, USB-A 3.1 Gen 1, RJ45, slot for cable lock
Right: microSD, 3.5 mm audio jack, USB-A 3.1 Gen 1, RJ45, slot for cable lock
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
157 MB/s +658%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
77.8 MB/s +276%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
72 MB/s +248%
Average of class Office
  (22.7 - 198.5, n=33, last 2 years)
58.1 MB/s +181%
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
22 MB/s +6%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
20.7 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
185 MB/s +595%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
85.9 MB/s +223%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
85.6 MB/s +222%
Average of class Office
  (25 - 249, n=30, last 2 years)
73.1 MB/s +175%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
26.6 MB/s
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
26.2 MB/s -2%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1775 (1540min - 1830max) MBit/s +386%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1676 (1432min - 1793max) MBit/s +359%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1200 (383min - 1438max) MBit/s +229%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
557 (527min - 581max) MBit/s +53%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
Intel Wireless AC 9462
365 (184min - 371max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1440 (1357min - 1468max) MBit/s +347%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1369 (790min - 1450max) MBit/s +325%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1327 (1055min - 1389max) MBit/s +312%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
817 (738min - 851max) MBit/s +154%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
Intel Wireless AC 9462
322 (163min - 420max) MBit/s

Input devices

The keyboard of the Vostro 5490 leaves a very decent impression. The keys are sufficiently large (~18 x 18 mm) and offer a pleasant and precise stroke. There are certainly better keyboards, but even longer text can be entered without problems. Only the arrow keys are quite small. There's a three-stage white backlight for dark environments.

Dell doesn't implement a TrackPoint, so only the smooth touchpad is available for cursor movements. The size of 105 x 65 mm is still sufficient, and the ClickPad did not cause any problems during use. Gestures with up to four fingers are also supported (Microsoft Precision Standard).

Input devices
Input devices

Display - Vostro with matte IPS panel

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid

The matte IPS display comes from the AU Optronics supplier and offers Full HD resolution (1920x1080 pixels). As with many other inexpensive office laptops, brightness is the biggest shortcoming. An average of less than 230 cd/m² is not very much, so that you will find yourself wishing for stronger backlighting even in bright indoor environments. In return, however, the black level (0.15) is very low, which leads to a high contrast ratio.

As a result, the subjective image impression is alright, but bright areas look a bit grainy. There is no PWM, and screen bleeding is not an issue in our test device.

216
cd/m²
231
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
211
cd/m²
240
cd/m²
234
cd/m²
205
cd/m²
240
cd/m²
243
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
B140HAN tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 243 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 227.7 cd/m² Minimum: 13.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 239 cd/m²
Contrast: 1600:1 (Black: 0.15 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.91, calibrated: 5.3
ΔE Greyscale 5.6 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
57% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
36.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.68% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
57.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
38.4% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.34
Dell Vostro 14 5490
B140HAN, LED, 1920x1080, 14"
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
N140HCA-EAC, IPS, 1920x1080, 14"
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
BOE0868, IPS, 1920x1080, 14"
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
AU Optronics B140HAK02.5, IPS, 1920x1080, 14"
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
BOE NV14N4F, a-Si IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14"
Display
9%
4%
72%
2%
Display P3 Coverage
38.4
41.96
9%
39.92
4%
69.2
80%
39.02
2%
sRGB Coverage
57.4
63
10%
59.6
4%
93.7
63%
58
1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
39.68
43.37
9%
41.25
4%
68.6
73%
40.32
2%
Response Times
4%
6%
16%
-5%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
48 ?(23.6, 24.4)
42 ?(21.6, 20.4)
12%
40 ?(22, 18)
17%
37 ?(18, 19)
23%
46 ?(24, 22)
4%
Response Time Black / White *
28.4 ?(15.6, 12.8)
29.6 ?(15.6, 14)
-4%
30 ?(17, 13)
-6%
26 ?(14, 12)
8%
32 ?(18, 14)
-13%
PWM Frequency
192 ?(90)
1000 ?(90)
Screen
13%
-0%
23%
-3%
Brightness middle
240
259
8%
277
15%
323
35%
235
-2%
Brightness
228
244
7%
270
18%
308
35%
219
-4%
Brightness Distribution
84
92
10%
88
5%
90
7%
81
-4%
Black Level *
0.15
0.21
-40%
0.285
-90%
0.35
-133%
0.21
-40%
Contrast
1600
1233
-23%
972
-39%
923
-42%
1119
-30%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.8
4.3
37%
5.53
19%
3.07
55%
6.11
10%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
24.3
17.7
27%
10.68
56%
5.8
76%
16.6
32%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
5.3
3.8
28%
4.43
16%
3.07
42%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.6
1.5
73%
6.2
-11%
2.99
47%
5.52
1%
Gamma
2.34 94%
2.04 108%
2.34 94%
2.32 95%
2.33 94%
CCT
6108 106%
6609 98%
7342 89%
6097 107%
6680 97%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
36.4
40
10%
38
4%
61
68%
37
2%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
57
62.9
10%
59
4%
93
63%
58
2%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
9% / 11%
3% / 1%
37% / 31%
-2% / -2%

