Top 5 reasons to BUY or NOT to buy the Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1

Annually we stumble across a 5000-series convertible laptop from Dell and we test it to see how it is. Unfortunately, most of the time, we were far from satisfied, because the devices were either too big for a 2-in-1, too heavy, or their displays weren’t on the same level as other convertible devices.

With the newest Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1, things are somewhat improved, but Dell is still making some questionable decisions, especially for 2021 standards (768p TN display and 4GB of RAM on the base model?).

Today we are presenting you with LaptopMedia’s Top 5 picks about the Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1.

Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1: Full Specs / In-depth Review


3 reasons to BUY the Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1

1. The Upgradeability

The fact that the upgradability here is on point is one of the few saving graces of this laptop, and the fact that the base model comes with only 4GB of RAM is just disturbing for 2021. Thankfully, with the two SODIMM RAM slots, you can expand it up to 16GB of dual-channel memory, according to Dell. Storage-wise, there is one M.2 NVMe slot.

In case you don’t know how to get access to the slots, we will leave here our detailed teardown video, which goes in-depth on how to safely upgrade the RAM and storage.


2. The Features

The features on the laptop are on par for 2021, with both Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 support, thanks to the new 11th Gen Tiger Lake CPUs. Additionally, you receive a Stylus pen in the box, which works well with the display. The fingerprint reader ups the security on the device and the backlit keyboard is great for those late nights when you have to meet a deadline.


3. The Keyboard and Touchpad

The input devices are probably the best thing to come out of this hot mess. The keyboard is one of the best that we have used on a convertible, and it provides an amazing typing experience. It has a long key travel and satisfying and clicky feedback. The Touchpad is also plenty accurate and responsive. The only thing we would have appreciated more is if it was a bit bigger, but that’s just nitpicking.


2 reasons NOT to buy the Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1

1. The Display

First of all, offering a 768p TN panel in 2021 what is Dell thinking? We thought that we were past such outdated technologies. Thankfully, there is a 14-inch Full HD panel that unfortunately, doesn’t have a lot going for it, despite the resolution, which should already be the standard. While it has comfortable viewing angles and a good contrast ratio, it only covers 47% of the sRGB color gamut. The use of aggressive PWM across all brightness levels is also very appalling. Thankfully, our “Health Guard” profile completely gets rid of the PWM.


In terms of color accuracy, the panel does a poor job, with even our “Gaming and web design” profile being unable to put it within standards. Below you can see the results of the test, both with the factory settings (left) and with the “Gaming and web design” profile applied (right).


Buy our profiles

Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1 configurations with 14.0″ BOE NV14N4M-22G8N (BOE08AD) (FHD, 1920 × 1080) IPS.

*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].

Read more about the profiles HERE.

In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.

Office Work

Office Work should be used mostly by users who spend most of the time looking at pieces of text, tables or just surfing. This profile aims to deliver better distinctness and clarity by keeping a flat gamma curve (2.20), native color temperature and perceptually accurate colors.

Design and Gaming

This profile is aimed at designers who work with colors professionally, and for games and movies as well. Design and Gaming takes display panels to their limits, making them as accurate as possible in the sRGB IEC61966-2-1 standard for Web and HDTV, at white point D65.

Health-Guard

Health-Guard eliminates the harmful Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and reduces the negative Blue Light which affects our eyes and body. Since it’s custom tailored for every panel, it manages to keep the colors perceptually accurate. Health-Guard simulates paper so the pressure on the eyes is greatly reduced.

Get all 3 profiles with 33% discount


2. The Design and build quality

With there being two iterations of the notebook, we believe that the entry version just doesn’t deserve our attention. With that said, the mid-range option has an aluminum lid and a plastic body, which doesn’t help the weight and dimensions at all. With a profile of nearly 19 mm and a weight of 1.72 kg, the laptop is very bulky and your hands will quickly fatigue if you try to use it as a tablet for a prolonged period of time. The lid doesn’t open with a single hand and the base lifts up when you open it more than 80°, allowing for more breathing room for the fans.


All configurations of the Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1:

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