The Inspiron’s casing is no stranger to us. Dell
also used it for the recently tested Vostro
15-3558 . Differences are found in the color and
surface finish. The casing is completely made of
plastic. The lid’s back and base unit’s sides
feature silver-color plastic, and the lid’s back is
structured. The display bezel and base unit’s
underside feature black plastic. The base unit’s
upper side has a dark-gray rubber finish. A
maintenance cover is on the laptop’s underside.
The Inspiron’s battery is easy to remove.
The laptop does not display any serious
manufacturing flaws. The material only
protrudes a bit on the lid’s sides. As to
stability, the base unit exhibits the usual
shortcomings that we know from most laptops:
The base unit can be dented lightly on the
keyboard’s left and right. However, it could be
stiffer; it is too easy to warp for our taste. That
is also true for the lid. Pressure on the lid’s
back leads to image distortions in some places.
The hinges keep the lid firmly in position and
rock slightly. Opening the lid with one hand is
possible.