* ... smaller is better

We use the professional CalMAN software in combination with the X-Rite i1 Pro 2 spectrophotometer to analyze the display. Out of the box, there's a minimal color tint towards yellow, but it's hardly noticeable. However, this can be improved significantly with our calibration, just like the deviations of the grayscales. What can't be improved, however, are the high color deviations. This display simply can't reproduce colors more accurately. Nevertheless, this is also a low-priced business laptop where image-editing using the internal display is not a priority. In addition, only 57% of the small sRGB color space is covered as well.

CalMAN Grayscales
CalMAN Grayscales
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN Grayscales calibrated
CalMAN Grayscales calibrated
CalMAN Saturation calibrated
CalMAN Saturation calibrated
CalMAN ColorChecker calibrated
CalMAN ColorChecker calibrated

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
28.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 15.6 ms rise
↘ 12.8 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 73 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
48 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 23.6 ms rise
↘ 24.4 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 81 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.8 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8705 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.

Viewing-angle stability is good. Despite the matte screen surface, outdoor usability is severely limited, because the display is simply too dim to work comfortably.

Viewing-angle stability
Viewing-angle stability
In sunlight
In sunlight
In sunlight
In sunlight

Performance - Dell laptop with i7 and MX250

Processor - Quad-core i7

The Intel Core i7-10510U processor is based on the Comet Lake generation and offers 4 cores (8 threads) with a maximum clock speed of up to 4.8 GHz. More technical information about the processor is available here.

Dell has set the Power Limits very generously at 27/51 watts, which also leads to high clock rates at the beginning of the benchmarks. However, as can be clearly seen in our Cinebench R15 Multi loop, performance then drops under prolonged load. At around 10%, however, the deficit remains within the limits, and the Vostro can also utilize the i7's performance better than Acer does in the TravelMate P6, for example. Nevertheless, the two AMD Ryzen CPUs in the comparison group are clearly superior when you can make use of all cores. The big advantage of the i7 is its good single-core performance thanks to the high maximum Turbo Boost clock speed. 

04590135180225270315360405450495540585630675720765810855Tooltip
Dell Vostro 14 5490 Intel Core i7-10510U, Intel Core i7-10510U: Ø642 (613.58-702.8)
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U: Ø865 (852.57-888.2)
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U: Ø761 (743.73-893.95)
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU Intel Core i7-10510U, Intel Core i7-10510U: Ø593 (549.96-726.41)
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D Intel Core i5-10310U, Intel Core i5-10310U: Ø582 (561.87-767.37)

Cinebench R11.5 or R15 analysis, comparison with the competition;

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (98 - 284, n=95, last 2 years)
230 Points +19%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
Intel Core i7-10510U
193 Points
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
Intel Core i7-10510U
185 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U
  (113 - 202, n=42)
178.4 Points -8%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
175 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
174 Points -10%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
Intel Core i5-10310U
170 Points -12%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (246 - 2642, n=96, last 2 years)
1564 Points +127%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
894 (743.73min - 893.95max) Points +30%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
888 (852.57min - 888.2max) Points +29%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
Intel Core i5-10310U
767 (561.87min - 767.37max) Points +11%
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
Intel Core i7-10510U
726 Points +5%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
Intel Core i7-10510U
690 (613.58min - 702.8max) Points
Average Intel Core i7-10510U
  (482 - 856, n=45)
666 Points -3%
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
690 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
109 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
193 Points
Cinebench R20 CPU (Multi Core)
1393 Points
Cinebench R20 CPU (Single Core)
431 Points
Help

