Dell Inspiron i3552-8040BLK 15.6-Inch Laptop (Intel Pentium, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD)

The Dell Inspiron i3552-8040BLK is a 350-dollar entry-level laptop computer with a 15.6″ display and a solid state drive as a stand out feature in comparison to its inexpensive competitors.

This no-frills machine is based on the Intel Pentium N3700 quad-core processor. The CPU is just a basic one, but still noticeably faster than the Celerons, typically used in cheap laptops. The Pentium chip will easily satisfy your day-to-day computing needs, like web surfing, multimedia playback, and work in office software like Word and Excel. The included Intel HD integrated graphics is good only for the lowest-level gaming, while 4GB of system memory is capacious enough for moderate multitasking. The built-in storage device is the best selling point of the Dell Inspiron i3552-8040BLK. We applaud Dell for using a solid state drive instead of an old-school hard disk in this affordable notebook. True, the 128GB capacity is far below 500GB or more of a usual HDD, but SSDs generally deliver much better read and write performance, making Windows and program loading way faster.

Another admirable fact is that storage and memory are user-replaceable, meaning you’ll be able to easily upgrade them. The notebook has a dedicated door on the bottom for that purpose, held by only two screws. The 40 WHr battery is user-replaceable, too. The default 40 WHr unit can provide “at least six hours” of battery life, according to Dell.

The i3552-8040BLK doesn’t have a built-in DVD drive, but other important features are included. There’s a full-size keyboard with a dedicated number pad, trackpad with click buttons integrated in its one-piece surface, stereo speakers, a 720p-resolution web camera, 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless, Bluetooth, HDMI video output port, one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 connectors, an SD multi-format media card reader, and a combo headphones and microphone audio port.

Advanced users will probably dislike the 1366×768 display resolution. The screen might be a deal breaker for them and those who know that for the same amount of money can currently get a Full HD laptop. In particular, the Asus F555LA-AB31, which also includes a faster Intel Core i3 processor, and a DVD drive.

The weight of 4.7 pounds is below the average of the 15.6-inch laptop category, usually weighing above 5 lbs.

All components are wrapped in a simplistic-looking shell, made of black plastics.

Here are the specs of the Dell Inspiron i3552-8040BLK with descriptions of its features. For comparison against other laptops, you can use the "Compare Specs" button.

Brand	Dell
Screen Size	15.6-inch This is by far the most popular laptop screen size. It provides a lot of screen real estate, while avoiding bulkiness of the 17.3" laptops.
Screen Resolution	1366x768 pixels HD This is an entry-level screen resolution, oftentimes found on budget laptops. It doesn't deliver picture sharpness and space on the screen like the Full HD or higher resolution laptop displays do.
Touchscreen	No This laptop doesn't support touchscreen input.
Other Display Specs	TN type Displays based on the old TN technology lack wide viewing angles you can find on IPS screens. The colors may look washed out or inverted at certain viewing angles.
Processor (CPU)	Intel Pentium N3700 (can do usual tasks, but can be slow)
Graphics (GPU)	Intel HD integrated graphics of low-end CPUs (only for the lightest gaming)
System Memory (RAM) Size	4GB RAM 4GB is a small RAM size for computing in 2023. For smooth operation of a laptop during everyday tasks, at least 8GB is recommended.
Data Storage	128GB SSD 128GB is a relatively small storage space. However, it is usable if you don't store a lot of large files like movies and don't install a lot of programs.
DVD Optical Drive	None
Keyboard & Input	Non-backlit keyboard with dedicated number pad The keyboard has a separate numeric pad on the right side of the keyboard, but it has no keyboard backlight. Touchpad with click buttons built into the surface The left and right click buttons are built into the surface of the touchpad, as opposed to separate physical buttons.
Speakers & Audio	Stereo speakers As usual, the device features a pair of built-in stereo speakers. Combo microphone and headphones audio jack This laptop has the ordinary 3.5mm combo audio jack that supports both headphone output and microphone input simultaneously.
Camera	Front-facing web camera Laptops usually feature a frontal webcam located on the display bezel. This laptop is no exception.
Wi-Fi Wireless	802.11N 802.11N is an old Wi-Fi standard, precursor of the 802.11AC and the latest 802.11AX with improved data transfer speeds and connectivity. 802.11N is rarely used in modern laptops.
Ethernet Network Port	No This laptop has no Ethernet LAN port for wired internet and networking connectivity.
Mobile broadband (4G LTE)	No
Bluetooth	Yes This laptop has a built-in Bluetooth module. It enables you to connect the computer to Bluetooth mice and other Bluetooth peripherals, smartphones, and other Bluetooth-equipped devices.
USB Ports	2 x USB 2.0 + 1 x USB 3.0 A total of three full-size Type A USB ports.
Video Output Ports	1 x HDMI HDMI is a widely used digital video output port. You can find HDMI-in ports on most computer monitors and TVs.
Media Card Reader	SD card reader The laptop has a slot for full-size SD memory cards, used in many digital cameras. You can also use microSD cards with a card adapter.
Battery	4-cell 40 WHr, "at least 6 hours" of battery life
Weight	4.7 pounds
Height	0.9"
Width	14.9"
Depth	10.2"
Windows Version	Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Home is aimed at the regular home and office computer users. Only select business users need the Professional edition. Windows 10 Home users are eligible for a free upgrade to the latest Windows 11 Home.
Warranty	1-year A typical laptop warranty.