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USB port compatibility Inspiron 15 vs. Inspiron 16
I'm considering buying a new laptop because my current one, my Dell Inspiron 13 5379, is a little over 6 years old and the amount of free memory space left on my OS is now sometimes starting to dip below 30% of the total gigabytes it originally had. I'm considering buying a new laptop with at least 1 TB worth of storage but I'm caught between the Inspiron 15 and some models of the Inspiron 16.
I currently occupy all 3 USB ports on my Inspiron 13 5379. The Inspiron 15 has 3 Gen 1 ports but it's an older model. The Inspiron 16 laptops are newer but only has 2 Gen 1 ports and a Thunderbolt 4.0 port, which means the three hardware device I need to connect my laptop with wouldn't fit because they are reliant on Gen 1 ports. But, since I'm also trying to make sure that the next laptop I buy lasts long, I might be interested in going for a newer model since it's more up-to-date.
Out of curiosity and in the interest of considering my options, does anyone know if the Inspiron 16 comes with some extension to connect a Gen 1 port with a Thunderbolt 4.0 port? Or, if possible, are there any other new and better Dell laptop models out there that I should consider when it comes to storage space, USB compatibility, performance, longevity, etc.?
Also, this next one might be a silly question, but another factor I'm considering for a new laptop is that it won't conduct electricity well so I won't get static shock? Might be awkward, but I just remember once buying some ergonomic mouse for my wrist and then getting zapped literally every time I touched it because it turned out that there was metal plating on the scroll wheel face, which kinda made me paranoid for a while before I decided to get a new mouse. And I just want to make sure that I won't come across that issue with the next laptop I buy since laptops cost way more than mouses.
The laptops I'm considering so far
Inspiron 15:
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/inspiron-15-laptop/spd/inspiron-15-3520-laptop
Inspiron 16:
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/inspiron-16-laptop/spd/inspiron-16-5630-laptop
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/inspiron-16-plus-laptop/spd/inspiron-16-7630-laptop/usichbto7630gmll?ref=frommyaccount
ejn63
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June 4th, 2024 10:52
@rwm1
Given the year old thread and mishmash of information:
1. The budget. You mentioned Macbooks (very expensive) and Inspirons (low cost). What's your budget?
2. How large a system do you want? 15", 16", 17"? How heavy a system can you live with?
3. USB ports are a non-issue. Even the newest USB-C/Thunderbolt is backward compatible with earlier USB devices and can easily be converted with a cable or a USB hub.
4. Exactly what will you be running on the system?
You're focusing on USB when you have other decisions to make that don't involve this relatively minor consideration.
ejn63
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June 4th, 2024 01:43
A simple USB hub will solve the connectivity to USB issues.
You've basically got three models there -- very bare-bones entry level (the 15), a midrange (5630) and an upper midrange system (the 7630). Do you want the Honda Fit, the base model Accord or the fancier turbo model?
rwm1
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June 4th, 2024 01:53
@ejn63 do the Inspiron 16 models come with the USB hub or will I have to buy them separately? I notice that the Inspiron 15 needs no USB hub because all three USB ports match but, the Inspiron 16 models don't all match, and I wonder if Dell would be making it smoother for their customers to transition to new USB types.
Come to think about it, because connectivity issues are happening with newer models, I'm wondering if this means the Gen 1 ports are becoming obsolete.
Actually, if I'm going for the latest model, should I go for the Inspiron 17 instead? I'm not exactly sure what the latest Dell laptop model is.
Chino de Oro
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June 4th, 2024 06:19
You have asked similar question a year ago and you also left all of your threads unsolved although you received helps and responses. Be kind and respond to those threads if the answers solved your issues.
https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/inspiron/a-new-laptop-smooth-transition-possible-compatibility-with-windows-and-number-of-ports/64c105fbf4ccf8a8decf3a77
rwm1
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June 5th, 2024 19:04
@ejn63 got it. i think i'll give it a bit more consideration before making a decision. thanks!