System performance

The subjective performance impression in everyday use is very good, which is primarily due to the PCIe SSD alongside the fast processor. All commands are executed without noticeable delays, and there were no other problems in the test. The benchmark results support this impression.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2463 - 7344, n=87, last 2 years)
5629 Points +27%
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
UHD Graphics 620, i7-10510U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
4438 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
4425 Points 0%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS512G NVMe
4418 Points
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
4393 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3861 - 5409, n=11)
4243 Points -4%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10310U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe
3980 Points -10%
Essentials
Average of class Office
  (5575 - 20841, n=87, last 2 years)
10116 Points +4%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS512G NVMe
9764 Points
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
UHD Graphics 620, i7-10510U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
9183 Points -6%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (8021 - 9764, n=11)
8892 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
8578 Points -12%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
8327 Points -15%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10310U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe
8289 Points -15%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3041 - 10415, n=87, last 2 years)
7732 Points +3%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS512G NVMe
7472 Points
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
UHD Graphics 620, i7-10510U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
7443 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (6625 - 7972, n=11)
7331 Points -2%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
6530 Points -13%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
6501 Points -13%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10310U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe
6399 Points -14%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (2049 - 9773, n=87, last 2 years)
6355 Points +98%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
4233 Points +32%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
4218 Points +31%
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
UHD Graphics 620, i7-10510U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
3473 Points +8%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10310U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe
3225 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (2621 - 5547, n=11)
3225 Points 0%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS512G NVMe
3209 Points
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (4252 - 4830, n=7, last 2 years)
4559 Points
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
4064 Points
Average Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3214 - 3958, n=8)
3594 Points
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10310U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe
3499 Points
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
UHD Graphics 620, i7-10510U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
3323 Points
PCMark 10 Score
4418 points
Help

Storage - NVMe SSD from Toshiba

Despite the fairly low price, Dell installs a fast PCIe SSD from Toshiba with a storage capacity of 512 GB. Surprisingly, when we opened the case, only a small M.2 2242 SSD awaited us, which was screwed tight with a small adapter. However, a normal M.2 2280 SSD will also fit. Next to the battery, there's also a slot for a normal 2.5-inch hard drive including the required mounting material.

M.2 SSD (2280 or 2242)
M.2 SSD (2280 or 2242)
Room for a 2.5-inch drive
Room for a 2.5-inch drive
Dell Vostro 14 5490
Toshiba KBG40ZNS512G NVMe
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe
Average Toshiba KBG40ZNS512G NVMe
 
Average of class Office
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-2%
2%
12%
-5%
2%
75%
Write 4K
107.3
76.7
-29%
144.6
35%
151.8
41%
95.5
-11%
126.4 ?(89.3 - 207, n=14)
18%
Read 4K
47.61
32.04
-33%
38.08
-20%
55
16%
47.14
-1%
Write Seq
1294
1019
-21%
1320
2%
1292
0%
1251
-3%
Read Seq
1652
2014
22%
1397
-15%
1668
1%
1624
-2%
Write 4K Q32T1
351
415.6
18%
324.2
-8%
440.7
26%
333.5
-5%
Read 4K Q32T1
399.7
367.1
-8%
434.8
9%
477.4
19%
335.2
-16%
Write Seq Q32T1
1230
1337
9%
1382
12%
1169
-5%
1234
0%
Read Seq Q32T1
2315
2850
23%
2354
2%
2245
-3%
2247
-3%
AS SSD
50%
15%
29%
-21%
-17%
89%
Seq Read
1973
2247
14%
1936
-2%
2057
4%
1837
-7%
Seq Write
795
1079
36%
1213
53%
1244
56%
700
-12%
4K Read
44.87
42.52
-5%
44.09
-2%
48.07
7%
44.5
-1%
4K Write
102.5
129.1
26%
118.5
16%
125.8
23%
90.1
-12%
4K-64 Read
992
1316
33%
867
-13%
875
-12%
905
-9%
4K-64 Write
472.8
1332
182%
838
77%
785
66%
447.8
-5%
Access Time Read *
0.059
0.086
-46%
0.122
-107%
0.16
-171%
0.1024 ?(0.058 - 0.169, n=14)
-74%
Access Time Write *
0.183
0.029
84%
0.034
81%
0.031
83%
0.175
4%
0.4026 ?(0.168 - 0.718, n=14)
-120%
Score Read
1234
1583
28%
1105
-10%
1129
-9%
1133
-8%
Score Write
655
1569
140%
1078
65%
1035
58%
608
-7%
Score Total
2469
3907
58%
2721
10%
2712
10%
2273
-8%
Copy ISO MB/s
1600
Copy Program MB/s
517
Copy Game MB/s
1009
Total Average (Program / Settings)
24% / 28%
9% / 10%
21% / 21%
-13% / -15%
-8% / -9%
82% / 83%

