The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a more compact and lighter design with a stunning OLED screen, which provides richer colors and deeper blacks. It is well-suited for mobility and visually demanding tasks. However, it comes with a heftier price tag as compared to the Dell Inspiron 16 5625. On the other hand, the Dell has a larger screen with an IPS display, which is still great for everyday tasks and offers decent color accuracy. Furthermore, the Dell is friendlier on the wallet and could be considered a cost-effective option, yet it is bulkier and heavier, which may be less ideal for frequent travel. The Dell may also have a longer battery life, due to its less power-hungry components and a larger battery, which is a plus for extended use without a power source. If budget is a primary concern and you prefer a larger display, the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 could be the better choice. However, if portability and screen quality are more critical, and you are willing to invest more, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 would be the way to go. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook S 13
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Best in class portability
Very good battery life
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5625
The Dell Inspiron 16 5625 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 excels in general use due to its high-resolution OLED screen, larger amount of RAM for multitasking, and lightweight design for better portability, along with a longer battery life for extended use without charging. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 offers a larger screen and touchscreen capability but compromises on screen quality, has less RAM which may affect multitasking performance, and is heavier with a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for on-the-go usage.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 outperforms the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 due to its higher RAM and more powerful Intel CPU paired with Iris Xe graphics, which provides better performance for engineering and design tasks requiring significant processing power. Additionally, the Zenbook's OLED display with higher resolution and superior color coverage makes it more suitable for color-critical work, whereas the Inspiron's larger screen and IPS panel offer good quality but less screen sharpness and color fidelity.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 is good.
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
8.3/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 is good.
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.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
6.2/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 provides crisp visuals and vibrant colors due to its high-resolution display and bright panel, enhancing everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, whereas the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 has a lower resolution and brightness, making it less suitable for such activities. The Zenbook's wider color gamut coverage ensures accurate color reproduction for engineering and design applications, allowing professionals to work with more precision compared to the Inspiron's fair color performance. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the Zenbook's lower refresh rate may lead to less fluid motion, while the Inspiron, although having a similar limitation, may not differ much in this scenario, as both are not ideal for high-frame-rate gaming.
Battery
11.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 16 5625 has 8 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
Best in Class
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Dell Inspiron 16 5625 both have good build quality, though the ASUS Zenbook S 13 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$800
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 costs $800.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Dell Inspiron 16 5625 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers stronger gaming and 3D performance than the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 primarily due to its Intel Iris Xe graphics, which are generally more capable than the Dell's AMD Vega 8 graphics for such tasks. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, but the superior GPU on the Zenbook makes it the better option for gaming and 3D applications, although CPU and screen quality also play a role in overall performance and visual experience.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5625 compare to other laptops
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 is the slimmest OLED ultrabook worldwide struggles with annoying fans. The new Zenbook S 13 leaves us with mixed feelings, particularly since last year's model was so good. Asus has completely reworked the device, making the laptop noticeably slimmer. The result also looks good and the case makes a great impression, particularly also in terms of the stability. The new plasma ceramic surface feels great, and there are no problems with fingerprints. In addition, it now includes some of the known connections such as an HDMI port and a regular USB-A connection, which is a good achievement in such a slim device."
"I think there is fair value in the Inspiron 16 this year. Very little has changed with the laptop and my opinion hasn’t really changed either. In other words, I like it. Overall, I think the pros far outweigh the cons of this laptop and the price is certainly justifiable. I found this to be a great typer and I could potentially work all day on this machine, provided I don’t need a graphics card."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the Dell Inspiron 16 5625
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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.
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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