Dell G5 15 SE (2020): A Solid Budget Offering

The market for budget gaming laptops is ultra-competitive these days, with the latest components from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia allowing for better performance than ever at lower prices.

- MATTHEW BUZZI

The 2020 version of the Dell G5 15 SE goes with AMD for its CPU and GPU, delivering great multimedia and decent gaming performance at a reasonable price. It’s a tight field, though, and the G5 15 SE may not do quite enough to separate itself from the pack. The design is a bit basic and hefty; gaming frame rates don’t hang with those from like-priced Nvidia-based laptops; and the storage capacity is restrictive. It’s a pretty good gaming laptop on the whole, but we prefer the Acer Predator Helios 300 at the same price, and the MSI GL65 9SC as a less expensive value option.

A STURDY BUILD, AND DESIGN THAT BLENDS IN

The G5 15 SE is a pretty modest-looking laptop, featuring a few design flourishes without screaming that it’s a gaming rig. Most of these flourishes can be found on the lid—silver with two vertical lines and a shiny Dell logo in the center. Other than that, the notebook is basic-looking, with gray plastic on the bottom panel and a plain black keyboard deck. While I’m not asking for garish gaming colors, I find the design a bit boring, but others may appreciate the restrained look that can blend in anywhere.

In terms of size, the G5 15 SE is also pretty standard. Most laptops, even potent gaming machines, have gotten thinner and lighter in recent years, but the G5 doesn’t fully follow this trend. It’s not bulky, but at 0.85 by 14.4 by 10 inches and 5.5 pounds, it hardly qualifies as thin and light.