* ... smaller is better

Toshiba KBG40ZNS512G NVMe
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 2315 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1230 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 399.7 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 351 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1652 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1294 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 47.61 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 107.3 MB/s

Graphics card - Vostro with MX250

GPU-Z Nvidia GeForce MX250
GPU-Z Nvidia GeForce MX250

Besides the processor's integrated UHD Graphics 620, Dell also installs the dedicated Nvidia GeForce MX250 with a maximum core clock speed of 1,582 MHz and 2 GB of GDDR5 VRAM. This is an entry-level GPU that has a slight lead in the benchmarks compared to the modern iGPUs. More technical information on the MX250 can be found here.

The performance output of the MX250 in our test device is good, and the benchmark results are also slightly above those that we have for other laptops with the MX250 in our database. Furthermore, performance also remains stable in the Fire Strike stress test.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1468 - 13132, n=90, last 2 years)
6815 Points +49%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-10510U
4559 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3585 - 4942, n=29)
4404 Points -3%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
3683 Points -19%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
3401 Points -25%
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-10510U
1999 Points -56%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10310U
1878 Points -59%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Office
  (736 - 9375, n=92, last 2 years)
4876 Points +33%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-10510U
3676 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (2939 - 3885, n=29)
3531 Points -4%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2313 Points -37%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2285 Points -38%
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-10510U
1351 Points -63%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10310U
1148 Points -69%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Office
  (7982 - 58068, n=64, last 2 years)
26907 Points +31%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (13805 - 23863, n=25)
21491 Points +5%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-10510U
20507 Points
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
16755 Points -18%
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-10510U
10913 Points -47%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10310U
9010 Points -56%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Office
  (313 - 4109, n=91, last 2 years)
1605 Points +42%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-10510U
1129 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (881 - 1169, n=22)
1070 Points -5%
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10310U
374 Points -67%
3DMark 11 Performance
4912 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
81722 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
15582 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
3340 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
1270 points
Help

Gaming performance

Naturally, the dedicated GeForce MX250 doesn't make the Vostro a gaming laptop, but you can definitely play a bit after work. More demanding titles, such as The Witcher 3, run smoothly at least on medium details.

lowmed.highultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 65 36.9 20.8 12
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 77 36.5 35.8 12.8
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 59.9 39.8 37.9

Emissions and energy

Noise emissions

The single fan has its hands full with the additional graphics card. In idle usage and under low load, the fan remains disabled, and there are no other electronic noises either. However, as soon as you put either the processor or the graphics card (or both together) under a bit of stress, the fan immediately jumps to its maximum noise level of 41 dB(A). Dell could have certainly optimized the fan control better here.

Noise Level

Idle
29.1 / 29.1 / 29.1 dB(A)
Load
41.1 / 41.1 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.1 dB(A)
Dell Vostro 14 5490
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS512G NVMe
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
UHD Graphics 620, i7-10510U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10310U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe
Noise
9%
3%
11%
11%
off / environment *
29.1
29.2
-0%
30.7
-5%
27
7%
24.9
14%
Idle Minimum *
29.1
29.2
-0%
30.7
-5%
27
7%
24.9
14%
Idle Average *
29.1
29.2
-0%
30.7
-5%
27
7%
24.9
14%
Idle Maximum *
29.1
29.7
-2%
30.7
-5%
27
7%
24.9
14%
Load Average *
41.1
30.5
26%
32.3
21%
35
15%
38.7
6%
Witcher 3 ultra *
41.1
32.8
20%
Load Maximum *
41.1
32.8
20%
34.8
15%
32.8
20%
39.2
5%

