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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you need more power for tasks like engineering applications, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with a stronger processor and graphics card, is the better choice, yet it comes at a higher price. However, the Acer Aspire 3 14, being more budget-friendly, offers decent performance for general use while also being lighter, making it more portable. The Dell's battery lasts slightly longer, and it has a higher resolution screen, which can be beneficial for detailed tasks, but keep in mind it's heavier and can affect carrying comfort. Both laptops have similar screen sizes and type, but the Acer's lower price makes it a compelling option for everyday tasks and users who prioritize savings over cutting-edge performance. 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 3 14
- The Acer Aspire 3 14 has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 5420.
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for general use, though the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is somewhat better.
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has a Ryzen CPU and 8GB of RAM, making it suitable for standard tasks, with fanless operation contributing to less noise and heat, but its lower screen brightness, lower color coverage, and shorter battery life make it just fair for general use.
Engineering and Design
6.1
7.1
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 14's fair performance for engineering and design tasks can be attributed to its mid-range AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and integrated AMD Radeon GPU, which may struggle with demanding engineering software, along with a standard Full HD screen, whereas the Dell Inspiron 14 5420's better suitability comes from its more powerful Intel i7 CPU and discrete Nvidia GPU, which are better suited for intensive tasks, complemented by a higher-resolution screen that enhances detailed work.
Screen Quality
6.1
6.5
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 14 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Aspire 3 14 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offer screens with adequate resolution and brightness, but they don't have the premium panel types that provide better viewing angles and color reproduction. When it comes to engineering and design, these laptops do not cover the wider color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which are crucial for accurate color work. For gaming and 3D applications, their screens fall short as they lack high refresh rates, resulting in less fluid motion and a less immersive experience.
Build Quality
6.2
7.0
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$434
$971
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has a price of $434 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.9
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
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5420 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Content Creation
7.2
7.5
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for content creation.
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
7.1
7.4
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
9.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has 9.5 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
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Aspire 3 14 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 14 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 14 | Dell Inspiron 14 5420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$434 | $971 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.74'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.9" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.5" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7520U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2240 x 1400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 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 | 6.3/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
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 3 14 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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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