Dell vs Lenovo: Which is the Better Brand in 2022?

Will a Dell laptop last me longer or Lenovo? Does Lenovo offer better customer service than Dell?

If those are the questions on your mind, you are in the right place. Here’s a detailed comparison of the brands to help you make better buying decisions.

The comparison is on various aspects like customer service, components used, innovation, etc.

About Lenovo

With laptops like the Lenovo X1 Carbon and the Yoga 920, it is no surprise Lenovo tops the charts.

But being top of the pack isn’t something new to Lenovo. Did you know Lenovo had the highest vendor-based sales between 2013-15? Most likely, you didn’t. That’s the time when ThinkPads and IdeaPads blew the competition out of the water.

So what makes their ThinkPad, IdeaPad, and Chromebooks such a hit amongst users? Let’s find out!

The Components Used

The Processor

Intel is the obvious choice for almost every Lenovo laptop. Most of Lenovo’s high-end laptops like the ThinkPad Carbon X1 and the Yoga 920 feature a 9th Gen i7 processor. This provides you unmatched versatility.

That’s because the laptops can handle any task thrown at them. Yes, from graphic designing, programming to gaming, they are the professional’s laptop.

In mid-range laptops that cost around $600-$700, you will find i5 and i3 processors. Budget laptops like the IdeaPads come with Dual-Core processors from AMD or Intel.

Though if you go for the latest IdeaPads, you can find a Quad-Core Processor with 2.7GHz of clock speed. This ample power for day-to-day browsing and entertainment purposes.

What about their Chromebooks?

Prefer a lighter, cheaper Chromebook you can use on the go? These come with a MediaTek Processor like the or the Lenovo C330.

If you are looking for something more powerful, the Yoga C630 is a beast of a Chromebook. In fact, it goes toe to toe with budget laptops.

Graphics Card – Is it Powerful enough for Gaming?

Most high-end Lenovos laptops feature an NVIDIA Quadro or NVIDIA GTX graphics card. This makes them capable of delivering eye-catching graphics that make games hyper-realistic.

For the lower-end laptops, Lenovo has stuck with Intel Integrated HD Graphics cards.

The Build

A powerful laptop is good, but a laptop designed with user comfort and convenience in mind is the icing on the cake.

With their Yoga range of laptops and Chromebooks, Lenovo sure does redefine comfort. Switch these laptops into tablets or tent mode and work/watch movies from anywhere. The The Yoga 920 is a personal favorite.

As for gaming laptops, the Legion range is your typical gaming laptop with killer looks. And what makes it so eye-catching are the backlit keyboards and sharp, bold angles.

But are the cheaper laptops attractive and durable?

Well, not the most attractive but will pass durability tests. That’s because Lenovo IdeaPads come with a Polycarbonate build. This ensures small bumps and dumps don’t play spoilsport.

The Lenovo ThinkPads are more expensive but also better in every respect. They have a carbon-fiber body with dust, vibration, shock, and temperature-resistant chassis. You can even grab them in many colors like silver, soft-touch finish, etc. (time to move over the boring black).

How Innovative are they?

When it comes to innovation Lenovo never disappoints. They are the minds behind TrackPoint. And though skeptical at first, it has received rave reviews over the years.

In case you do not know, the TrackPoint is the red ball in the center of the keyboard and functions as an extra mouse. But that is not where the buck stops.

Lenovo also released WRITEit, a handwriting recognition software. This allows you to write rather than type as long as you have a stylus.
Apart from that, they are also the first brand to deliver displays with HDR. This makes the contrast, colors, etc. of your movies more surreal than ever before.

They are also working on gaming laptops featuring the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 CPU.

Furthermore, Lenovo has also equipped the laptops with the G-Sync display option. This ensures zero screen tear and also lowers the lag. You can read more about this tech here.

Battery Life and Display

Lenovo laptops use 6-cell batteries that deliver a runtime of 6-10 hours based on usage. Oh, and yes, these batteries perform better than batteries in Dell laptops.

As for the display quality, the use of HDR will give you an eye-popping display. Screen sizes on these laptops vary from 11.6-inches, 15.6-inches to even as big as 17.3-inches.

Customer Care and Warranty

If you are having trouble with your Lenovo laptop, you can get in touch with them in many ways. This includes a live chat on their website or social media pages

I would turn to web support for non-hardware issues since they are pretty efficient.

So why not the others?

Because this is where Lenovo leaves a lot of room for improvement. Though reply time on their social media pages has improved recently, they can do better.

Phone support is my last resort. Why? Because the last time I called I ended hearing more about other services and plans they offer. That’s crazy, right?

But that’s not all. The long hold times are frustrating as well. Though the solutions offered both online and on the phone were to the point making it worth the time.

Also, all Lenovo laptops come with a 12-month warranty with the company paying for the shipping if need be.

