For general use, the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is known for its silent operation, higher portability, longer battery life, and superior display quality. Its performance is quite adequate for everyday tasks and it runs on MacOS, which may be preferable if you're invested in the Apple ecosystem. However, the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 offers a larger storage capacity, more RAM, and a newer Intel processor that gives it an edge in performance for engineering and 3D/machine learning applications. It also has a wider variety of ports and a touchscreen. The MacBook Air is usually chosen for its sleek design and user-friendly interface, while the Inspiron might be preferred by those needing a Windows laptop with more robust specifications for intensive tasks. Both are similarly priced, so consider what's more important: the ecosystem and display quality of the MacBook Air, or the higher specs and flexibility of the Dell Inspiron.
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2020).
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.5/10
6.2/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air is renowned for its high-resolution Retina display, which provides crisp and clear visuals for general use, along with a wide color gamut that benefits engineering and design tasks. The Dell Inspiron 14, while offering a sufficient resolution for everyday tasks, may not match the color fidelity and brightness of the MacBook Air, making it less ideal for professional creative work. However, both laptops have screens that aren't tailored for high refresh rates, which are critical for 3D applications and gaming, where smooth motion and quick response times are essential.
Battery
15.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 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
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$801
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 costs $801.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.2/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its Apple M1 GPU and MacOS has limited compatibility with many popular games, although it has a fairly powerful integrated GPU for light 3D tasks, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420, equipped with Intel Iris Xe graphics and running Windows 11, offers better compatibility for gaming but both laptops have only a 60Hz screen refresh rate which is not ideal for fast-paced gaming and high-end 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
6.9/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2020) to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its Apple M1 chip is optimized for engineering and design due to its strong combined CPU and GPU performance, and excellent screen quality, although its portability is hampered by fewer ports and the absence of a touchscreen. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420, with a higher RAM capacity, touch-enabled and larger screen, provides flexibility for engineering tasks and design work, where a touchscreen could be beneficial, but it also has a lower screen color accuracy which might not be ideal for color-critical design tasks.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) 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
7.7/10
7.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
"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 Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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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Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.