When we hear the word Dell In combination with "gaming laptops", we have two associations. The first is the most affordable market offers (Dell G3 and G5). The second – Alienware , A series of powerful models with an unforgettable logo in the form of an alien head. However, Dell is also presented in other segments: for example, its G7 7700 – This is a strong game machine that does not differ in price from the main competitors, but at the same time is masked for a regular working laptop. Let's figure out what it is and what pros and cons are fraught with the upper price segment of the company.
Acquaintance
To begin with, we had a laptop almost in the top version – on Intel Core i7-10750h And Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super. Despite this, the G7 is supplied in a very modest configuration: a utilitarian cardboard box, and inside – layers of the same cardboard in which a laptop, instructions and almost a kilogram power supply for 240 watts are clamped. It is interesting that Dell moved away from the usual shape of the brick and a little flattened power: it became noticeably wider and longer than we got used to (20×10 cm), but in thickness met two centimeters. And this is a successful solution: a thin block is easier to fit into a bag or backpack.
The laptop itself is a full-sized 17-inch model: narrow, relatively thin, but long due to the “tail” behind the display. The latter, like everyone else, was used to push the cooling system away from the keyboard and prevent the keys to heating. Running forward, we immediately admit: it did not work out. The keys are heated to tangible 50 degrees, but with such a tail it is convenient to drag the laptop from place to place with the open display. You pick up the case from below, hold your palm by the tail – and move to the kitchen to drink tea and eat sandwiches without looking up from the game or work.
Interesting G7 and design. The fact that this is a gaming machine, says only a line of illumination at the front end: it passes in the entire width of the case and illuminates the table in front of the laptop. You can configure the color and brightness of the strip for yourself, as well as completely disconnect it. True, for some reason they do not allow you to choose a glow time. By default, the illumination is turned off after a minute of inaction, and lights up only after pressing the keyboard button or touching the touchpad – there is no reaction. The same applies to the keyboard: it is also RGB here and tunes in four independent zones.
But back to the design. If you turn off the front backlight, no one will think that they have a game machine in front of RTX 2070S. A strict working laptop – yes, an expensive Internet and video system – also yes, but definitely not a gamer assembly. Everything is very strict here: sharp edges, a pleasant texture under the graphene on all panels, the lack of gloss, screaming logos or elaborate inscriptions. That is, it is precisely the car that can be ordered from the office supposedly for remote work on the editing of the video, and no one will even understand that you are going to chase on it in Cyberpunk 2077.
But the assembly leaves a double impression. If you do not find fault, then everything is fine: we like the idea with a raised screen on the central hinges, and a tight lid, which confidently holds at the corners of up to 140 degrees, and adjusting the panels, and tactile sensations. But the choice of materials of the case is not very clear. Dell tried to combine metal with plastic and eventually did not hold the stiffness: the panel around the keyboard bends, and the lower half is bending when pressed.
Management and screen
The matrices of this model are always built on the MVA by the Full HD resolution and with the full coverage of SRGB, but the frequency can be both 144 and 300 Hz, both in our sample. In terms of characteristics, full order: coverage is 98.4% SRGB, and the deviation by color after calibration is laid in 0.31. In other words, neither the colors nor the accuracy of their display have problems with the matrix; We did not notice any critical lights. As for speed, the matrix holds its 300 Hz, and fans of e -sports will definitely like.
The situation is this: the touchpad without separate buttons, which is not very good for games, but in terms of dimensions this is probably the largest panel that we have seen in laptops recently: 115×80 mm. We even had the idea that it would not be a sin to apply a stylus to such a healthy panel – the area would be enough for small drawings.
We also have no special complaints about the keyboard – Dell traditionally uses short -term keys with a rigid response. Judging by the reviews, some users do not really like this option, but to our taste it is as close as possible to the sensations from the mechanics: the finger accelerates, hits the key and sharply inhibits at the end of the course. We have no questions about combinations. Despite the fact that the keyboard nevertheless blocks multiple presses, we could not find at least some real combination of buttons for games that would not work. Pleased the sizes of the caps on the keys. To the fact that the bulk of all has long been made full -fledged, we managed to get used to it, but Dell stood out that I did not narrow the digital block.
We will write down the advantages and support of macros. This is extremely useful and easy to perform a thing, but for some reason it is ignored by almost all laptop manufacturers SuperNova Casino. In Dell, it was implemented through four additional buttons above the digital block. From additional controls, we also note that all volume and backlight settings are implemented through a combination of the FN and row F1-F12 key. Plus there is an additional key in the far left corner, which is called Game Shift. As planned by developers, it should switch the laptop between different work options. The “balanced mode” is activated in the normal state, and “productive” is launched by pressing the key, which displays fans to the maximum and adds speed to the processor and video card. In games, this thing really works.
