Gaming

Dell Inspiron 15 (7566) review

Published

December 15, 2016

Marvin Velasco

How casual is too casual? That’s what I tried figuring out while using Dell’s latest Inspiron 15 gaming laptop.

During a media presentation, Dell repeatedly emphasized how this large notebook isn’t for hardcore gamers. Strange, because that isn’t the impression you get when you first hold the bulky Inspiron 15.

This is a lot bulkier than it looks in photos.

Fortunately, I got to review one for a couple of weeks, and was able to answer a load of questions along the way.

What exactly is this?

The Dell Inspiron 15 we have here is a 15-inch gaming notebook for casual gamers. To be specific, this has a model number of 7566, and is the most affordable of Dell’s mobile gaming line at PhP 49,990 or about $1,000.

What’s it meant for?

Our unit has an Intel Core i5-6300HQ processor, 4GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960m. If these specs make sense to you, you already know what you’re in for. If not, rest assured this is good enough to play all the lightweight games you have, as well as handle light video editing.

The Full HD display was adequately bright and crisp enough for gaming.

But, how about more taxing games like The Witcher 3?

Trust me, I’ve thrown that and more at this laptop, but every single graphical setting must be turned down significantly to get acceptable gameplay. Playing at the screen’s native Full HD resolution is tough enough for the components; expecting mid- to high-level graphics is another issue altogether.

As an example, I managed to play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on a resolution of 1920 x 1080 with an average frame rate of 40 frames per second, and that came after fine-tuning most gameplay settings to Medium. Turning on stuff like hair and shadow details is out of the question. On the other hand, less heavy games like Life is Strange and The Witness weren’t as difficult to run, even on higher graphics settings.

Will it last long enough to finish a movie?

Surely, but don’t expect endurance as long as, say, a featherweight convertible or tablet. Those compact computers have much more energy-efficient Core M processors, and don’t rely on a separate graphics card to power the visuals (and sap the battery).

In my experience, I could get as many as seven hours of use on a single charge when I simply surfed the web and wrote this review. It also helps that the storage for the base model is 1TB, providing you with enough space to save large games and movies.

While the keyboard has nice, smooth travel, the trackpad is quite small and lacks precision at times.

So, you can use this for something other than games?

Yes, it has more than enough horsepower for any non-gaming tasks, but there’s a downside: Weighing in at 2.6kg — which is quite heavy for a low-powered gaming laptop — you won’t enjoy keeping this on your lap for long periods. It’s also 38.4cm in length, 27.4cm in width, and has a thickness of 25mm, so good luck finding a bag that can accommodate this.

Do I at least get a headphone jack?

Yes, definitely, along with several other connectivity options: HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, SD card reader, three full-sized USB 3.0 ports, and a DVD drive. Dell also made its bottom easy to open up, so adding memory or storage takes a few simple steps.

Despite having a matte finish, the exterior attracts a lot of unsightly smudges and fingerprints.

Is there anything else I should know?

As expected of a non-IPS display, the viewing angles of the TN panel are pretty bad. You’ll enjoy looking at the screen straight on, but anyone in the vicinity will have to adjust to get a better view. And although Dell was generous enough to add a subwoofer underneath to complement the front-firing stereo speakers, it had difficulty handling explosions from intense movie scenes. This made it hard to set the perfect volume; it either sounded broken or far too quiet.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

It’s difficult to categorize this gaming notebook. It’s easily more powerful than those slim $500 to $900 laptops you find in shops, but you can barely call it a computer good enough for actual gaming.

I’d normally go straight to recommending the higher-end model — which has a faster Core i7 chipset, Ultra HD resolution, and a much more efficient 256GB SSD for the operating system — but it again settles for a GTX 960m graphics card. That’s still not enough to future-proof yourself for newer games, and it costs a lot more at PhP 69,990 or around $1,400.

The question remains: How attached are you to your games while traveling?

This brings me back to an article I wrote highlighting the weaknesses of gaming notebooks. All those points apply here, but the opening line matters the most.

If you must have a Windows 10 gaming device during your travels and every cent counts, the Inspiron 15 is for you — just don’t expect much out of it when game requirements become hungrier a year later.

[irp posts=”4568″ name=”Dell refreshes XPS 13 with new color and faster processor”]

Gaming

Switch 2 now lets you play old games in 1080p

It tricks old games into thinking that the console is docked.

Published

March 18, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The Switch 2’s popularity is astonishing, to say the least. Just recently, a single game, Pokémon Pokopia, was responsible for taking the free times of over two million players on the Switch 2. Now, Nintendo has released a new feature which should make the console much more playable, especially for those who already had the original Switch.

Today, the Switch 2 received the 22.0.0 system update. Though the update is mostly a variety of smaller updates, one feature, called the Handheld Mode Boost, stands out among the rest. As per the patch notes, “Handheld Mode Boost will cause compatible Nintendo Switch software to run as if the console is being played in TV mode.” Put simply, the feature will unlock 1080p resolution for older games.

For gamers who had the original Switch, game resolution was a huge problem. The first console lived on a 720p screen, so the early games supported only lower resolutions. The only exception is when the console was docked, which allows 1080p resolution.

