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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 1 is significantly less expensive and offers basic functionalities suitable for general tasks like web browsing and word processing with a larger screen size, but it has limited storage, lower processing power, and a less impressive screen. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, while more expensive, provides considerably better performance for engineering tasks, 3D and machine learning activities, and it has a higher quality screen that's brighter and more suitable for color-sensitive work. The Dell also offers a longer battery life and overall robust build quality. For users needing portability plus performance for demanding applications, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is a strong choice, but for those prioritizing budget and basic use, the Acer Aspire 1 might suffice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire 1
- The Acer Aspire 1 has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 5420.
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has a weaker CPU, less RAM, and lower screen quality compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, making it less capable of handling multitasking and demanding applications, which is essential for general use. Additionally, the Dell offers greater portability and battery life, enhancing its usability on the go, whereas the Acer, despite its longer battery life, compromises on performance and portability due to its larger size and lower-grade components.
Gaming and AI
5.6
6.4
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is limited in gaming and 3D tasks due to its basic Intel Celeron integrated graphics, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420's dedicated Nvidia graphics card offers better performance for these activities. Additionally, the Dell Inspiron boasts a higher-quality IPS screen which further enhances the gaming and 3D experience over the Acer's TN panel, despite both having the same screen refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
5.5
7.1
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 falls short for engineering and design due to its basic CPU, lower RAM, and integrated graphics which struggle with demanding tasks; the screen quality is also inferior, impacting detailed work. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is well-suited for such tasks with a more powerful CPU, ample RAM, a dedicated GPU, and a higher-quality screen, although it is slightly less portable and could have louder operating noise due to more robust hardware.
Content Creation
5.9
7.5
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
6.1
7.4
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 1 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
5.2
6.5
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 1 has a lower resolution and dimmer screen, which makes it less suitable for tasks like browsing and video streaming, falling short for engineering and design work where sharpness and clarity are essential. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420's fair screen quality suggests better resolution and brightness, improving the experience for general use and making details more precise for design applications, though limited color range might not fully meet professional creative standards. Neither laptop is ideal for gaming or 3D work, as both lack high refresh rates and the color depth that would make graphics pop and movement fluid.
Battery
6.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Acer Aspire 1 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5
7.0
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 1 has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$244
$971
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $244 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | Dell Inspiron 14 5420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$244 | $971 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2240 x 1400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 1
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | May 2020
"There are no surprises and nothing's extraordinary here but this laptop's price. For those in need of an inexpensive Windows laptop for undemanding tasks, though, the Acer Aspire 1 offers just enough to get the basics done and a larger screen to do them on."
Dell Inspiron 14 5420
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Dig into reviews and images
Smarthouse
Nick Ross | March 2023
"If laptops were food, then the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is arguably a Big Mac. There are cheaper and more expensive options, but this arguably represents the baseline of quality and value in the world of mobile computing… something that’s underlined by the attractive $1,279 price tag."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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