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Dell XPS 15 7590 Laptop Review: Is the base model with Core i5 and FHD panel sufficient?

A good multimedia notebook. Dell is one of the few manufacturers that also offers its 15-inch premium notebook without a dedicated graphics card. Is the version with the integrated GPU perhaps even the better choice if you don't want to use your laptop for gaming?

Over the years, the Dell XPS 15 has become one of the most popular multimedia notebooks. In terms of the current model, which has the version number 7590, we have already looked at the top model with the OLED display, Core i9 processor, and GeForce GTX 1650. While the results were respectable, not every user needs that much power or is willing to spend almost 2900 Euros (~$3169) for a new laptop. 

With our current XPS 15 test unit, we are now looking at the entry level model for 1399 Euros (~$1529). The largest difference is the lack of the dedicated GeForce GPU, but with a Core i5 quad-core processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB NVMe SSD, most users should be sufficiently served. The bright and especially also matte Full HD panel, which is not bad in terms of its quality and needs significantly less power compared to the higher resolution 4K variants, is also interesting. Of course, we will find out during our test how this affects the battery life. The next, more powerful model with a Core i7 (6 cores) and GTX 1650 starts from 1699 Euros (~$1857; starting at $1619 in the US).

Since there were no changes in the construction compared to our first test unit of the XPS 15 7590, for additional information on the case, connection equipment, and input devices, we refer you to our detailed review. In addition, the tests of the identically constructed predecessor are also worth a look if you want to find out about other equipment characteristics (such as the 4K IPS touch display):

Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD (XPS 15 7590 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-9300H 4 x 2.4 - 4.1 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, LQ156M1, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel CM246
Storage
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G, 512 GB 
, 423 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm audio port, Card Reader: SD (UHS-II)
Networking
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW) (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17 x 357 x 235 ( = 0.67 x 14.06 x 9.25 in)
Battery
97 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 2W stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 130 watt power supply, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.9 kg ( = 67.02 oz / 4.19 pounds), Power Supply: 424 g ( = 14.96 oz / 0.93 pounds)
Price
1399 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
178 MB/s
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
174 MB/s -2%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
172.4 MB/s -3%
Average of class Multimedia
  (17.6 - 205, n=61, last 2 years)
93 MB/s -48%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
192.1 MB/s +2%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
192 MB/s +2%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
188 MB/s
Average of class Multimedia
  (16.8 - 266, n=57, last 2 years)
122.4 MB/s -35%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (285 - 1094, n=5, last 2 years)
789 MBit/s +5%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
755 MBit/s
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
655 MBit/s -13%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
644 MBit/s -15%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (625 - 1675, n=5, last 2 years)
1127 MBit/s +79%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
674 MBit/s +7%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
630 MBit/s 0%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
630 MBit/s

Display

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid
Screen bleeding (amplified)
Screen bleeding (amplified)

The basic display of the Dell XPS 15 is a matte 1080p panel from Sharp, which is not a bad choice in terms of quality. Naturally, the 4K displays offer a sharper image, but the image impression of the Full HD panel is also very good. At an average of 550 nits, the brightness is even significantly higher. Although the black value (0.4) is slightly high, the contrast ratio is still very good. Of course, the OLED version has a particular advantage in the black value.

In our test unit, we see some halos in the two bottom corners and on the right edge. However, you can only see them in dark images and at high brightness levels. PWM is used at brightness levels of 25% or lower, but due to its high frequency that should not cause any problems.

