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Updated January 10, 2024·
To help you decide between the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, let's consider key differences. If you need a convertible laptop with a touch screen for versatility in usage, such as tablet mode for reading or presentations, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 may be more suitable. The Dell Inspiron, on the other hand, could offer better performance for more demanding applications, which could be important if you run engineering software or do video editing. The Inspiron might also have a more robust build quality but may be less portable due to a heavier and more solid construction. If battery life is a major concern for you, you'll want to check which of the two offers longer unplugged usage. Lastly, consider the cost versus the benefits for your specific needs; if you don't require the extra performance or the convertible feature, you could save money by choosing the option that aligns with your minimum requirements. 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 Spin 14
- The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 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 overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5
7.6
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 outperforms the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 in several very important areas such as possessing a more powerful CPU and twice the RAM, which allows for smoother multitasking and better handling of intensive tasks. Additionally, the Dell offers superior screen quality with a higher resolution and slightly brighter panel, along with better battery life and more storage, making it more suitable for demanding general use.
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1200
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 3 Spin 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.
Engineering and Design
5.9
7.1
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
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 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14, with a lower-tier CPU and integrated graphics, less RAM, and a lower resolution screen, is fair for engineering and design use because these components may struggle with high-demand tasks. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for such tasks as it features a higher-tier CPU, a dedicated GPU, more RAM, and a higher resolution screen, rendering it more capable of handling complex engineering and design applications.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.5
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
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 Spin 14 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offer screens that meet basic needs but may not provide the sharpness or brightness ideal for more discerning users due to their resolution and panel type characteristics. In engineering and design, while suitable for entry-level tasks, professionals may find the color accuracy and range lacking for precision work because they don't fully cover the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color spectra. Gamers and enthusiasts engaging in 3D applications will notice limitations in fluidity and detail as these laptops have screens with lower refresh rates and compromised resolution and panel quality compared to specialized gaming laptops.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 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.
Build Quality
6.2
7.0
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$418
$971
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
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Key similarities
Content Creation
7.0
7.5
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 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
6.9
7.4
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5420 to be good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 | Dell Inspiron 14 5420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $971 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 9'' x 0.74'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-N305 | 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 | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 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 1200 | 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 | 8.2/10 | 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 | No | 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 | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14
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Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and Yannick Khong | November 2023
"The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is okay for school use. It feels reasonably well-built, and its compact design makes it easy to carry around. The battery lasts around seven hours of light use, so you only have to plug it in for a short time to get through a typical school day. The overall user experience is so-so; the display looks sharp but dim, and the touchpad is fairly responsive, albeit small."
Dell Inspiron 14 5420
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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 Spin 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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