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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 5 15 offers superior 3D, machine learning, and engineering performance due to its more powerful graphics card, making it excellent for intensive gaming and resource-demanding tasks, but it is heavier and has a lower battery life, reducing its portability. Alternatively, the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is more portable due to its lighter weight and longer battery life, and it includes a touchscreen with a higher resolution and aspect ratio suited for general use and productivity. However, for tasks requiring high graphics performance, it might not keep up due to less powerful integrated graphics. 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 5 15
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good speakers
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5
6.2
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
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
7.9
6.9
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 15, with its high-performance CPU and dedicated Nvidia GPU, is tailored for demanding engineering and design tasks, while its larger form factor means reduced portability compared to the lighter Dell Inspiron 14 7420 which has an integrated GPU suitable for less intensive design tasks, adding the versatility of a 2-in-1 laptop with a better screen aspect ratio for productivity. However, the Inspiron's portability, touch screen feature, and higher resolution make it a good match for on-the-go engineers and designers who value flexibility and display quality but do not require intense graphical processing power.
Screen Quality
6.9
6.2
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
262.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Acer Nitro 5 15 boasts a vibrant display with higher resolution and brightness, making it better for general activities like browsing and watching videos but falls short in refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth gaming and 3D applications. Its screen might not cover the wider color gamuts required by professionals in engineering and design, which is why it’s only considered fair for those tasks. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420, on the other hand, provides a satisfactory experience for general use and design work through decent resolution and sufficient color representation but lacks the high refresh rate gamers need for fluid action.
Battery
5.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has 5.5 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
Fair
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
262.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Acer Nitro 5 15 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 5 15 offers strong performance with a capable CPU and dedicated graphics card, making it good for tasks that require more graphical power; however, it's heavier and has a lower battery life, compromising portability compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 7420, which is lightweight and has longer battery life, suitable for on-the-go use with the added versatility of a touchscreen and 2-in-1 convertible form.
Content Creation
7.5
7.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 5 15 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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
7.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 15 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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
7.2
7.4
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Acer Nitro 5 15 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$780
$801
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has a price of $780 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 costs $801.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 15 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 15 | Dell Inspiron 14 7420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$780 | $801 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.7'' x 1.06'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 3.61 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.19" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.67" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12500H | 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 | 5.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 262 nits | 260 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 5 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2022
"The Acer Nitro 5 is a fast QHD gaming notebook. The Nitro 5 is a well-balanced gaming laptop for just under US$ 2400. A Core i7-12700H CPU and a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU enable QHD gaming at high to maximum settings, accompanied by fast PCIe-4-SSD (1 TB) and 16 GB of RAM. Acer delivers a solid QHD gaming notebook with the Nitro 5 AN515-58. However, the laptop is not completely free of shortcomings. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The laptop heats up noticeably under load, but not excessively. Noise development is on the usual class level. Once again, however, Acer needs to improve the fan control."
Dell Inspiron 14 7420
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | June 2022
"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 Nitro 5 15 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.
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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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