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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choose the Acer Nitro 17 for better 3D rendering, machine learning tasks, and intensive gaming due to its superior graphics capabilities, but note that it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. For general use and tasks like writing and web browsing, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is lighter, has longer battery life, and offers a higher resolution display, which makes it more suitable for travel and use on-the-go. Both are similarly priced and have similar amounts of memory, but the Acer has more storage and a larger screen, while the Dell has better build quality and heat management. 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 17
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4
6.4
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Nitro 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 17 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165, making it better suited for gaming and 3D applications compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, which has a less powerful Nvidia MX570 GPU and a lower screen refresh rate of 60, limiting its performance in these areas.
Engineering and Design
7.9
7.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 17 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for engineering and design, though the Acer Nitro 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 17 is well-equipped for engineering and design tasks thanks to its powerful AMD processor, RTX GPU, and ample RAM, along with a large 17.3-inch screen that offers good color coverage and high refresh rate which is beneficial for design work, despite its lower portability due to size and weight. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its Intel i7 processor and Nvidia MX GPU, offers a smaller, more portable form factor with high-resolution display, robust build quality, and an excellent keyboard, making it a more travel-friendly option for engineering and design professionals that still delivers reliable performance.
Screen Quality
7.4
6.5
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 17 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Acer Nitro 17 offers higher resolution and brightness, enhancing the visual experience for daily tasks and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate falls short for the fast-paced visuals required in gaming and 3D applications. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its fair screen qualities, provides an adequate display for general use and engineering tasks but may not fully satisfy users needing wider color ranges for highly precise color work. Both laptops' screens are less suited for gaming and 3D due to their poor refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion and a less immersive experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 17 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.
Portability
Poor
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Acer Nitro 17 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 17 offers a larger screen size with high quality and a powerful CPU, making it great for multimedia and heavier tasks, but its larger size and shorter battery life reduce its portability. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, on the other hand, offers a compact, higher-resolution display and longer battery life, making it more portable and suitable for on-the-go users who need a decently powerful laptop for day-to-day tasks.
Content Creation
7.8
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 17 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
7.4
7.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Acer Nitro 17 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.0
The Acer Nitro 17 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.
Cost
$970
$971
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 17 has a price of $970 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
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How the Acer Nitro 17 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 17 | Dell Inspiron 14 5420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$970 | $971 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 11.6'' x 1.1'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.83 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.77" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.59" | 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 | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2240 x 1400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 280 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.6/10 | 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 | 6.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 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 | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 17
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | October 2023
"The Acer Nitro 17 isn't an exceptional gaming laptop; it's kind of chunky even among 17.3-inch notebooks, with a lackluster keyboard, and it doesn't outperform comparably priced machines. But there's a lot to like about it, including a good array of ports, a screen that's sharp and bright for work and play alike, and battery life that soundly beats the competition. All this comes at an affordable price. If size and weight aren't big concerns, you'll find the Nitro 17 a dependable big-screen gaming rig. If you crave higher quality, consider a slight step down or up in screen size with the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 or Alienware m18 respectively."
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 17 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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