524
cd/m²
556
cd/m²
535
cd/m²
552
cd/m²
588
cd/m²
573
cd/m²
556
cd/m²
554
cd/m²
561
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LQ156M1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 588 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 555.4 cd/m² Minimum: 28.2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 586 cd/m²
Contrast: 1470:1 (Black: 0.4 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.5 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 0.6
ΔE Greyscale 4.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
98% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63.2% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
68.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
98% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
66.5% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.2
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
LQ156M1, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Samsung 156WR04, SDCA029, , 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
LQ156D1, , 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
LQ156D1, , 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
Sharp SHP1453 LQ156M1, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
23%
12%
12%
3%
Display P3 Coverage
66.5
88.1
32%
79.6
20%
79.1
19%
68.9
4%
sRGB Coverage
98
99.6
2%
98.4
0%
98.8
1%
98.9
1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
68.4
91.8
34%
79.7
17%
79.2
16%
70.9
4%
Response Times
31%
0%
3%
-33%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
52.8 ?(25.6, 27.2)
2.3 ?(1.1, 1.2)
96%
52.4 ?(27.6, 24.8)
1%
46.4 ?(22.8, 23.6)
12%
54 ?(33.2, 20)
-2%
Response Time Black / White *
32 ?(16.4, 15.6)
2.4 ?(1.1, 1.3)
92%
31.6 ?(18, 13.6)
1%
32 ?(18, 14)
-0%
52.4 ?(33.2, 19.2)
-64%
PWM Frequency
1020 ?(25)
59.5 ?(100)
-94%
1000 ?(25)
-2%
980 ?(25)
-4%
Screen
-26%
-71%
-25%
-25%
Brightness middle
588
421.2
-28%
451.9
-23%
494
-16%
400
-32%
Brightness
555
417
-25%
414
-25%
457
-18%
392
-29%
Brightness Distribution
89
94
6%
81
-9%
88
-1%
89
0%
Black Level *
0.4
0.36
10%
0.34
15%
0.26
35%
Contrast
1470
1255
-15%
1453
-1%
1538
5%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.5
6.06
-142%
5.62
-125%
5.2
-108%
4.9
-96%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.3
11.89
-89%
19.1
-203%
17.5
-178%
11
-75%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
0.6
2.69
-348%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.5
2.8
38%
6.9
-53%
2.7
40%
7.2
-60%
Gamma
2.2 100%
2.15 102%
2.2 100%
2.1 105%
2.11 104%
CCT
6836 95%
6235 104%
6254 104%
7038 92%
6911 94%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
63.2
81
28%
71.8
14%
71.2
13%
64.2
2%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
98
99.6
2%
98.5
1%
98.8
1%
98.9
1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
9% / -3%
-20% / -43%
-3% / -13%
-18% / -20%

* ... smaller is better

CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN Grayscale calibrated
CalMAN Grayscale calibrated
CalMAN Saturation calibrated
CalMAN Saturation calibrated
CalMAN ColorChecker calibrated
CalMAN ColorChecker calibrated

At the time of delivery, the color reproduction is not optimal yet, and there is a slight blue-green tint. However, after our calibration with the X-Rite i1 Pro 2 photo spectrometer, the values are completely within the target range. In combination with the almost complete sRGB color-space coverage, you should be able to process images without any problems. As usual, our calibrated profile is available for your free download.

sRGB coverage: 98%
sRGB coverage: 98%
AdobeRGB coverage: 63.2%
AdobeRGB coverage: 63.2%

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
32 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.4 ms rise
↘ 15.6 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 84 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
52.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 25.6 ms rise
↘ 27.2 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 88 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 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 detected 1020 Hz ≤ 25 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 1020 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 25 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 1020 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Thanks to its matte surface and higher brightness, the Full HD panel is definitely the best choice when using the laptop outdoors. Due to the IPS technology, there are also no limitations in terms of the viewing angles.

Outdoors
Outdoors
Vertically shifted viewing angle
Vertically shifted viewing angle
Vertically and horizontally shifted viewing angle
Vertically and horizontally shifted viewing angle

Performance – An XPS 15 with a quad-core and PCIe SSD

Processor

The Intel Core i5-9300H is a current quad-core processor that is able to run eight threads simultaneously thanks to Hyper-Threading. You can find additional technical information on the 9300H here. In the direct comparison with the optional 6-core or even 8-core processors, the multi-core performance is of course significantly lower, but that does not mean at all that the processor is slow. In everyday operation, when there is often only a single active core, you will not feel a difference anyways. In battery operation, the performance is not limited.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (142.6 - 308, n=96, last 2 years)
249 Points +42%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK
201 Points +15%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
Intel Core i9-8950HK
190 Points +9%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
Intel Core i7-8750H
175 Points 0%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel Core i5-9300H
175 Points
Average Intel Core i5-9300H
  (169 - 176, n=11)
172.6 Points -1%
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
146 Points -17%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (580 - 4703, n=103, last 2 years)
2280 Points +190%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK
1600 (1090.6min, 1367.66P1 - 1369.3max) Points +103%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
Intel Core i7-8750H
1251 Points +59%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
Intel Core i7-8750H
1215 Points +54%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
Intel Core i9-8950HK
1230 Points +56%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel Core i5-9300H
787 (771.02min - 810.57max) Points
Average Intel Core i5-9300H
  (717 - 850, n=11)
784 Points 0%
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
508 Points -35%
0851702553404255105956807658509351020110511901275136014451530Tooltip
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel Core i5-9300H: Ø788 (771.02-810.57)
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650 Intel Core i9-9980HK, Intel Core i9-9980HK: Ø1314 (1090.6-1600.38)
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H; Undervolting: Ø1168 (1123.47-1219.85)
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1012 (980.27-1215.12)
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD Intel Core i9-8950HK, Intel Core i9-8950HK: Ø1095 (1008.45-1230.43)
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
787 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
54.5 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
175 Points
Help

