Dell G3 15 (3579) review: This budget gaming laptop makes the most of what it has
The Dell G3 15 gaming laptop packs solid performance into a body just under an inch thick. It's also very affordable, at just $850 from Dell (at the time of writing...
09/01/2022
The Dell G3 15 gaming laptop packs solid performance into a body just under an inch thick. It is also very affordable, at only
$850 from Dell
(at the time of this writing) for the Model 3579 configuration we tested.
The G3 15 has its downsides, including a Full HD display that's not as bright as we'd like, frame rates that struggle to hit 60fps on top-tier games, and a weight that exceeds five pounds. (though not as massive as some gaming laptops). But when we compared it to
Acer Nitro 5
, another budget gaming laptop we love, with an even lower price point, there was no competition. The G3 15 posted stronger benchmarks and battery life. In particular, its GTX 1050 Ti graphics showed the limitations of the Nitro 5's mere GTX 1050. Nothing wrong with the Nitro 5, but if you can afford the G3 15 we tested, it's the better choice.
Note: This review is part of our
gathering of
best gaming laptops
. Go there for more details on competing products and how we tested them.
Price, specs and features
The Dell G3 15 we reviewed (model 3579) comes with Intel's quad-core i5-8300H processor, a Coffee Lake processor that, for the first time for Core i5 chips, supports Hyper Threading. This means it can lend unused CPU resources to other tasks, maximizing efficiency and performance. Thanks to Hyper Threading, the G3's 8th Gen Core i5 processor can leave older Core i5 chips in the dust and keep pace with previous generation Core i7 processors.
Mentioned in this article
< p>Acer Nitro 5 AN515-53-52FA (Core i5-8300H, 1TB HDD)Read the PCWorld review
MSRP $749.99
To see
The G3 15's 1050 Ti graphics card (with 4GB of dedicated GDDR5 RAM) sits at the bottom of Nvidia's GTX 10-series graphics card lineup. It can usually be counted on to produce maxed out game visuals between 30 and 60 fps (or at least approaching 60 fps), depending on the title. We'll test its real-world performance in a moment.
Rounding out the base specs of the G3 15 are 8GB of DDR4 RAM, a 128GB SSD boot drive, and a 1TB 5400RPM traditional hard drive for data. .
If you'd rather spend more for reliable graphics north of 60fps, you can upgrade to a $1,099 version of the G3 15 with a hex-core Core i7-8750H processor and GTX 1060 Max-Q graphics. The more expensive G3 15 model falls back on GTX 1050 Ti graphics, but boosts its RAM to 16GB and replaces a larger 256GB SSD boot drive.
On the cheaper end of the G3 15 spectrum, Dell's $749 G3 15 keeps the same Core i5-8300H processor and 8GB of RAM as our test unit, but switches to the GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card and loses the drive. SSD boot.
Design
The Dell G3 15 comes with a relatively understated design as far as gaming laptops go. No flashy LED patterns, racing stripes or elaborate cooling grilles, it could easily be mistaken for a business laptop. Our “Recon Blue” review unit comes with the familiar Dell logo stamped on the smooth, contoured lid. The G3's cooling vents are hidden in the back, just below the hinge.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG
It's simple on the outside, but the Dell G3 15 delivers solid gaming performance on the inside.
Open the lid of the G3 15, and you're greeted with more of the same: a mid-width screen bezel, a palm rest with subtle diagonal stripes, and a blue backlit keyboard. Indeed, the only outward signs that the G3 is a gaming laptop are the featured WASD keys.
Measuring 16.35 x 10.99 x 0.89 inches and weighing around 5 pounds, 8 ounces, the G3 15 is considered mid-range. size gaming laptop. It's at least a pound more than say, the sleeker and much more expensive
MSI GS65 Stealth Thin 8RE
, but it's also considerably lighter than an inflated 10-pound backpack like the
Alienware R17 R5
Dell G3 15 gaming laptop review: The taste of Alienware on a budget https://t.co/uUTbhvkpeF #Iwork4Dell https://t.co/KUTIUIP7Yr
— Jo Worf Sun Oct 27 07:30:15 +0000 2019
. Its weight and price is much more comparable to other budget gaming laptop,
The Acer Nitro 5
.
Pin up
The Dell G3 15's 15.6-inch IPS-tech display offers impressive viewing angles. The 1920x1080 screen dims slightly from around 45 degrees or so. Tilting the screen up or down also dims the image a bit, but at least there's no trace of inverted colors, as you might see on a lower laptop panel.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG
< p>The Dell G3 15's IPS display offers decent viewing angles, but we wish it was a bit brighter.That's the good news of the G3 15's screen. The bad news: it's not as bright as we'd like, registering just 246 nits (or candelas) at idle by our measurements. That barely hits our 250-nit standard for comfortable indoor viewing. A 250nits display might be fine for, say, a mainstream laptop, but we expect more from a gaming rig.
Keyboard, Touchpad, Speakers & webcam
The Dell G3 15's chiclet-style keyboard is fairly standard as laptops, with smooth, flat keys, decent travel and a snappy tactile bump with every keystroke. A hotkey lets you switch between two stages of blue backlighting, while a 10-key number pad sits to the right. Expect nothing in the way of bonus macro keys, but a standard set of function-enabled keyboard shortcuts, including screen lock, volume and media playback controls, search and search options. display, are present and taken into account.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG
The featured WASD keys are the only outward sign that the Dell G3 15 is a gaming laptop.
The G3 15's trackpad sits directly below the spacebar, which puts it a little left of center thanks to the dedicated number pad. The trackpad itself does its job without getting in the way of unwanted palm inputs, although I felt (as usual) that clicking the trackpad takes a bit more pressure than I'd like. Of course, it's safe to assume that gamers will spend significantly more time with their mice than the G3's trackpad.
(Note: The trackpad on our original Dell G3 15 review unit sat a few millimeters off the center, so it tended to stick if you clicked it near the bottom right edge. Dell sent us a replacement unit with a blank trackpad and assured us that the faulty trackpad on the first test unit was "not normal".)
The Dell G3 15's loudest speakers aren't too bad when it comes to laptop speakers. The music sounded relatively crisp and detailed, with even a tiny bit of bass. I enjoyed the strong pop of Dreg's critical attacks in
Destiny 2
, while a critter-zapping Conduit Sanctuary runs in
Diablo 3
unleashed a satisfying crackle roar. The G3 15's speakers aren't up to pargood gaming headset
, sure, but they're fine in a pinch, with enough bulk to smother the laptop's cooling fans. .
The Dell G3 15's webcam lens sits in the top bezel of the screen, capturing 720p video that looks a bit grainy, but is otherwise relatively crisp for an integrated model. While the G3's webcam visuals won't impress your Twitch followers, it will certainly do for Skype chatting.
Ports
The Dell G3 15 gaming laptop comes with a solid selection of ports, starting on the left side with a barrel-shaped power port, a full HDMI 2.0 port, Ethernet, a pair of USB 3.1 Gen ports . 1 Type-A and a combo audio jack.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG
Ports on the left side of the Dell G3 15 include a full HDMI 2.0 port and a pair of USB 3.1 ports, and there's room for an optional Thunderbolt 3 port.
< p>On the right side there is a Noble lock security slot, a single USB 2.0 port and an SD memory card reader.Adam Patrick Murray/IDG
On the right side of the Dell G3 15 you will find a USB 2.0 port and an SD memory card reader.
A Thunderbolt 3 port is an option for G3 models with GeForce 1060 Max-Q graphics, according to Dell.
That's good, but how does it work? Keep reading to find out.