Dell G5 15.6" G5587-7866BLK-PUS Licorice Black 2018

The Dell G5 5587 is a 2018 gaming laptop that's still kicking thanks to its six-core i7-8750H and 16GB of RAM. It runs hot, the 128GB SSD is cramped, and the GTX 1050 Ti is showing its age. But at used prices, it's a solid budget option for esports and older games. Just don't pay the $988 new price, and budget for a cooling pad.

Let's talk about that i7-8750H first, because it's the star of the show. Six cores, 12 threads, up to 4.1GHz turbo. In our database, this CPU ranks in the 89th percentile, which means it's still one of the better laptop processors we've tracked, even against much newer machines. For everyday multitasking, coding, and even some light video editing, this chip holds its own. The 16GB of DDR4 RAM helps too, though it's worth noting that 16GB puts it at the 27th percentile in our RAM rankings. That's not a knock on the amount, it's just that newer laptops are shipping with 32GB or more these days.

The GTX 1050 Ti with 4GB of GDDR5 is the bottleneck here. At the 68th percentile, it's solidly middle of the pack. You'll get playable frame rates in esports titles and older games, but don't expect to crank Cyberpunk 2077 or Starfield. The 60Hz 1080p IPS display is fine for what it is, though it ranks at the 42nd percentile, which means it's about average. The real performance story here is the storage setup. A 128GB SSD boot drive paired with a 1TB 5400 RPM HDD. The SSD is fast, but 128GB fills up quick once Windows and a few games are installed. The HDD is slow by modern standards, so you'll want to be selective about what goes where.

Let's be real, comparing the Dell G5 5587 to a MacBook Pro M4 Pro is like comparing a reliable old pickup truck to a Tesla. The MacBook destroys it in every performance metric, but it also costs several times more. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is a more interesting comparison. It's a 14-inch machine that's dramatically lighter and more portable, with a much better GPU and display. But again, you're paying a premium for that portability and performance. The G5 5587's 2.85kg weight puts it in the 18th percentile for compactness, so it's a chunky boy.

The Lenovo Legion 5i and HP OMEN Transcend 14 are both newer machines with better thermals, better GPUs, and better displays. The Legion 5i in particular has a reputation for excellent cooling, which directly addresses the G5's biggest weakness. The MSI Prestige is aimed more at creators than gamers, so it's a different beast entirely. If you're choosing between the G5 5587 and any of these newer machines, the question is simple: do you want to save money now and deal with the heat, or pay more for a machine that just works without the workarounds?

Here's where things get interesting. The Dell G5 5587 is listed at $988 USD, which feels steep for a 2018 laptop in 2025. But that's the new-in-box price, and honestly, nobody should pay that. The real value here is on the used and refurbished market, where these machines regularly go for a fraction of that. For a laptop with a six-core i7, 16GB of RAM, and a dedicated GPU, even $400-500 used is a solid deal if you know what you're getting into.

Compared to the competition, the value proposition is clear. A new MacBook Pro M4 Pro or ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 will run circles around this thing, but they also cost three to four times as much. The Lenovo Legion 5i and HP OMEN Transcend 14 are also significantly more expensive. If you're on a tight budget and need a capable machine for school, light gaming, or general productivity, the G5 5587 makes a strong case for itself. Just budget for a cooling pad and maybe a larger SSD upgrade down the line.

The Dell G5 5587 is one of those laptops that makes you feel old. It's a 2018-era machine with an 8th gen Intel i7-8750H and a GTX 1050 Ti, and yet here it is, still floating around on Amazon with a 4.4-star rating from 164 reviews. That's the kind of staying power you don't see often in the gaming laptop world, where last year's model is usually forgotten faster than a bad sequel. But this thing has a weird little cult following, and after digging through the data, we get why.

Who's this for? Honestly, it's for someone who wants a budget gaming laptop that can handle esports titles and older AAA games without melting their wallet. The i7-8750H is a six-core chip that still holds up surprisingly well for everyday tasks and light creative work. Our database puts the CPU at the 89th percentile, which is wild for a machine this old. The GTX 1050 Ti sits at the 68th percentile, so it's not going to blow anyone's socks off, but it'll run Fortnite, CS:GO, and Valorant at decent settings without complaint.

The catch? This laptop runs hot. Like, really hot. Multiple owners describe it as cooking like an oven, and one reviewer joked it was trying to make them breakfast. That's not a feature, folks. The 56Wh battery also degrades over time, and the 128GB SSD boot drive fills up faster than you'd expect. But if you're willing to prop it up on a stand and maybe uninstall some bloatware, there's genuine value here.

If you're a serious gamer who wants to play modern AAA titles at high settings, skip this. The GTX 1050 Ti just doesn't have the horsepower, and the 60Hz display won't do justice to faster frame rates anyway. Look at something with at least a GTX 1660 Ti or RTX 3060, like the Lenovo Legion 5i or ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14. If you're a content creator or video editor, the 128GB SSD and aging GPU will frustrate you. The MacBook Pro M4 Pro or MSI Prestige are much better fits for creative work.

If you need portability, this is not your laptop. At 2.85kg, it ranks in the 18th percentile for compactness, which means it's one of the heavier machines in our database. Carrying this thing around campus or on a commute will get old fast. The HP OMEN Transcend 14 or ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 are dramatically lighter and more portable. And if you're sensitive to heat or plan to use the laptop on your lap, the overheating issue alone should disqualify this machine. The thermal problems are real, and while workarounds exist, they're not for everyone.

For budget-conscious gamers and students, the Dell G5 5587 is a genuinely compelling option on the used market. The i7-8750H is still a capable processor, the 16GB of RAM is plenty for most tasks, and the GTX 1050 Ti will handle esports and older titles without issue. The build quality is solid, the keyboard is nice, and the port selection is better than most modern thin-and-lights. If you can find one for under $500, it's a steal.

But if you're buying new at $988, don't. That money gets you much closer to a modern machine with better thermals, a better GPU, and a better display. The overheating issue is real and persistent, and the 128GB SSD is a constant annoyance. The battery degradation over time is another long-term concern. This is a laptop for people who know what they're getting into and are willing to work around its flaws. If that's you, go for it. If you want something that just works out of the box, look elsewhere.