The Dell 14 Plus Laptop (2025) Is An Excellent General Purpose Laptop that Packs a Punch

For someone seeking a powerful, mid-priced laptop that can handle many advanced computing tasks — like photo and video editing or even 3D modelings, plus run all of the applications people use on a daily basis — the 2025 edition of the Dell 14 Plus is a fabulous option.

It’s easy to conclude that all Windows laptops are alike. As someone who has been reviewing and using laptop computers for decades, I can assure you that nothing could be further from the truth. While many laptops may look similar on the outside, each is configured with a specific selection of technologies that directly impact performance and capabilities. 

The folks at Dell recently sent me the Dell 14 Plus to review. It came configured with an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, Intel Arc GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD for storage. The laptop has a 14.5-inch 2K (2,560 x 1,400 pixel) resolution ISP LCD display with an impressive refresh rate of up to 120Hz.   

Dell 14 Plus Laptop

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Right out of the box, I fell in love with the laptop’s compact design, performance, and capabilities. I also discovered it has a very impressive battery life, so it’s ready to be taken on the go and provide computing power wherever your work or travel adventures take you. Plus, with Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC AI tools and features integrated into this laptop and the Windows 11 operating system, it’s ready to provide computing assistance that you might not yet realize you want or need.

Keep reading to learn more about the Dell 14 Plus and my experience testing it. I also invite you to check out my in-depth review of the bestselling Dell XPS-13 AI PC laptop. It’s a bit less expensive, and more of a general purpose Windows laptop.

Who the Dell 14 Plus Laptop Is Designed For

The Dell 14 Plus has a traditional laptop computer design. It’s not a 2-in-1 device, and the display does not pivot 360-degrees. There’s also no touchscreen. What you get is plenty of processing power built into a laptop that has a thin and compact design. This makes the computer easy to travel with.

Between the Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, Intel Arc GPU, backlit keyboard, long battery life, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 support, 1080p resolution webcam, Copilot+ PC AI integration, and quad-speaker system, the Dell 14 Plus laptop is ready to handle more advanced computing tasks. 

Of course, right out of the box, it’s also able to run all of the locally installed and cloud-based applications average people use everyday. As a result, I’d recommend the Dell 14 Plus laptop to business users, college students, creatives, content creators, and people who need that extra processing power and performance. In the $1,000 to $2,000 price range, this is a nicely equipped Windows laptop.

Key Features of the Dell 14 Plus Laptop

The Dell 14 Plus contains all of the core components someone could want from a laptop, so it checks all of the boxes for a general purpose mobile computing tool. Plus, thanks to its higher-end processor, this laptop can handle more complex computing tasks too. I was impressed by the laptop’s minimalist appearance. It’s thin, relatively lightweight and easy to carry in a briefcase, backpack or laptop case.

My biggest complaint about the Dell 14 Plus is its port selection (or lack thereof). When using the laptop with its power adapter, it needs to be plugged into one of the two USB Type-C ports, so you may want to consider using the laptop with a portable hub, such as the Belkin 11-in-1 USB Type-C Hub ($120), although there are much less expensive optional hub options available. On the plus side, all of the ports and wireless communications capabilities offered by this laptop are cutting-edge. So when using any of the ports, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth, you can expect fast and reliable performance. 

One of the few things where the Dell 14 Pro is lacking is in the port selection. There are two USB Type-A ports and two USB Type-C ports, along with a 3.5mm audio jack, and that’s it. Shown here is the left side of the laptop. On the right side is an additional USB Type-A port and the audio jack.

Among my favorite things about the Dell 14 Plus is the basic design of the backlit keyboard. You get full-sized, highly responsive keys that make typing comfortable. Plus, the touchpad is sensitive and accurate, but it definitely requires a firmer touch when pressing down on it to replicate the function of a left or right mouse button.

A few other notable features offered by the Dell 14 Plus laptop include a battery that lasts up to 20 hours per charge, and a housing design that promotes airflow and cooling efficiency. This allows the device to function faster and more reliably. Of course, this laptop gives users access to all the personalization, privacy, and security features integrated into Windows 11, so you can customize the appearance of what’s displayed on screen, and tweak how the laptop performs with ease. 

