Dell Inspiron 14 5410 (2-in-1) review

Dell Inspiron 14 5410 2-in-1 (2021): the year the convertible got a GPU

The Dell Inspiron 14 5410 2-in-1 answers its predecessor's biggest gap: a Core i3 1125G4 now paired with a GeForce MX450 2GB and 16GB of memory at $666. The graphics score jumps to 44.73 — 1065 percent above the convertible-class median of 3.84 — and photo design climbs to 65, high-band. The measured game data backs the jump: Far Cry 5 clears its recommended bar at 34 frames per second.

Where it holds up

Photo at 65 high-band and portability at 68.3 high-band make a balanced flip-form sheet: creative enough for light Adobe work, light enough to carry. Gaming at 44 and modeling at 42 are mid-tier, CAD at 44 mid-tier, performance at 50.01 sits 34 percent above the class median, and value at 68.55 is high-band — the sheet defends its own price, a rarity in this convertible tier.

Where it falls short

Memory is the named weakness: 16GB against a convertible-class median of 32, half the ceiling its own 5406 predecessor carried — the GPU arrived and the memory went. The MX450's 2GB framebuffer limits the gaming the score invites, and office at 65.25 is high-band but a tier below the 77-plus readings of the newer convertibles. The i3 remains entry silicon.

Price and depreciation

At $666 with an 11.12 percent annual class-level rate and an empty dollar ledger, first-year exposure sits with the buyer. The value reading of 68.55, high-band, is the transaction's endorsement — between the two siblings it arbitrates cleanly: $100 over the 5406 buys the GPU tier and the value reading rises with it rather than against it.

Alternatives to consider

The Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1 (2020) at $566: half the memory, no GPU, $100 less — the budget route. The Inspiron 14 7420 Intel 2-in-1 (2022) at $783 is the next rung with an MX550, 32GB, and portability at 66.2. The HP Pavilion 14 (2021) at $399 matches the MX350-class graphics tier in a non-convertible body for $267 less.

Bottom line

Fairly priced for the class. The 5410 2-in-1 gives the budget convertible a real GPU: photo at 65 high-band, high-band portability and value, a measured 34 fps Far Cry 5 clearance — against a 16GB ceiling, entry i3 silicon, and 2GB of video memory. It is the sensible middle of Dell's 14-inch flip-form line in this batch.