Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 Laptop – An In-Depth Review

The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 is a high-performance laptop tailored for users who demand a balanced blend of power, portability, and display quality. With its 16.0-inch 2.5K display, 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, generous memory and storage, and Windows 11 Home, this machine positions itself as an ideal choice for both productivity and entertainment. In this review, we take a comprehensive look at each aspect of the Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 to help you determine whether it fits your needs.

Design and Build Quality

The Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 has a modern, clean aesthetic. Dell has used aluminum on parts of the chassis, which gives it a premium feel compared to plastic-bodied alternatives. The build quality is solid, with minimal flex on the lid and keyboard deck. Weighing approximately 4.4 pounds and measuring just under an inch in thickness, it maintains a good balance between screen size and portability. This makes it suitable for professionals and students alike who need a larger screen but still want something reasonably mobile.

The minimalist design extends to the keyboard and trackpad area. The keys are well-spaced and have decent travel, providing a comfortable typing experience for extended sessions. The touchpad is large, responsive, and supports multi-touch gestures fluidly. The backlit keyboard adds a layer of convenience in low-light conditions, which is useful for late-night work or travel.

Display

One of the standout features of the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 is its 16.0-inch 16:10 aspect ratio display with a 2.5K (2560 x 1600) resolution. The 16:10 format offers extra vertical screen real estate compared to the traditional 16:9, which is particularly beneficial when scrolling through documents, working on spreadsheets, or browsing the web.

The display itself is sharp, with crisp text and vibrant colors, making it well-suited for media consumption and creative work. Brightness levels are adequate for indoor environments, though it may struggle under direct sunlight. The color accuracy is sufficient for general use, and while it may not meet the standards of professional photo editors or graphic designers, it’s more than acceptable for casual creative tasks and high-definition streaming.

Performance

Powering the Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 is the Intel Core i7-13620H processor, part of Intel’s 13th generation lineup. This chip brings ten cores (six performance cores and four efficiency cores) and high boost clock speeds, making it highly capable for both multitasking and demanding applications. Paired with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, the laptop delivers snappy performance across a wide range of use cases.

Whether you’re working with large Excel files, editing photos in Lightroom, managing virtual machines, or switching between dozens of browser tabs, the system handles tasks with ease. The use of LPDDR5 memory ensures faster bandwidth and lower power consumption, contributing to both performance and battery life improvements.

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics are serviceable for basic graphical tasks, such as streaming high-definition content, photo editing, and casual gaming. However, this laptop is not intended for intensive gaming or high-end 3D rendering. For users who need powerful graphical performance, a model with a dedicated GPU would be a better fit.

Storage

The 1TB solid-state drive (SSD) is a highlight in the Inspiron 16 Plus 7640, offering ample space for applications, games, work files, and media. The SSD ensures quick boot times, fast file access, and smooth overall responsiveness. Dell uses NVMe technology in this drive, which brings significant performance gains compared to older SATA-based SSDs.

This generous storage capacity makes it ideal for users who deal with large files, such as video editors or software developers, and eliminates the need to carry an external drive for most purposes.

Operating System and Software

The laptop ships with Windows 11 Home, which provides a refreshed user interface, improved productivity features, and better support for touch and pen inputs. The redesigned Start menu, snap layouts, and integration with Microsoft Teams are especially helpful for business users and remote workers.

Dell includes some of its proprietary utilities like Dell SupportAssist, which helps manage system updates, performance tuning, and troubleshooting. Fortunately, the system is relatively free from excessive bloatware, allowing users to personalize their setup without needing to uninstall unwanted software.

Ports and Connectivity

The Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 offers a versatile selection of ports. Users get USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, and a headphone jack, which covers most everyday use cases. The inclusion of USB-C enhances compatibility with modern peripherals and allows for fast data transfer and charging. The HDMI port makes it easy to connect to external displays or projectors, which is useful for presentations or dual-screen setups.

Wireless connectivity is strong, with Wi-Fi 6 support providing faster and more reliable internet access compared to previous generations. Bluetooth is also available for connecting wireless peripherals like headphones, keyboards, and mice.