System Performance – The Dell XPS with a fast PCIe SSD

The lack of the graphics card has no influence on the subjective performance capabilities, since the XPS 15 is a very responsive system even in its basic version. This is mainly due to the fast PCIe SSD.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (4039 - 8670, n=82, last 2 years)
6552 Points +60%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
5469 Points +33%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i9-8950HK, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
5059 Points +23%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
4966 Points +21%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
4105 Points
Average Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel UHD Graphics 630
 
4105 Points 0%
Essentials
Average of class Multimedia
  (8480 - 12420, n=82, last 2 years)
10417 Points +16%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
9701 Points +8%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
9000 Points
Average Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel UHD Graphics 630
 
9000 Points 0%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i9-8950HK, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
8951 Points -1%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
8429 Points -6%
Productivity
Average of class Multimedia
  (5462 - 11186, n=82, last 2 years)
8685 Points +28%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
7494 Points +11%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i9-8950HK, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
7212 Points +7%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
7037 Points +4%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
6771 Points
Average Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel UHD Graphics 630
 
6771 Points 0%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Multimedia
  (3861 - 13548, n=82, last 2 years)
8566 Points +177%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
6110 Points +97%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
5605 Points +81%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i9-8950HK, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
5444 Points +76%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
3096 Points
Average Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel UHD Graphics 630
 
3096 Points 0%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (4484 - 5525, n=9, last 2 years)
5075 Points +22%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
4175 Points
Average Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel UHD Graphics 630
 
4175 Points 0%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i9-8950HK, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
3840 Points -8%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
3799 Points -9%
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, WDC WD10SPCX-75KHST0 + SanDisk Z400s M.2 2242 32 GB Cache
3659 Points -12%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
3631 Points -13%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (3115 - 6078, n=9, last 2 years)
5278 Points +4%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
5070 Points
Average Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel UHD Graphics 630
 
5070 Points 0%
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, WDC WD10SPCX-75KHST0 + SanDisk Z400s M.2 2242 32 GB Cache
4884 Points -4%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
4762 Points -6%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i9-8950HK, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4620 Points -9%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
4418 Points -13%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4175 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5022 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5070 points
PCMark 10 Score
4105 points
Help
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3119 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 2778 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 326.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 383.1 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1978 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1698 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 41.87 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 93.6 MB/s

Graphics Card

GPU-Z Intel UHD Graphics 630
GPU-Z Intel UHD Graphics 630

The main difference between the two test units of the XPS 15 is of course the graphics card. Our basic unit has to make do without the dedicated GeForce GTX 1650, and the graphics computations are therefore only done by the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 of the processor. But is this really a problem? Here, it really depends on whether you want to run games on the laptop. If this is not the case, then the iGPU is fast enough for most tasks. Thanks to the integrated video decoder, even the reproduction of high-resolution videos (YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc.) is not a problem at all, since even with the GeForce GPU the Intel iGPU would handle these tasks anyways. During the video processing, it depends on which codec you use. As long as it is Intel's Quick-Sync technology, you won't have any problems with the UHD Graphics 630.

Those who only want to play games at home might also be better-served by the basic configuration. Thanks to the Thunderbolt-3 connection (with PCIe-x4 connection) you can connect external graphics cards without any trouble. Potentially, those can be significantly more powerful and also more future-proof than the GTX 1650 of the XPS 15.

Of course, the iGPU version of the XPS 15 has no chance against the GTX 1650 in the benchmarks, and it also looks rather bleak in the gaming tests. For simple games from the Windows store or older, classic games, the performance is sufficient, but generally, modern games are too demanding. You can find additional gaming benchmarks of the UHD Graphics 630 here.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Multimedia
  (3408 - 60250, n=87, last 2 years)
18296 Points +945%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
12388 Points +608%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-8750H
9079 Points +419%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i9-8950HK
9032 Points +416%
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
8201 Points +369%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel UHD Graphics 630, Intel Core i5-9300H
1750 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 630
  (642 - 2025, n=12)
1742 Points 0%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (14679 - 150699, n=61, last 2 years)
57744 Points +491%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
45246 Points +363%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i9-8950HK
42202 Points +332%
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
39864 Points +308%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel UHD Graphics 630, Intel Core i5-9300H
9765 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 630
  (3863 - 11199, n=9)
9333 Points -4%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (1835 - 46022, n=87, last 2 years)
13540 Points +1049%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
8532 Points +624%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-8750H
7428 Points +531%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i9-8950HK
7374 Points +526%
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
6393 Points +443%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 630
  (722 - 1472, n=11)
1228 Points +4%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel UHD Graphics 630, Intel Core i5-9300H
1178 Points
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (622 - 17620, n=87, last 2 years)
5121 Points +1241%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
3353 Points +778%
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-8750H
2278 Points +496%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 630
  (367 - 459, n=10)
410 Points +7%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Intel UHD Graphics 630, Intel Core i5-9300H
382 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
1989 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
9545 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1100 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
441 points
Help
low med. high ultra4K
BioShock Infinite (2013) 58.7 34.7 29.9 9.8
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 78 49.5 20.2 17.9 6.5
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 24.5 15.1 13.3

