The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is less expensive, has a lower-end processor, and less storage capacity, suited for basic tasks and general use with a fanless design for silent operation. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420, in contrast, is more expensive but offers a higher-end processor, more RAM, and more storage, making it better for more intensive tasks like engineering and 3D rendering. The Dell also has better build quality and ports but may not be as quiet as the Acer. Battery life is comparable, with the Dell slightly trailing. Both are portable with touchscreens and similar size and weight. 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 7420.
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
Good for general use
Good for software development
Good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
7.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14, with a lower-end CPU, less RAM, and lower storage capacity, is likely less responsive and slower in handling multiple tasks compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 7420, which has a higher-end CPU, double the RAM, and more storage, leading to better performance for general use. Additionally, while both have similar quality displays, the Dell's slightly brighter screen and better build quality provide a more robust and visually pleasing experience, which could contribute to its higher rating for general use.
Engineering and Design
5.9/10
6.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 offers basic components suitable for simple engineering and design tasks, with a lower-end CPU and integrated graphics, which contributes to its fair assessment; whereas the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 comes with a more powerful CPU, more RAM, and better integrated graphics, making it more capable of handling demanding engineering software, thus ranking good for such use cases.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
6.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 for content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 offer screens that are adequately bright and clear, but their resolution and panel types may not provide the sharpness and viewing angles you'd find in higher-end displays. In the context of engineering and design, these laptops deliver acceptable color accuracy, but professionals requiring precise color representation may find them lacking in coverage of professional color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. When it comes to gaming and 3D work, the refresh rate of their displays falls short, resulting in less fluid motion and responsiveness compared to laptops with higher refresh rates, which is critical for these activities.
Build Quality
6.2/10
7.4/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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
$801
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 costs $801.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 7420 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both fair for gaming and 3D because they have integrated GPUs that provide adequate but not top-tier gaming performance and standard screen refresh rates suitable for casual gaming. The Aspire 3 Spin 14's weaker CPU compared to the Inspiron 14 7420's more capable CPU may affect performance in CPU-intensive tasks, but both have quality IPS displays with a standard refresh rate for smooth visuals.
Content Creation
7.0/10
7.3/10
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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
6.9/10
7.3/10
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has 7.5 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
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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 7420 compare to other laptops
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."
"Notable qualities of the Inspiron 7420 2-in-1 include the 16:10 aspect ratio, strong hinges, 12th gen Intel CPU with optional GeForce MX graphics, and easy serviceability. Such features would typically cost hundreds of dollars more on higher-end alternatives from competing manufacturers. The value proposition is therefore relatively high for users looking to maximize bang for the buck."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
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.
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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