The midrange laptop market is more competitive than ever, but Dell has thrown down a serious gauntlet with the new Dell 14 Plus (DB14250). Stepping in as the spiritual successor to the venerable Inspiron Plus lineup, this machine aims to deliver a premium experience without demanding a flagship price tag.

Reviewers have been putting this machine through its paces, and the consensus is clear: while not perfect, the Dell 14 Plus is an extremely competent machine, particularly when you catch it on one of Dell’s frequent sales.

Here is our deep dive into what the technology experts are saying about Dell’s 2025 mainstream champion.

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Design & Build: Premium Feel, Practical Ports

Dell has elevated the build quality here, opting for a premium metal chassis that’s both durable and resists fingerprints—a huge plus for everyday use. It’s a clean, modern aesthetic that perhaps borders on “plain,” but its sturdy construction inspires confidence.

• Weight & Portability: At around 1.55kg(3.4lbs), it’s reasonably portable, though some rivals are lighter.
• Ports: Dell provides a practical selection, including one Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, a traditional USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, HDMI 2.1, and a universal audio jack.

Performance: AI-Ready with Core Ultra

The Dell 14 Plus is a true Copilot+ PC, powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra 2 “Lunar Lake” processors (such as the Core Ultra 7 256V in the reviewed model). This brings a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for AI tasks, future-proofing your workflow.

• Everyday Use: Experts found the performance to be reliable and swift for everyday productivity, multitasking, and general computing.
• Graphics: The integrated Intel Arc Graphics are a noticeable step up, making it capable of casual gaming and accelerating light creative work like video streaming and minor photo editing. However, it’s not built for intense gaming or heavy GPU-accelerated workloads.

Display: Sharp Resolution, Caveats on Brightness

The screen is one of the more mixed aspects of the laptop. The reviewed unit featured a 14-inch 2.5K (2560×1600) non-touch IPS display with a welcome 90Hz refresh rate.

• Pros: High resolution ensures sharp image detail and the 90Hz rate provides a smoother visual experience than standard 60Hz panels.
• Cons: The screen is rated at just 300 nits of brightness, which is noted as being duller than competitors, especially in brighter environments. This is a compromise Dell made that might affect users working near windows or outdoors.

Battery Life: An Absolute Marathon

This is where the Dell 14 Plus truly excels. Equipped with a 64Whr battery, the laptop delivered “excellent” battery life in independent testing.

• Impressive Endurance: The tested battery life clocked in at over 20 hours in a standard video rundown test, which is a fantastic result and rivals some of the best ultraportables on the market. For typical work use, you can confidently get through a full workday.

Final Verdict & Value

Tech reviewers generally give the Dell 14 Plus a high rating, calling it a “good-value 14-inch laptop for home or school.”

The key takeaway is that the Dell 14 Plus is a superb offering when purchased at a discounted price. While the screen brightness is a notable flaw, it’s easily offset by the premium build, solid performance from the Core Ultra chip, and outstanding, class-leading battery life.

If you’re looking for a dependable, all-day workhorse for school, home, or general productivity, the Dell 14 Plus (DB14250) is a compelling choice—just make sure you keep an eye out for those sales!

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Quick Specs Rundown (As Tested)

Feature	Specification
Processor	Intel Core Ultra 7 256V (Lunar Lake)
Graphics	Intel Arc Graphics
RAM	16GB LPDDR5X (onboard)
Storage	1TB SSD (Configurable)
Display	14-inch, 2560×1600, 90Hz IPS, 300 nits
Tested Battery Life	≈20 hours
Weight	1.55 kg(3.42 lbs)