Emissions – The XPS with the iGPU is significantly quieter and cooler

Noise emissions

As expected, the iGPU version of the Dell XPS 15 is significantly quieter under load than the models with a dedicated graphics card that we tested previously. While you can still hear the fan clearly during high CPU loads, at a maximum of 37 dB(A), the whirring is much quieter. There were no other electronic noises.

Noise Level

Idle
29.3 / 29.3 / 29.8 dB(A)
Load
32.4 / 37.2 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: 29.3 dB(A)
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i9-8950HK, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, WDC WD10SPCX-75KHST0 + SanDisk Z400s M.2 2242 32 GB Cache
Noise
-9%
-5%
-5%
-18%
off / environment *
29.3
28.2
4%
29.9
-2%
28.2
4%
30.3
-3%
Idle Minimum *
29.3
28.2
4%
29.9
-2%
28.5
3%
31.6
-8%
Idle Average *
29.3
28.2
4%
29.9
-2%
28.6
2%
31.6
-8%
Idle Maximum *
29.8
30.4
-2%
30.3
-2%
28.8
3%
33.4
-12%
Load Average *
32.4
43.8
-35%
36.5
-13%
36.2
-12%
47.8
-48%
Load Maximum *
37.2
47.2
-27%
40.4
-9%
47.6
-28%
47.8
-28%
Witcher 3 ultra *
47.2
40.4
47.6

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The surface temperatures of our Dell XPS 15 also remain lower than in the versions with a dedicated graphics card. During the stress test, we only measure up to 45 °C (113 °F) at one spot on the top. With that, you can also rest the device in your lap even in this scenario. After a few minutes, the power consumption of the processor levels out at 45 watts, with about half of that being used for the iGPU, which always runs at its full 1050 MHz speed. The processor, on the other hand, still runs at a clock speed of 4x 2.3 GHz.

Beginning of the stress test
Beginning of the stress test
End of the stress test
End of the stress test
Max. Load
 42.4 °C
108 F
44.6 °C
112 F
33 °C
91 F
 
 38.4 °C
101 F
41.5 °C
107 F
33.7 °C
93 F
 
 28.6 °C
83 F
28.1 °C
83 F
28.9 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 44.6 °C = 112 F
Average: 35.5 °C = 96 F
33.3 °C
92 F
39 °C
102 F
37.9 °C
100 F
31.7 °C
89 F
36.3 °C
97 F
33.7 °C
93 F
29.1 °C
84 F
31.8 °C
89 F
31.8 °C
89 F
Maximum: 39 °C = 102 F
Average: 33.8 °C = 93 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.1 °C = 102 F | Room Temperature 21.8 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.5 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.6 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 39 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.1 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28.9 °C / 84 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-0.1 °C / -0.2 F).
Stress test - top
Stress test - top
Stress test - bottom
Stress test - bottom

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.932.82527.225.93126.225.54024.724.25023.924.66323.724.28022.922.410022.424.61252330.716022.53820022372502245.831521.354.540020.15750019.955.463018.864.980018.572.210001868125017.765.716001768.4200016.668.6250016.367.7315015.965400015.865.4500015.865.4630015.567.5800015.567.41000015.564.51250015.362.7160001555.8SPL29.379N1.244.2median 17.7median 64.9Delta2.59.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseDell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 69% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 24% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 53% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 39% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

We will not discuss the power consumption under load here, since the models with the dedicated graphics card will understandably use significantly more power. However, what you can clearly see in the measurements during idle operation is the much lower power consumption of the Full HD display. Despite the high brightness of our 1080p display, the 4K panels in the other XPS 15 models use twice as much power in parts. So those who treasure a battery life that is as long as possible will be served best by a 1080p display (regardless of the rest of the hardware configuration).

