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Updated January 10, 2024·
For maximum performance, particularly with intensive engineering tasks, the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 will serve you better as it offers more storage, more RAM, and a more powerful processor. It's less portable than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 due to its larger size and weight. The Microsoft Surface, on the other hand, has a touchscreen and is more portable and lighter, making it suitable for general use and when on the go. Both have a comparable battery life and are similarly priced. If your priority is on-screen work and portability, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is a good choice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5635
- Very good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 offers a stronger CPU, more RAM, and a larger, higher-resolution screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, which translates to better overall performance for general use; however, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is praised for its portability and battery life, making it a more travel-friendly option but with less power and smaller storage capacity.
Engineering and Design
7.3
6.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is better suited for engineering and design use because it has more memory and a more powerful CPU and GPU, which are crucial for running complex software efficiently, and a high-resolution screen that is beneficial for detailed work, though it is less portable and heavier than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, which has less memory and a less powerful CPU and GPU, making it only fair for such demanding tasks but offering greater portability due to its lighter weight.
Content Creation
7.9
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for software development, though the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.6
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for software development, and content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
If you prioritize viewing documents and browsing, both the Dell Inspiron and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 have adequate display characteristics, but the Surface shines with higher resolution and brightness, enhancing your everyday experience. For engineering and design tasks that demand color accuracy, the Surface Laptop Go 2's superior color gamut coverage will provide more precise and vibrant visuals. However, neither laptop is ideal for gaming or 3D work due to their lower refresh rates, but their other display qualities are sufficient for casual use or tasks that don't require fast-moving visuals.
Portability
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$700
$774
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a price of $700 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $774.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has 8 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 5635 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $774 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.72'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.05" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 265 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 16 5635
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Dig into reviews and images
UltrabookReview
Derek Sullivan | January 2023
"Compared to the previous year’s Inspiron, Dell upgraded the screen aspect ratio on this generation, but also transitioned to a more minimalistic centered keyboard flanked by up-firing speakers. The 16-inch screen is huge plus and I really appreciate the extra real estate without sacrificing the footprint much. This year’s model is a little larger than last, though, as the former model was already very small for a 15 incher."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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