Now, the Switch 2 supports backwards compatibility. Players can access their older Switch games on the new console. The catch, however, is that these games are still stuck in 720p. Some titles, at least, have released an update to increase resolution on the new console.

Handheld Mode Boost tricks the console into thinking that it’s hooked up to the dock. In effect, the game will play in 1080p. The catch, however, is that it also thinks that the Joy-Cons are a single Pro controller, so players might lose some game features. It’s still a decent price to pay, though.

In other news, the update has also updated the naming of the “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea” to “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea/Southeast Asia,” potentially hinting that Southeast Asia might finally get an online store.

Gaming

NVIDIA’s DLSS 5 can turn your favorite AAA game into AI slop

DLSS 5 will launch on select games.

Published

March 17, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Have you ever wondered why RAM prices are going up this year? Everyone is rightfully saying that AI is the reason for the price hike, but it’s hard to palpably see why. Today, NVIDIA is showing off where its hard-earned profits are going by revealing DLSS 5.

For gamers who don’t have a particularly strong machine, NVIDIA’s DLSS technology upscales a game’s graphics quality and frame rate to artificially keep up with newer hardware. A few months ago, the company unveiled DLSS 4.5, which marks the latest step to help games sparkle. Today, with DLSS 5, the technology is going all-in on AI.

In a tech demo, NVIDIA showcased the latest version of the technology. This time, the feature will use photoreal lighting and materials to alter graphics. It can allegedly analyze a scene’s elements — including hair, fabric, and translucent skin — based simply on a single frame.

The demo’s most prominent example is Resident Evil Requiem. Grace Ashcroft, the gamer’s protagonist, evolves from her doll-like appearance into… well, something you might see on an AI-generated mobile game ad.

NVIDIA claims that the new version will make games look closer to real life. The jury is still out, especially with such a low sample size. However, in this writer’s humble opinion, it’s gonna be a no for me, dawg. I’d rather play with what the developer originally intended for their game than with yet another generic AI filter.

The new feature is rolling out to some of the biggest games today including Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Hogwarts Legacy, Resident Evil Requiem, and Where Winds Meet.

Gaming

Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.1: Dark secrets within the Phantasmoon Games

Ashveil becomes playable character

Published

March 16, 2026

GadgetMatch

The Version 4.1 update for Honkai: Star Rail will be available on March 25. Called “Unraveled for Daybreak”, the update will continue to revolve around the story of Planarcadia.

Here, the Astral Express Crew is invited to attend the grand Star Rail FEST, a fan festival inspired by their past interstellar journeys.

In the process, they will join a new 5-Star Character, Ashveil, as they uncover the dark secrets lurking during the Phantasmoon Games.

Star Rail FEST

This festival features three major open zones: the Belobog Zone, Xianzhou Luofu Zone, and Penacony Zone.

The festival is set-up after the Trailblazer has successfully obtained the mask of the supplicant to participate in the Phantasmoon Games. Pearl, the CEO of Planarcadia, then collaborates with the Astral Experss Crew to hold a grand exposition.

Citizens of Planarcadia can board a special Pom-Pom front shuttle express through Interplanar Jump to enjoy the highlights of their trailblaze journey.

Trailblazers can witness giant balloon figures, immerse themselves in a duel against the Lord Ravager Phantylia, and charge headlong at The Great Septimus.

Meanwhile, the festival’s organizer, Pearluxe Corp, will also have an area unlocked: Pearluxe Tower. Inside is a newly ultra-poseable model, “Alloy King Pom-Pom” and a variety of mechatron-themed interactive activities.

However, beneath the revelry, conspiracies are abound, and various crises will soon follow.

Ashveil joins the list of playable characters

This marks the start of a new adventure for the Trailblazers, to be joined by famous detective, Ashveil.

This 5-star Lightning-Type (Path of The Hunt) “detective unreliable” will showcase his serious and dependable side as a playable character.

Ashveil uses his Technique to inflict a Stunned state on enemies within a certain range. After entering combat, he can increase the CRIT DMG of all allies and selects one enemy to be the Bait.

As long as the Bait is on the field, the DEF of all enemies will be reduced. And when Ashveil uses his Skill on the Bait again, he will deal extra DMG and recover Skill Points for the entire team.

Moreover, when a teammate attacks the same Bait, Ashveil unleashes a Follow-Up ATK and gradually accumulates Gluttony in combat. Consuming this can further enhance the unit’s Follow-Up capabilities.

At the end of the last story stage, he will enter the Phantasmoon Games and begin investigating the murder case that occurred in the Dovebrook District.

He will work alongside the Astral Express Crew to uncover the conspiracy hidden beneath the surface of the elation feast to deliver justice for the fallen.

More features

In addition, Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.1 will launch with the Wispae War Saga. The Trailblazer can lead various types of wispae soldiers to battle in the Graphia Academy.

Here, they can defeat powerful champions by employing different strategies, upgrading wispae, and using spell cards and capsules with different effects.

Players can acquire both rewards and engage in even more challenging matches against outsider adversaries.