* ... smaller is better

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.533.932.533.12531.425.733.128.53133.630.836.832.24031.129.127.1295027.325.423.826.56327.427.323.530.98025.423.521.925.210025.124.924.824.112523.6242322.916024.123.522.323.720023.924.122.724.725023.925.522.225.331523.22320.822.94002222.720.622.250021.522.819.722.463022.225.719.324.680024.126.818.326.7100025.328.718.528.6125028.533.817.333.5160027.23216.631.6200026.530.616.131.4250026.332.615.531.7315023.428.815.528.3400019.728.415.228.3500017.623.21522.9630016.420.915.120.6800015.818.915.318.41000015.516.215.315.91250015.115.315.115.11600014.814.714.714.8SPL36.241.129.140.9N2.23.31.23.2median 23.4median 24.1median 17.3median 24.1Delta3.34.42.84.334.731.733.433.937.130.228.227.327.330.329.929.328.828.431.23226.628.726.928.628.728.528.127.226.726262622.726.626.524.42423.923.625.824.425.425.325.623.223.223.72323.223.723.22423.523.523.922.72422.92324.8232421.923.821.321.922.420.821.621.320.92120.421.222.922.522.820.32221.920.620.619.121.120.919.219.518.120.721.120.619.218.121.521.219.618.617.421.221.919.518.416.321.421.418.917.31621.621.118.516.915.921.421.417.616.615.8212118.316.615.720.9191716.115.81917.216.215.915.717.116.1161615.716.115.715.815.915.515.715.615.615.515.415.616.417.116.515.216.432.83130.429.232.61.81.51.41.21.8median 21.3median 19.5median 18.6median 17.4median 21.222.832.32hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseDell Vostro 14 5490Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE

Temperature

Looking at the surface temperatures under load, the high fan speed definitely makes sense. The laptop heats up noticeably in the stress test, and we measure over 45 °C (~113 °F) in some places, but this is by no means critical. The device also stays significantly cooler during everyday tasks.

The graphics card's performance is definitely prioritized in the stress test. The processor only operates at around 10 watts under combined load, which is enough for 4x 1.4 GHz. The GPU, on the other hand, stays at 1,000-1,100 MHz. Following the stress test, however, there is no performance reduction.

Stress test start
Stress test start
Stress test after 80 minutes
Stress test after 80 minutes
Max. Load
 43 °C
109 F
44.6 °C
112 F
40.4 °C
105 F
 
 41 °C
106 F
41.7 °C
107 F
37 °C
99 F
 
 31.2 °C
88 F
28.3 °C
83 F
29.3 °C
85 F
 
Maximum: 44.6 °C = 112 F
Average: 37.4 °C = 99 F
39.5 °C
103 F
46.9 °C
116 F
45.2 °C
113 F
34.7 °C
94 F
40.3 °C
105 F
39.4 °C
103 F
29.9 °C
86 F
32.8 °C
91 F
33.6 °C
92 F
Maximum: 46.9 °C = 116 F
Average: 38 °C = 100 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.7 °C = 103 F | Room Temperature 20.7 °C = 69 F | Fluke t3000 FC / FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.4 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.6 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 34.3 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46.9 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 22.5 °C / 73 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.2 °C / 88.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.6 °C / 81.7 F (-3.6 °C / -6.5 F).
Stress test surface temperatures (top)
Stress test surface temperatures (top)
Stress test surface temperatures (bottom)
Stress test surface temperatures (bottom)