Lenovo Laptops to Buy in 2022

Lenovo Legion Y7000 Gaming Laptop, 15.6" FHD IPS Anti-Glare Laptop (Intel Core i7-8750H Processor, Nvidia GTX 1060, 16 GB DDR4, 1 TB HDD + 128 GB PCIe SSD, Windows 10 Home) 81LF0001US, Black
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Laptop, High Performance Windows Laptop, (Intel Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Windows 10 Pro), 20KH002JUS
Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop, 14 Inch FHD, Touchscreen, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Processor, Radeon Vega 8 Graphics, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB NVMe SSD, Win 10, Black, Pen Included
Lenovo ThinkPad T480 14" HD Business Laptop (Intel 8th Gen Quad-Core i5-8250U, 16GB DDR4 RAM, Toshiba 256GB PCIe NVMe 2242 M.2 SSD) Fingerprint, Thunderbolt 3 Type-C, WiFi, Windows 10 Pro - Black
Lenovo Chromebook C330 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop, 11.6" HD Display, MediaTek MT8173C, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage, Chrome OS, Blizzard White
Lenovo Legion Y7000
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Lenovo Flex Convertible Laptop
Lenovo ThinkPad T480
Lenovo Chromebook C330
Processor
8th Gen i7-8750H
8th Gen i7-8650U
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
8th Gen Quad-Core i5-8250U
MediaTek MT8173C
RAM
16GB
16GB
8GB DDR4
16GB
4GB
Storage
1TB HDD + 128GB SSD
512GB
256GB NVMe SSD
256GB SSD
64GB eMMC
Graphics Card
GeForce GTX 1060
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Integrated Graphics Card
Display
15.6" FHD
14" FHD
14" FHD Touchscreen
14" HD (1366x768)
11.6" HD (1366 x 768)
Lenovo Legion Y7000 Gaming Laptop, 15.6" FHD IPS Anti-Glare Laptop (Intel Core i7-8750H Processor, Nvidia GTX 1060, 16 GB DDR4, 1 TB HDD + 128 GB PCIe SSD, Windows 10 Home) 81LF0001US, Black
Lenovo Legion Y7000
Processor
8th Gen i7-8750H
RAM
16GB
Storage
1TB HDD + 128GB SSD
Graphics Card
GeForce GTX 1060
Display
15.6" FHD
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Laptop, High Performance Windows Laptop, (Intel Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Windows 10 Pro), 20KH002JUS
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Processor
8th Gen i7-8650U
RAM
16GB
Storage
512GB
Graphics Card
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Display
14" FHD
Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop, 14 Inch FHD, Touchscreen, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Processor, Radeon Vega 8 Graphics, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB NVMe SSD, Win 10, Black, Pen Included
Lenovo Flex Convertible Laptop
Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
RAM
8GB DDR4
Storage
256GB NVMe SSD
Graphics Card
Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
Display
14" FHD Touchscreen
Lenovo ThinkPad T480 14" HD Business Laptop (Intel 8th Gen Quad-Core i5-8250U, 16GB DDR4 RAM, Toshiba 256GB PCIe NVMe 2242 M.2 SSD) Fingerprint, Thunderbolt 3 Type-C, WiFi, Windows 10 Pro - Black
Lenovo ThinkPad T480
Processor
8th Gen Quad-Core i5-8250U
RAM
16GB
Storage
256GB SSD
Graphics Card
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Display
14" HD (1366x768)
Lenovo Chromebook C330 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop, 11.6" HD Display, MediaTek MT8173C, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage, Chrome OS, Blizzard White
Lenovo Chromebook C330
Processor
MediaTek MT8173C
RAM
4GB
Storage
64GB eMMC
Graphics Card
Integrated Graphics Card
Display
11.6" HD (1366 x 768)


About Dell

Dell is another powerhouse in laptop markets across the globe. From the Alienware 17-inches to Chromebooks like Chromebook 11, Dell sure knows to happy customers happy.

Here’s more in detail about them

The Components

Processor
Dell also relies on Intel laptops. Though compared to Lenovo, you’ll find more AMD processors, especially the cheaper laptops.

With their Alienware range of laptops, Dell has made its way into the gaming world big-time. These laptops come with i7 or i9 processors.

If you need a laptop for video editing or other graphics-intensive tasks, go with the Dell XPS. It offers a power-packed performance and is capable of handling the most complex of tasks like a pro.

Dell’s mid-range laptops come with i5 and i3 processors and are ideal for business use. This is ample power for browsing, MS word, accounting software, and even light gaming.

It is with cheaper Dell laptops that you will find more AMD processors. Though there are exceptions. The Inspiron series and Dell i3552-3240BLK feature Intel Celeron and Pentium Quad-core processors.

So how do Dell Chromebooks compare?

Unlike Lenovo, Dell sticks with Intel Celeron Dual-Core processors for its cheaper Chromebooks.
The more expensive Dell Chromebooks come with Intel i3 processors. This makes them some of the quickest and most efficient Chromebooks in the market.

So is MediaTek better or Intel?

If you are going for speed and do not intend to use a lot of Android apps, then yes, Intel is the answer. But if you are buying a Chromebook with Android apps in mind, MediaTek would be the way to go.

That’s because the apps stutter, load slower, and are unstable with Intel processors.

