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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers a gaming-grade graphics card and a higher refresh rate display, making it better suited for gaming and graphically intensive tasks. Its larger screen and high performance may also make it more appealing for engineering applications. However, it is likely to be bulkier and have a shorter battery life, reducing its portability compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, which offers a sharper display and is much more portable, making it a better choice if you prioritize carrying your laptop around and longer usage on a single charge. The Dell comes with a professional version of the Windows operating system and might have additional features that appeal to business users. Choose the Acer if you need more power for specialized applications, but if you prefer convenience and portability for general use, go for the Dell. 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 Predator Helios Neo 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5
6.4
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which are very important for gaming and 3D applications, providing smoother visuals and better gaming performance. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, while having decent screen quality and a capable CPU, falls behind with its less powerful Nvidia MX570 GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, making it less suited for intense gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.3
7.1
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is regarded as very good for engineering and design due to its high-performance CPU, ample RAM, potent RTX 4050 GPU, and a quality IPS screen with a high refresh rate and good color accuracy; whereas the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, although good for similar uses, offers a less powerful MX570 GPU and a CPU that's less suited for demanding tasks despite having a higher-resolution display. The Helios Neo is heavier with shorter battery life, making it less portable than the lighter Inspiron 14 which also has longer battery life, but the tradeoff is in its better suitability for intensive graphic and computational tasks while the Dell balances performance with portability.
Screen Quality
7.8
6.5
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 boasts superior screen resolution and brightness, enhancing visibility and clarity for both everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, with panel technology that supports wide color gamuts ensuring precise color representation necessary for design professionals. However, its lower refresh rate hampers the smooth visual experience required for high-end gaming and fluid 3D model manipulation. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, while offering adequate resolution and brightness for routine use and enough color accuracy for some design applications, falls short for gaming enthusiasts and 3D professionals due to its less impressive refresh rate and narrower color gamuts.
Battery
5.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 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
Fair
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$799
$971
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.6
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers strong performance suitable for general use and beyond due to its higher-tier CPU and gaming-grade GPU, which outperform the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 in demanding tasks despite the Helios's lower portability and battery life. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers better portability and longer battery life, alongside a higher-density display for sharper visuals, making it a great fit for general-use tasks where mobility and screen quality are prioritized over raw power.
Content Creation
7.7
7.5
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 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
7.5
7.4
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.0
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 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 Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 | Dell Inspiron 14 5420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $971 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.11'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.2" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500HX | 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 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 | 1920 x 1200 | 2240 x 1400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 373 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 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 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 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 Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
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PCMag
Mark Knapp | August 2023
"The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 sacrifices portability and a truly budget price in the name of additional power. While remaining relatively budget-friendly, this gaming laptop packs serious processing chops, and Acer optimizes its internals to deliver respectable 1080p (or 1200p) gameplay from an RTX 4050. Its keyboard and chassis design won't win it any awards, but its display is a cut above for the price."
Dell Inspiron 14 5420
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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 Predator Helios Neo 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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