Dell Precision 14" 5490, Core Ultra 7 165H, 32GB, 512GB SSD, Aluminum Titan Gray

The Dell Precision 5490 has a strong 16-core CPU and 32GB of RAM, making it great for CPU-heavy work. But integrated graphics and a small 512GB SSD hold it back hard. At around CAD 3,961, it's a niche buy for professionals who need Dell's workstation support and never touch GPU tasks.

The Core Ultra 7 165H lands in the 79th percentile for CPUs, which is genuinely strong. You'll fly through spreadsheets, code compiles, and everyday multitasking without breaking a sweat. The 32GB of RAM sits at the 73rd percentile, so memory pressure won't be an issue for most workflows. But the integrated graphics are a weak spot, sitting at the 14th percentile. Don't expect to edit 4K video smoothly or run any modern games beyond potato settings. The 512GB SSD is also on the smaller side at the 37th percentile, so you'll want an external drive if you deal with large files.

Stacked against the Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max, this thing gets embarrassed on GPU performance and screen quality. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 and Lenovo Legion Pro 7i both offer discrete graphics and better gaming scores for similar or less money. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition is a closer match in form factor, but it offers better port selection and a nicer display. The Precision 5490's only real edge is its CPU and the Dell workstation pedigree, which matters if you need enterprise support contracts.

Pricing is murky here. We see one listing at CAD 3,961, which is a lot of money for a machine with integrated graphics and a 512GB drive. For that kind of cash, you're paying for the Precision branding and the compact workstation form factor. If your work is purely CPU-bound and you need Dell's enterprise support, it might make sense. But for most buyers, that price feels steep for what you get.

The Dell Precision 5490 is a 14-inch mobile workstation aimed at professionals who need solid CPU performance in a compact aluminum shell. You get an Intel Core Ultra 7 165H, 32GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, all running Windows 11 Pro. The spec sheet reads like a serious work machine, and for the most part, it is.

But there's a catch. The integrated graphics hold this thing back hard. Our gaming score of 10.8 out of 100 tells you everything. This is not a machine for rendering, gaming, or anything GPU-heavy. It's a focused tool for CPU-bound work, and it does that reasonably well.

Skip this if you need any meaningful GPU performance. Gamers, video editors, 3D artists, and anyone running machine learning workloads should look at the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 or Lenovo Legion Pro 7i instead. Also skip it if you need lots of ports or fast local storage, since both are weak points here.

Buy this if you're a developer or business professional who needs a compact, durable Windows machine with a strong CPU and lots of RAM, and you never touch GPU-heavy tasks. It's a solid workhorse for coding, data analysis, and office productivity. Everyone else should look elsewhere.