Dell Inspiron 16 (5640) vs Lenovo Legion Go
The Verdict
Dell Inspiron 16 and Lenovo Legion Go serve fundamentally different use cases, making direct comparison challenging. Dell's 16-inch laptop excels as a traditional productivity machine with a spacious WVA display, Intel Core 7 processor, and 9-hour battery life ideal for work and streaming. Its aluminum construction, full port selection including Thunderbolt, and keyboard make it a conventional laptop experience at $799. Lenovo Legion Go, conversely, is a handheld gaming device weighing just 854g with an exceptional 8.8-inch 144Hz display and powerful AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor for gaming on-the-go. However, battery life drops to 1.5-6 hours depending on load, and it lacks traditional productivity features like a keyboard. Choose Dell for professional work and everyday computing, or Legion Go if portable gaming is your priority.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Dell Inspiron 16 (5640) if…
- →Affordable 16-inch productivity laptop
- →Generous port selection including HDMI and USB-A
- →Comfortable keyboard with numpad
Buy the Lenovo Legion Go if…
- →Largest display at 8.8 inches with QHD+ 2560 x 1600 resolution
- →144Hz refresh rate is the highest among gaming handhelds
- →Detachable controllers enable tabletop mode like Nintendo Switch
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Dell Inspiron 16 (5640)
Pros
- Affordable 16-inch productivity laptop
- Generous port selection including HDMI and USB-A
- Comfortable keyboard with numpad
- 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD in base config
- Upgradeable storage and memory
Cons
- Dim 250-nit display unsuitable for bright rooms
- Plastic base feels less premium
- Mediocre battery life around 9 hours
- Low-power Core 7 150U trails H-class chips
- No discrete GPU option
Lenovo Legion Go
Pros
- Largest display at 8.8 inches with QHD+ 2560 x 1600 resolution
- 144Hz refresh rate is the highest among gaming handhelds
- Detachable controllers enable tabletop mode like Nintendo Switch
- Built-in kickstand for hands-free tabletop gaming
- FPS mode with mouse-like right controller trackball is innovative
Cons
- Very heavy at 854 g with controllers — fatiguing for handheld use
- Battery life is poor at 1.5-6 hours depending on settings
- Windows 11 is clunky for handheld navigation without a mouse
- QHD+ resolution is demanding — most games need to run at 720p/1080p anyway
- Detachable controller latency can occur occasionally
Full Specifications
| Spec | Dell Inspiron 16 (5640) | Lenovo Legion Go |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.90 kg | 854 g (with controllers) |
| Material | Aluminum lid with plastic base | Plastic chassis with detachable controllers |
| Dimensions | 357.9 x 252.0 x 19.0 mm | 299 x 131 x 40.7 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | — |
| USB-A ports | 2 | — |
| USB-C ports | 1 | 2 |
| SD card | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 1 | — |
| Microsd | — | |
| Headphone Jack | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours mixed use | 1.5-6 hours (game dependent) |
| Capacity | 54 Wh | 49.2 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 16.0 inches | 8.8 inches |
| Type | WVA anti-glare LED | IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 144Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 250 | 500 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB NVMe | — |
| Expandable storage | — | |
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | — | |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB DDR5 | 16 GB LPDDR5x (7500 MT/s) |
| Cores | 10-core (2P+8E) | 8-core CPU, RDNA 3 (12 CUs) integrated GPU |
| Chipset | Intel Core 7 150U | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Zen 4, 8-core / 16-thread, up to 5.1 GHz) |
| Memory | ||
| Storage options | — | 512 GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD, 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wi-Fi | — | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | — | 5.2 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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