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.39 / 0.62 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.79 / 6.9 / 9.2 Watt
Load midlight 62 / 108 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
i5-9300H, UHD Graphics 630, IPS, 1920x1080
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, OLED, 3840x2160
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, IPS, 3840x2160
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
i9-8950HK, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, IPS, 3840x2160
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, LED IGZO IPS InfinityEdge, 1920x1080
Power Consumption
-65%
-87%
-65%
-33%
Idle Minimum *
3.79
6.2
-64%
9.48
-150%
7.1
-87%
6.6
-74%
Idle Average *
6.9
9.6
-39%
16.1
-133%
13.6
-97%
9
-30%
Idle Maximum *
9.2
21.2
-130%
16.9
-84%
14.1
-53%
10.7
-16%
Load Average *
62
104.3
-68%
90.8
-46%
103.9
-68%
77.5
-25%
Load Maximum *
108
135.3
-25%
134.4
-24%
130.9
-21%
130
-20%
Witcher 3 ultra *
91.7
103

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

With its large 97-Wh battery and the low power consumption, we register an excellent battery life. In the WLAN test with an adjusted brightness of 150 nits, the entry-level XPS lasts for more than 14 hours, which is almost 7 hours longer than the OLED version of the XPS and more than 4.5 hours longer than the IPS 4K model. In the video test, our test unit even lasts for 17.5 hours. 

At maximum brightness, the runtime in the WLAN test is still an excellent 10:40 hours. There is no quick-charge function, and it takes 2.5 hours to completely recharge the battery.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 44.18362.329.0)
14h 04min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness
10h 40min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
17h 33min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 40min
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
i5-9300H, UHD Graphics 630, 97 Wh
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 97 Wh
Dell XPS 15 9570 i7 UHD
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, 97 Wh
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
i9-8950HK, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, 97 Wh
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 56 Wh
Average of class Multimedia
 
Battery Runtime
27%
-29%
-39%
-38%
-24%
H.264
1053
738
-30%
680 ?(319 - 1481, n=49, last 2 years)
-35%
WiFi v1.3
844
467
-45%
576
-32%
514
-39%
334
-60%
560 ?(262 - 1204, n=92, last 2 years)
-34%
Load
100
199
99%
76
-24%
62
-38%
84
-16%
96.9 ?(39 - 215, n=73, last 2 years)
-3%
Witcher 3 ultra
62
81.8 ?(57 - 104, n=5, last 2 years)

Pros

+ easy maintenance options; expandable RAM, SSD, and WLAN
+ very good 1080p display (matte, very bright, full sRGB coverage)
+ Thunderbolt 3 and USB Type-C power delivery
+ very quiet during surfing and streaming
+ excellent battery life
+ very extensive selection of models
+ solid case design

Cons

- base version with significantly lower graphics performance
- small and narrow arrow keys
- surfaces are susceptible to dirt
- still has some latency problems
- only 12-month standard warranty
- no quick-charge function

Verdict

In review: Dell XPS 15 7590.
In review: Dell XPS 15 7590.

Even without a dedicated GeForce graphics card, the Dell XPS 15 is a good multimedia notebook. Those who don't want to play mobile games or plan to use an external graphics card at their desk at home are better served with the iGPU version anyway. Particularly in terms of the emissions (temperature and noise) and the price, there are some clear advantages. For most users, the rest of the equipment of the basic configuration is surely sufficient in everyday use. 

Those who don't play mobile games and just want a high-quality multimedia notebook with a very good 1080p display will definitely not go wrong with the basic version of the current Dell XPS 15 7590. There are even some advantages such as the better usability outdoors and the excellent battery life that you won't get with the 4K versions of the XPS 15.

The matte Full HD display is a very good choice and even has advantages compared to the 4K panels in terms of the maximum brightness. In combination with the matte surface and the low power consumption, it is clearly the better choice if you often do mobile work. You can then also benefit from the extremely long battery life, which you cannot achieve with the 4K versions (regardless of IPS or OLED) of the XPS 15.

Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD - 09/26/2019 v7
Andreas Osthoff

Chassis
94 / 98 → 96%
Keyboard
89%
Pointing Device
94%
Connectivity
66 / 80 → 82%
Weight
64 / 20-72 → 85%
Battery
90 / 95 → 95%
Display
89%
Games Performance
51 / 90 → 56%
Application Performance
88 / 90 → 98%
Temperature
93%
Noise
96 / 95 → 100%
Audio
75%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
79%
86%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Dell XPS 15 7590 Laptop Review: Is the base model with Core i5 and FHD panel sufficient?
Andreas Osthoff, 2019-09-27 (Update: 2019-09-28)