The Dell Optimizer app that comes preinstalled on the laptop makes customization and managing the device easier, but you also have full access to the Copilot+ AI tools to help with this, too. One task the Dell Customizer app is useful for is quickly adapting the display based on what you’re using it for. There are a handful of presets, like Bright, Dark, Vivid, Movie, Comfort View, Sports and Animation that help to make sure whenever you’re viewing looks its absolute best. 

Plus, when it comes to privacy, the laptop can be unlocked using face identification, a fingerprint scan, a PIN or a passcode. 

Working with the Dell 14 Plus Laptop

As a result of its more compact design, the Dell 14 Plus has just a 14.5-inch display and a more basic port selection. On the plus side, the display offers 2K resolution with a refresh rate up to 120Hz. 

You also get an impressively long battery life, so the laptop can easily handle marathon work, gaming or video streaming binge watching sessions. And while many users prefer to use their laptop with wireless earbuds (like the Bose QuietComfort Ultras) or headphones (like the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3s) for a more private listening experience, the sound quality of the laptop’s quad-speaker system is robust and can be room filling.

During my testing, the laptop had no trouble running almost any of the popular locally installed or cloud-based applications I ran, which included everything from Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Photoshop Express, Netflix and the Microsoft Edge web browser, to several popular PC games. I also found that the integration of Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC AI capabilities worked flawlessly.

Below are screenshots from a sampling of applications I ran on the Dell 14 Plus. As you can see, the display showcases sharp images, crisp text, and graphics with plenty of detail and color accuracy. With a maximum brightness of just 500 nits, the laptop needs to be viewed from a head-on perspective in brightly lit areas. From a slight angle, it might wash out a bit when used around bright ambient light.

One thing I noticed is that the Dell website promotes this laptop as coming with a microSD memory card slot as part of its basic configuration, but the version of the Dell 14 Plus I received did not have the card slot built in. In general, I found the laptop runs rather quietly, but when pushing the processing power (when playing a game, for example), the laptop’s fans and cooling system could definitely be heard. 

Regardless of which apps I ran, the laptop performed admirably, even when multitasking. For a Windows laptop with a 14.5-inch display, it’s versatile, nicely customizable, and plenty reliable. 

The Dell 14 Plus Laptop Has Integrated Copilot+ PC AI

There’s been a lot of hype lately about how artificial intelligence tools and functionality are now being integrated into computers, smartphones, tablets, and other devices we use in our everyday lives. Since the Dell 14 Plus is a Windows 11 laptop, it comes with the latest Microsoft Copilot+ PC AI functionality integrated into the device. 

There are many ways you can take advantage of these AI tools to streamline everyday tasks. As with many of the newest laptops, the Dell 14 Plus has a Copilot+ PC key integrated into the keyboard, so anytime you press it, you have access to a powerful AI-driven digital assistant.

Copilot+ PC continues to evolve quickly, so what it’s capable of doing today is only a preview of what’ll be possible in the months and years to come. I’ve discovered that just about anyone can benefit from using at least some of the AI tools and features currently offered, but you can opt to deactivate these functions if you’re not yet comfortable relying on AI. 

That said, Copilot+ PC can handle a wide range of tasks, plus it integrates with virtually all Microsoft apps and services. So behind-the-scenes, your laptop can share data between apps, anticipate some of your needs, make certain decisions on your behalf, and help you become a better communicator.

Dell 14 Plus Laptop

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My Final Thoughts: Is the Dell 14 Plus Laptop Worth It?

If you’re looking for a budget laptop, or a high-end performance laptop, the Dell 14 Plus offers plenty of computing power. Yet, it offers a smaller size, non-touch display that lacks OLED technology (unless you upgrade). I feel it also lacks the selection of built-in ports that power users would want.

After using this laptop for a wide range of tasks, I found the Dell 14 Plus laptop is versatile, extremely useful, and well constructed. It offers a good value in the $1,000 to $2,000 price range, which makes it a good investment.

And if you choose to upgrade this laptop with an OLED display and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU at the time of purchase, you can transform it into a computer that a power user would appreciate, as long as they don’t mind the display’s smaller size – compared to a Dell laptop with a 15- or 16-inch screen.