Speakers

Speakers are often not the focus of development in office computers, and the Vostro 5490 also only offers average performance in this regard. Our measurement shows that the device has a very clean output of trebles, which is good for the reproduction of voices. Therefore, the modules are well suited for conferences or meetings.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.532.32533.126.83136.837.34027.128.15023.825.66323.528.58021.927.410024.835.51252340.716022.346.220022.748.425022.25031520.851.640020.655.350019.758.763019.363.880018.372.4100018.571125017.367.4160016.666.3200016.168.5250015.567.9315015.569.7400015.266.250001566.3630015.166.6800015.362.91000015.356.61250015.153.91600014.748.7SPL29.179.5N1.244.7median 17.3median 62.9Delta2.88.933.93627.329.628.435.126.934.227.229.222.730.223.928.825.328.62332.323.539.122.94621.95020.852.220.454.920.357.219.159.118.160.118.156.817.459.416.359.21659.415.955.215.856.315.751.815.851.315.754.715.74915.545.115.439.515.237.729.268.71.224.2median 17.4median 52.22.37.2hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseDell Vostro 14 5490Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Dell Vostro 14 5490 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.4% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 43% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 47% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 51% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 41% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (68.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 10.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.1% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 65% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 68% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy consumption

Dell has optimized the Vostro's power consumption well, because the idle rates in particular are very low, but the dim display naturally also plays a role here. The additional dedicated graphics card is, of course, noticeable under load, but the included 65-watt power adapter is sufficient in any case.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.46 / 0.65 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.3 / 5.3 / 7.9 Watt
Load midlight 51.6 / 55.8 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy

Battery life

42 Wh battery
42 Wh battery

The battery capacity is comparatively low at 42 watt-hours, which is why the battery life is also below that of the comparison devices. Nevertheless, about 7 hours in our WLAN test at 150 cd/m² is not bad, and some meetings can certainly be held without the power adapter. The rate drops to ~6 hours at full brightness.

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Dell Latitude 14 5410-RJ80D
i5-10310U, UHD Graphics 620, 68 Wh
823 min +93%
Acer TravelMate P6 P614-51T-G2-72ZU
i7-10510U, UHD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
676 min +59%
Average of class Office
  (230 - 1349, n=93, last 2 years)
610 min +43%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
R5 4500U, Vega 6, 45 Wh
523 min +23%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
R5 4500U, Vega 6, 45 Wh
487 min +14%
Dell Vostro 14 5490
i7-10510U, GeForce MX250, 42 Wh
426 min
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 44.18362.449.0)
7h 06min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (Edge 44.18362.449.0)
6h 01min

Pros

+ solid case
+ good keyboard
+ good system performance
+ matte IPS display without PWM
+ good dGPU performance development

Cons

- dim screen
- loud fan
- slow microSD reader
- slow WLAN module (1x1)

Verdict - Office laptop with some weaknesses

In review: Dell Vostro 5490. Test device provided by: Dell Germany
In review: Dell Vostro 5490. Test device provided by: Dell Germany

Dell offers an inexpensive office laptop with the Vostro 5490. Important things like the case and the input devices are very decent, and performance is also perfectly sufficient for normal office tasks. The additional dedicated graphics card can also develop its performance well and even allows playing some games after work, but the single fan is a bit overwhelmed with the additional heat. Even under little load, it immediately jumps up to the maximum noise level of 41 dB(A).

Unfortunately, as is common in inexpensive office computers, the display is still a weak point. Nowadays, almost all models have IPS panels with stable viewing angles, but the brightness is problematic, and you often wish for a somewhat brighter panel even in bright indoor environments. In companies, laptops are often connected to large external monitors, which is why companies frequently don't place much value on this.

The Vostro 5490 is a solid office laptop, but the additional graphics card is a challenge for the fan, and it doesn't really make sense in everyday office use.

You can also notice that money has been saved in other areas such as with the slow microSD reader or the slow WLAN module. On the other hand, battery life is okay. The direct competitors often have similar problems, especially with the screen. We would definitely recommend a configuration of the Vostro without a dedicated GPU.

Dell Vostro 14 5490 - 01/08/2021 v7 (old)
Andreas Osthoff

Chassis
79 / 98 → 80%
Keyboard
88%
Pointing Device
85%
Connectivity
51 / 80 → 64%
Weight
69 / 20-75 → 89%
Battery
75%
Display
79%
Games Performance
64 / 78 → 82%
Application Performance
87 / 95 → 92%
Temperature
90%
Noise
87%
Audio
72%
Camera
35 / 85 → 41%
Average
74%
82%
Office - Weighted Average

Price comparison

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Dell Vostro 14 5490: Business laptop with dedicated GPU in review
Andreas Osthoff, 2021-01-11 (Update: 2021-01-11)