Graphics Card

To give you jaw-dropping graphics, Dell relies on NVIDIA graphics cards. This is an obvious choice for most laptop brands.

Some of Dell’s high-end laptops also feature AMD Radeon Cards. So how do you pick?

Luckily, this does not complicate the buying decision too much. That’s because the AMD graphics cards also perform well.

Though for me, NVIDIA is always the go-to brand for a graphics card, AMD laptops are cheaper. So if you are on a budget, look for laptops with AMD processors and graphics cards

Dell Laptops to Buy in 2022

New Dell XPS 15 9500 15.6 inch UHD+ Touchscreen Laptop (Silver) Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti with 4GB GDDR6, Window 10 Pro (XPS9500-7845SLV-PUS)
Alienware m15 R3 15.6inch FHD Gaming Laptop (Lunar Light) Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home (AWm15-7272WHT-PUS)
Dell XPS 15 9570-8th Generation Intel Core i7-8750H Processor, 4k Touchscreen display, 16GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti, Windows 10 Home, Gaming Capable
Dell XPS 15 9500
Alienware m15 R3
Alienware m15 R3
Suited for
Professinal Tasks
High-End Gaming
-
Procesor
10th Gen, i7-10750H
10th Gen, i7-10750H
8th Gen i7-8750H
RAM
1TB SSD
16GB
16GB
Storage
512GB SSD + 1TB HDD
512GB SSD
512GB SSD
Graphics Card
GTX 1650 Ti (4GB)
RTX 2060 (6GB)
GeForce GTX 1050Ti (4GB)
Display
15.6" 4k UHD
15.6" (1920 x 1080)
15.6" 4K Display
New Dell XPS 15 9500 15.6 inch UHD+ Touchscreen Laptop (Silver) Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti with 4GB GDDR6, Window 10 Pro (XPS9500-7845SLV-PUS)
Dell XPS 15 9500
Suited for
Professinal Tasks
Procesor
10th Gen, i7-10750H
RAM
1TB SSD
Storage
512GB SSD + 1TB HDD
Graphics Card
GTX 1650 Ti (4GB)
Display
15.6" 4k UHD
Alienware m15 R3 15.6inch FHD Gaming Laptop (Lunar Light) Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home (AWm15-7272WHT-PUS)
Alienware m15 R3
Suited for
High-End Gaming
Procesor
10th Gen, i7-10750H
RAM
16GB
Storage
512GB SSD
Graphics Card
RTX 2060 (6GB)
Display
15.6" (1920 x 1080)
Dell XPS 15 9570-8th Generation Intel Core i7-8750H Processor, 4k Touchscreen display, 16GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti, Windows 10 Home, Gaming Capable
Alienware m15 R3
Suited for
-
Procesor
8th Gen i7-8750H
RAM
16GB
Storage
512GB SSD
Graphics Card
GeForce GTX 1050Ti (4GB)
Display
15.6" 4K Display


Dell vs Lenovo: Main Differences and Verdict

These laptops are ideal for pretty much anything and everything. From gaming to video editing; they can handle it al.). Apart from that, Dell’s customer services remain unparalleled.

As for customer services, that’s where Lenovo needs to improve. That’s because during my testing their agents struggled to answer few questions.

But if you are on a tight budget, this is the go-to brand. Their Chromebooks and convertible laptops ensure you get the best bang for your buck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about Lenovo and Dell? Below we answer some common questions to help you further make a better buying decision.

Q1: Is Lenovo Better or Dell?

If you are looking for a power-packed laptop with good battery life, durability. go with Lenovo. But, if you need something cheap, especially a Chromebook, then Dell would suit you better. Dell also provides better customer services than Lenovo.

Q2: How long do Lenovo laptops last?

How long your laptop lasts varies as per the usage. The more you use it, the more wear and tear there is and battery performance decreases. But on average, Lenovo laptops last about 3-4 years before they need any repairs. You get a warranty for 1-year which you can extend further at a cost based on the model.

Q3: Are Dell laptops reliable?

The reliability of Dell laptops is a tad lesser than that of Lenovo. Dell laptops last about 2 years and require minor repairs like battery replacement.
Some Dell laptops like the Precision Series offer better longevity but are expensive. Keep in mind, the durability of laptops also depends on how you maintain them.

Q4: Do Dell or Lenovo provide better customer service?

Dell is hands down the winner when it comes to customer services. Not that Lenovo was bad, but Dell provided us with more in-depth solutions. Their replies were quicker and I hold times were lesser.

Also Read: Dell VS HP – A Comprehensive Comparison

Dell vs Lenovo: In Brief

In general, Dell’s laptops are more expensive than Lenovo’s. That’s why we recommend Dell as the better choice when looking for a powerful laptop as long as it’s in your price range. As for Lenovo, they have more laptops with a unique build compared to Dell.

Written By Eric Smith

My name is Eric Smith and I've been working within the tech space for over 10 years, both at one of the largest computer manufacturers (for which I have no affiliation with anymore) but also in the retail sector where I gained a lot of experience in helping people finding suitable tech products.