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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 16 offers stronger performance for intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering thanks to its more powerful processor and GPU, making it well-suited for gaming and heavy-duty work at the expense of having a heavier build and shorter battery life. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, while having moderate performance capabilities, is more portable due to its lighter weight and longer battery life, making it a better option for general use and tasks that don't demand high graphics performance. Both have similar price points and are well-equipped with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but the Dell trades off some power for better portability, while the Acer leans towards performance which is more demanding on its battery and portability. 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 Nitro 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.4
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 16 is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which are very important for demanding tasks like gaming and 3D rendering, whereas the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a mid-range Nvidia MX570 GPU and a lower screen refresh rate of 60Hz, making it less capable for intensive graphics tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Acer Nitro 16, with its more capable AMD Ryzen CPU and higher-end Nvidia RTX graphics, offers better performance for tasks like 3D rendering and simulating engineering models, complemented by a higher resolution and brighter screen which benefits design work. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, with sufficient capability for engineering tasks, albeit with less powerful Intel CPU and Nvidia MX graphics, and a screen that is not as bright or color-accurate as the Acer's.
Screen Quality
8.3
6.5
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Nitro 16 offers a brighter, high-resolution display that presents text and images clearly for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, with a wide color gamut ensuring accurate color rendition for professional design applications. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D work, where smooth motion is critical. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, while providing decent resolution and brightness for daily use and sufficient color representation for engineering and design, also falls short in the gaming and 3D arena due to a suboptimal refresh rate.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,050
$971
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 16 offers strong performance for general use with its AMD Ryzen processor and ample RAM, alongside a high-refresh-rate screen with substantial color coverage, but it's less portable and has a heavier build compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 5420. The Inspiron 14, with its Intel processor and similar RAM, provides good performance in a more compact and lighter package, with a longer battery life and higher portability for on-the-go use, despite a lower-refresh-rate screen and less emphasis on gaming capabilities.
Content Creation
7.8
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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
7.7
7.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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
9.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 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
7.4
7.0
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | Dell Inspiron 14 5420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $971 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2240 x 1400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2023
"Video editing, rendering and, of course, gaming represent the Nitro 16's core competencies with a Ryzen 7 7735HS and GeForce RTX 4070 providing the necessary power. Both chips run at consistently high clock speeds. A fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the required storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Nitro 16 AN16-41, Acer has a well-specced, mid-range gaming laptop in its portfolio."
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 Nitro 16 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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