Dell continues to impress with its diverse lineup, which effectively blends reliability, performance, and affordability. Recently, we had the opportunity to test the Dell 14 Pro PC14255, a compact powerhouse equipped with an AMD Ryzen processor. Priced competitively, this laptop is designed for content creators, business professionals, and anyone seeking a balance between portability and productivity. But does it stand out as one of the best options for video editing, graphic design, or corporate multitasking? Let’s find out.
Design and Build Quality
The Dell 14 Pro PC14255 has a premium vibe right out of the box. Its chassis is crafted from a magnesium alloy, which not only lends a sleek, modern aesthetic but also ensures exceptional strength and durability. This build quality is particularly advantageous in business environments, where the laptop may be subjected to frequent travel, bumps, or extended use on the go. Weighing in at just 1.35kg and measuring around 18mm thick, it’s remarkably lightweight and portable, comparable to ultrabooks like the MacBook Air or Lenovo ThinkPad series, making it easy to slip into a backpack without feeling burdensome.
The hinge mechanism is smooth and reliable, allowing the screen to open up to a full 180 degrees for collaborative viewing or flat-lay presentations. However, it falls short of a 360-degree rotation, which means it lacks tablet mode or tent configurations. Additionally, the absence of a touchscreen might disappoint users who prefer interactive displays for note-taking or creative workflows. That said, the non-touch approach keeps the design minimalist and focused on productivity rather than gimmicks. On the durability front, the construction resists flex and feels robust under pressure.
Display
At the heart of the visual experience is a 14-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) panel with a peak brightness of 300 nits. This display delivers vibrant colours and sharp details, making it suitable for everyday tasks like document editing, web browsing, and light photo manipulation.
Colour accuracy is respected, which is a boon for content creators handling basic video edits or graphic design in tools like Adobe Premiere or Photoshop. However, it doesn’t quite match the depth and contrast of OLED panels found on similarly priced Intel-based competitors, such as the ASUS Zenbook or Dell’s own XPS line. Blacks appear more greyish in dark scenes, and HDR content lacks the punch you’d get from higher-end displays. Viewing angles are wide, thanks to IPS technology, ensuring consistent visuals even when shared with colleagues.
For business users, it is ideal for scrolling through spreadsheets or coding. Bezels are reasonably thin, contributing to an immersive feel without distracting from the content.
Ports and Connectivity
Dell’s 14 Pro excels in connectivity, featuring a mix of modern and legacy ports. The device features a global headset jack, an HDMI port supporting up to 4K output, and a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port. It also features a USB 3.2 Type-A port, an RJ45 Ethernet port for stable 1 Gbps connections, and a 4.5mm barrel power delivery port.
A drawback is the dependence on Dell’s proprietary barrel charger, rather than USB-C Power Delivery, which can be inconvenient for travel. On the plus side, Wi-Fi 6E offers high-speed internet, and Bluetooth 5.3 ensures easy pairing with peripherals.
Performance
The Dell 14 Pro PC14255 is powered by the AMD Ryzen AI 7 Pro 350 processor, a state-of-the-art chip from AMD’s latest lineup that combines CPU, GPU, and NPU (Neural Processing Unit) to optimize performance. Completed by AMD Radeon 860M integrated graphics, 32GB of high-speed DDR5 RAM, and 512GB NVMe SSD storage, this configuration effectively handles demanding tasks.
In everyday use, laptops excel at multitasking. It managed to run dozens of browser tabs, edit documents in Microsoft Office, and conduct virtual meetings via Zoom effortlessly. For content creators, tasks like 4K editing in Premiere Pro remained impressively smooth, exhibiting minimal throttling even under sustained loads. The multi-core capabilities of the Ryzen AI processor truly shine in these scenarios, ensuring quick exports and smooth playback previews.
While gaming is not the primary focus, the Radeon 860M performs well with lighter titles like League of Legends or indie games at medium settings, achieving over 60 frames per second at Full HD resolution.
A noteworthy feature is the integrated NPU, which utilizes AMD’s XDNA architecture for AI-accelerated tasks. With the capability of processing up to 50 TOPS (trillions of operations per second), it offloads AI workloads from the CPU and GPU. This enables features such as real-time noise cancellation in video calls, automated photo enhancements in applications like Lightroom, and on-device AI models for content generation. During testing, we employed it for background blur in Microsoft Teams and AI-driven upscaling in video editing software, resulting in faster processing and lower power consumption compared to software-only solutions.
Storage performance is impressive, with read/write speeds exceeding 3,500 MB/s, ensuring quick boot times (under 10 seconds) and efficient file transfers. Thermal management is effective, featuring dual fans that maintain low noise levels during intensive tasks; however, the chassis can warm up under heavy loads.
Battery Life
The Dell 14 Pro is powered by a 55Wh battery, providing impressive endurance. During medium usage such as web browsing, document work, and occasional streaming, the laptop lasted up to 9 hours on a single charge, easily covering a full workday. When playing videos at 50% brightness, it achieved around 7 to 8 hours of battery life. However, for more intensive tasks like rendering, the battery duration dropped to approximately 4 to 5 hours.
Charging is efficient with the included 65W barrel adapter, which reaches 50% in approximately 30 minutes. While the absence of a USB-C charging option limits versatility, the impressive battery life makes this laptop a reliable all-day performer for professionals on the go.
Verdict
The Dell 14 Pro PC14255 is an excellent choice for content creators and business users seeking a lightweight and efficient laptop at around INR 120000. With its sturdy build, powerful AMD Ryzen AI processor, and solid battery life, it’s versatile for editing and multitasking. While it has a proprietary charger, lacks a touchscreen, and doesn’t feature an OLED display, these are minor drawbacks. For a reliable 14-inch laptop that delivers strong performance, the Dell 14 Pro is a worthy contender.