Battery Life

Battery life on the Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 is respectable, especially for a device with a high-resolution display and powerful processor. Under moderate usage—such as browsing, video streaming, and document editing—you can expect around 7 to 9 hours of use on a single charge. More intensive tasks like video editing or heavy multitasking will shorten that number, but for most users, the battery will comfortably last through a work or school day.

Onsite & Migrate Service

Dell includes Onsite and Migrate Service as part of the package. Onsite service provides added peace of mind, with technicians available to perform repairs or diagnostics at your location in case of hardware issues. The Migrate Service helps users transfer data and settings from an older machine to the new Inspiron, easing the transition and reducing setup time. These services add real value, especially for non-tech-savvy users or professionals who can’t afford prolonged downtime.

Final Thoughts

The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 strikes a solid balance between performance, screen size, and portability. Its high-resolution 16:10 display, powerful 13th Gen Intel processor, fast LPDDR5 memory, and spacious 1TB SSD make it a strong contender in the premium mid-range laptop market.

While it’s not intended for hardcore gamers or users needing discrete graphics, it excels as a productivity workhorse, media machine, and general-purpose laptop for professionals, students, and casual creators alike. With the added benefits of onsite support and migration assistance, it provides a user-friendly, dependable experience right out of the box.

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Review: BlackBerry Q10 Unlocked Cellphone (16GB, Black)

The BlackBerry Q10 was a pivotal device in the history of mobile phones. Released in 2013, it marked BlackBerry's attempt to bridge the gap between the familiar tactile keyboards it was known for and the growing demand for touchscreen smartphones. This review delves into the features, performance, and overall experience of the BlackBerry Q10 (Unlocked, 16GB, Black) to assess its legacy and whether it's still worth considering today.

Overview

The BlackBerry Q10 was one of the last smartphones to feature BlackBerry’s signature physical QWERTY keyboard, a characteristic that once defined the brand. Powered by BlackBerry 10 OS, it was aimed at users who sought productivity, security, and a no-frills mobile experience. While it didn't compete directly with mainstream Android or iOS devices in terms of raw performance or app ecosystem, its target audience appreciated its streamlined approach to communication and business.

The Unlocked version of the Q10 is particularly versatile, allowing users to switch carriers without being tied to a specific provider. The 16GB of internal storage is modest by modern standards but can be expanded via microSD for those needing additional space. Let’s dive deeper into the device's build, performance, display, camera, software, and value proposition.

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Design & Build Quality

Dimensions: 119.6 x 66.8 x 10.4 mm
Weight: 139 grams (4.9 oz)
Materials: Plastic back, glass front with a metal frame

One of the standout features of the BlackBerry Q10 is its design, which continues BlackBerry's tradition of producing solid, business-oriented devices with an emphasis on durability and utility.

The Q10’s compact size makes it extremely pocketable, and its weight feels balanced and premium. The back cover is made of textured plastic, providing a secure, non-slippery grip. The front of the phone is dominated by a 3.1-inch AMOLED display above which sits the iconic physical QWERTY keyboard, still beloved by many long-time BlackBerry users. This keyboard is one of the device’s defining features, offering a satisfying tactile typing experience that makes text input fast and accurate.

The Q10’s screen size may seem small by today’s standards, but for those who prioritize communication and typing over media consumption, it strikes the perfect balance between compactness and usability.

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Display

Display Size: 3.1 inches
Resolution: 720 x 720 pixels (~328 ppi)
Technology: Super AMOLED

The display of the BlackBerry Q10 is small but sharp, offering a 720 x 720 resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 328 ppi. While it's not in the same league as the modern, edge-to-edge OLED displays seen on flagship smartphones, it remains sufficiently sharp and vibrant for its intended purpose. Text, emails, and other productivity tools look clear and crisp, which is essential for business-focused usage.

While the small screen might be a limiting factor for media consumption, social media, and modern gaming, the Q10's display serves its primary role of communication very well. The AMOLED panel also offers deep blacks and vibrant colors, though brightness levels are a bit lacking compared to today's standards, especially under direct sunlight.

