Dell Inspiron 5480 review

Inspiron 5480: the 5000-series in its standard proportions

The Inspiron 5480 is the conventional-format member of this batch's 5000-series trio: same memory, same office comfort, but a portability reading that describes a normal laptop rather than a deliberate slimline. It is the pick of the three for buyers who care less about the carry and more about the familiar shape.

Where it holds up

Mobility remains the claimed strength at 66 against a general-class median of 50 — a 32 percent advantage, though the weakest of the trio (the 5370 reads 88 and the 5405 reads 82 in this same batch). Portability of 64.4 lands mid-band, consistent with a standard-width chassis. Underneath, the sheet is identical to its siblings: office index 58.9, mid-band and comfortable, and a 32 GB memory pool sitting exactly on the class median.

The composite score of 15 matches the family pattern — modest in absolute terms, normal for the era.

Where it falls short

Graphics is the flagged weakness at zero — a coverage gap rather than a measured zero, as no discrete GPU entry exists for this configuration. Every task axis holds the low-band floor (gaming 19, modeling 12, engineering CAD 19, photo 13), and overall performance reads 19.63 against a category median of 43.05.

Nothing here changes the family verdict: capable office machine, out of the running for anything GPU-bound.

Price and depreciation

No listing price is recorded for this configuration, and no depreciation curve is modeled — no resale math to quote.

Alternatives to consider

Within the same family, the 5370 (portability 77.2) and 5405 (72.5) trade up on carry comfort with identical core readings, so the decision is purely about chassis preference. The convertible 5482 2-in-1 later in this batch adds a flip form factor at a portability cost (57.5).

Bottom line

Fairly priced for the class, the Inspiron 5480 is the straightforward 5000-series choice — mid-band portability, the family's comfortable office floor, a median-matching 32 GB pool — for buyers who never needed the slimline premium in the first place.