Binding
In our version on the left side stood a united 3.5 mm jack for headsets and USB 3.2 gen.1 with the Power Share function, which allows you to charge phones, tablets and mice, even if the laptop is completely disconnected. On the right side we had another USB 3.2 gen.2 and cardrider for SD cards. All other ports went on the back: LAN, HDMI 2.0, Mini DisplayPort and two USB 3.2 gen.2, one of which is Type-C.
Dell put four speakers on the sound: two in front of the display and two inside the case in the front panel area. They sound pleasant, and so much that you can not only watch youtube, but also listen to the music. True, at some frequencies, the speakers resonate slightly with the housing. As for the headphones, they are engaged in a friend Realtek Alc1220 , which is enough to build up to 64 Ohms. In addition to Dell, he was equipped with his own software, in which it is possible to add a reverb and the frequencies to adjust.
The company has been interesting with the possibilities for modernization. The lower cover is not pasted with seals and easily removed: you just need to unscrew eight bolts and remove the bar from the latches – thus you can change the ranger or add the drives. In our version, for example, there was already one NVMe volume on Teraba and a speed of 3 GB/s. However, it is allowed to add another same disk to it to the neighboring M.2-slot. True, the second SSD will work without cooling: the metal bar is not provided for it. There are also versions of the G7 7700, in which a 2.5-inch drive also approaches-they go with a shortened battery.
Iron and tests
RAM in our version there were two strips of 8 GB with a frequency of 3200 MHz. The processor, as already said, Intel Core i7-10750h: six nuclei and 12 flows with a frequency of up to 5 GHz. The video card is almost a top -end NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super with 8 GB GDDR6 and an official frequency of up to 1560 MHz.
With the cooling of such a powerful and hot iron, Dell went to an extremely bold step. She put three radiators: two in the back and one small on the right side, and on blowing she allocated two turbines with a diameter of 45 mm. At the same time, the radiators connect only three heat grips with the processor and video card. As a result, the gland is difficult here, and the fans work almost constantly and are turned on even during downtime. We will not say that their sound is annoying, but it is almost always – only the volume changes.
The temperatures are as follows: the processor with any more or less serious load-rendering, games, mathematical calculations-jumps to 95-100 ° C. Where it is possible, the laptop immediately throws away the frequencies: under Prime95 falls up to 2.5 GHz, under 3DS MAX – up to 2.9 GHz. Naturally, this affects performance: in purely working tasks, the processor falls just below the results Ryzen 5 4600h. This affects games: in the same World of Tanks It turns out about 100 frames less than we saw in the younger model on the same processor (Dell G3).
The video card heats up to 82-83 ° C and holds frequencies in the corridor from 1530 to 1600 MHz. When activating a “fast” mode through Game Shift, the frequency is fixed along the upper boundary, and in the same Metro: Exodus It is possible to get a dozen frames more.
However, this does not mean that G7 has problems with games. Yes, those projects that are very critical to the frequencies of the processor – Far Cry New Dawn , F1 2020 , World of Tanks, show strange results. But those that require powerful graphics go without problems and do not fall below 60 fps. Even Metro: Exodus with Assassin’s Creed Valhalla confidently kept at this mark. Only Cyberpunk 2077 sank below, but it does not give the necessary 60 frames in Full HD on RTX 3070.
Dell got a nice gaming laptop that cleverly masks under the working-office machine. Of the minuses, we note the weak and noisy cooling system and the insufficient stiffness of the case, and in the pluses we write an interesting design, good sound, display and control organs. Buy or not – as usual, decide.
Technical characteristics
Display: 17.3 inches, 1920×1080, MVA, matte, 300 Hz CPU: Intel Core i7-10750h, (6 nuclei, 12 flows, 2.6-5 GHz, 45 W) Memory: 2x 8 GB DDR4-3200 (Hynix HMA81GS6DJR8N-XN) Video card: Intel UHD Graphics, GeForce RTX 2070 Super (1140-1380 MHz, 8 GB) Disk subsystem: 1 TB NVMe SSD Western Digital WDC SN730 Sound: Realtek Alc1220 The network is wired: 1 Gbit Ethernet (Killer E2500) Wireless network: Wi-Fi 802.11AX (Killer WiFi 6 AX1650i), Bluetooth 5.0 Connectors: USB 3.2 gen.2 Power Share, 2x USB 3.2 gen.1, USB 3.2 gen.2 Type-C (Thunderbolt 3), 3.5 mm Jack, HDMI 2.0, Mini DisplayPort, Cardrider, RJ-45 Operating system: Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64-bit Additionally: Webcam, 720p Dimensions: 39.8x29x2.1 cm Weight: 3.3 kg Price for January 2021: from 165,000 rubles ($ 2200)