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Performance & Hardware

Processor: 1.5 GHz Dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus
RAM: 2GB
Internal Storage: 16GB, expandable via microSD (up to 64GB)

The BlackBerry Q10 was equipped with a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus processor, paired with 2GB of RAM. At the time of its release, this was a decent mid-range configuration. However, in the context of today’s standards, it feels outdated and may struggle to handle the demands of modern apps, multitasking, and mobile gaming.

For day-to-day tasks such as browsing, email, messaging, and calendar management, the Q10 holds up reasonably well. The BlackBerry 10 OS was optimized to run efficiently on the device’s hardware, offering quick app launches and smooth transitions. However, users expecting performance akin to Android or iOS devices with higher-end processors may find the Q10 sluggish, particularly with more resource-intensive apps.

Battery Life

Battery: 2100 mAh
Standby Time: Up to 13 days
Talk Time: Up to 13 hours

The BlackBerry Q10 features a 2100 mAh battery, which is relatively large for a device of its size and age. In practice, the battery performs well under typical usage, easily lasting a full day with moderate use (email, texting, web browsing, etc.). Heavy users might need to charge mid-day, but overall, the Q10 was known for being more power-efficient than some of its Android counterparts at the time.

While the device’s battery life is solid for its class, it’s important to note that the Q10 doesn’t feature any fast-charging technology or wireless charging. This means that charging times can be slower than what users may expect from more modern devices.

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Camera

Rear Camera: 8 MP with LED Flash
Front Camera: 2 MP

The BlackBerry Q10 features an 8 MP rear camera with an LED flash and a 2 MP front camera. In 2013, these specs were competitive for a business phone, but they now lag behind modern smartphone cameras.

The Q10’s camera is capable of producing decent photos in good lighting conditions, with relatively accurate color reproduction and sharpness. However, the camera struggles in low-light environments, where noise becomes noticeable, and detail is often lost. The video recording is limited to 1080p at 30fps, which is acceptable for casual video but not on par with current flagships.

For users who prioritize photography or video capture, the Q10 will likely fall short, but for basic snapshots and video calls, it still gets the job done.

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Software: BlackBerry 10 OS

The BlackBerry Q10 runs on BlackBerry 10 OS, which was a revolutionary mobile operating system designed with productivity and security in mind. It was one of the few operating systems at the time to offer features like multi-tasking, a BlackBerry Hub for managing emails and notifications, and robust security features. However, the biggest downside to BlackBerry 10 OS is its lack of app support compared to Android and iOS, which made it a niche device for business users who didn’t need access to a wide variety of mobile apps.

BlackBerry Hub is arguably the highlight of the operating system, offering users a unified inbox where they can manage emails, texts, social media, and other notifications all in one place. This streamlined approach to communication makes the Q10 an excellent device for those who prioritize productivity.

Despite the elegance and efficiency of BlackBerry 10 OS, the ecosystem is now largely abandoned, as BlackBerry ceased developing its own mobile operating system after 2016. This means the Q10 lacks many modern features, and you won't find support for many popular apps such as WhatsApp (though workarounds like running Android apps via a sideloaded Android runtime exist).

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Value Proposition & Conclusion

In 2024, the BlackBerry Q10 is undoubtedly a relic of a bygone era. While it was once an excellent device for business professionals who appreciated productivity, security, and the physical keyboard, modern smartphones offer far superior performance, app ecosystems, and display quality. The Q10 simply cannot keep up with the demands of today's mobile landscape.

However, the BlackBerry Q10 still holds value for nostalgic users, collectors, and those who have a strong preference for a physical keyboard. For basic communication, such as calling, texting, emailing, and social media management, the Q10 can still serve as a functional, albeit limited, device. If you're looking for a modern phone that excels in media, gaming, and app support, then the Q10 is not the right choice. But for users who seek a distraction-free, keyboard-centric experience, the Q10 remains a charming option.

In conclusion, while the BlackBerry Q10 may not be a practical choice in 2024 for most users, it remains a symbol of the brand's commitment to productivity and security, and a phone that still offers a unique experience in today’s touchscreen-dominated world.

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