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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 5 17 features a larger screen and more powerful hardware, well-suited for intensive tasks and gaming. If high performance for tasks like gaming or engineering is crucial, and portability is less of a concern, the Acer may be the better choice. The Dell is more suitable if you prioritize a more manageable size for frequent transport and touch capabilities for casual use. Both laptops have a similar price point. 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 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Good speakers
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
- Very good portability
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.2
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 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
8.0
6.9
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 surpasses the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 in engineering and design use primarily due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics, which are vital for demanding software applications, whereas the Dell has an Intel i7 processor with integrated Iris Xe graphics which offer competent but less robust performance.
Screen Quality
8.2
6.2
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, the larger screen and superior resolution of the Acer Nitro 5 17 provide a clear and vivid display, but the Dell Inspiron 14 7420's smaller screen and lower brightness make it less appealing. Engineering and design tasks benefit from the Acer's wide color gamuts ensuring accurate color reproduction, while the Dell's fair color range might not meet professional color standards. Gamers and 3D artists find the Acer's poor refresh rate limiting for smooth visuals, whereas the Dell, despite its modest resolution and panel type, also falls short in providing the fluidity required for high-paced games or 3D rendering.
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 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
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 5 17, with its powerful AMD CPU and high-end Nvidia GPU, is well-suited for demanding tasks and offers a larger screen for enhanced visual space, though it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, affecting its portability. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 7420, with a more modest Intel CPU and integrated graphics, is lighter and offers longer usage on a single charge, plus a sharper display with its higher resolution, making it more portable and versatile as a 2-in-1 device suitable for everyday tasks.
Content Creation
7.8
7.3
7.4/10
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 17 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
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 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 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$801
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 costs $801.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | Dell Inspiron 14 7420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $801 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 3.61 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 260 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 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 | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 5 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2021
"The Acer Nitro 5 17 is a solid mid-range gamer. The Nitro 5 does not belong to the top group of RTX 3070 notebooks: Compared with the RTX 3070 notebooks tested so far, the computer delivers below-average frame rates - this is due to the 100-watt TGP. The GPU performance can be increased a bit with a firmware update. The device scores with a high level of CPU performance. Throttling is not a concern. CPU and GPU can produce their performance constantly. The laptop heats up moderately under load. The noise development is on the usual class level."
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 17 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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