If you prioritize a high-quality display, strong build, and top-tier performance for tasks like video editing or 3D rendering, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 is an excellent choice but comes at a higher cost. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is less expensive and still offers decent performance for everyday tasks and lighter creative work, along with the flexibility of Windows 11 Pro. Battery life is generally longer on the MacBook Pro, and it's also slightly thinner and lighter, making it more portable. The Dell, however, includes a variety of ports that might be useful if you connect to a lot of peripherals. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent 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 5420
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its high-resolution Mini LED display that has superior brightness and color coverage, along with the efficiency of the M1 Pro chip, provides longer battery life and high performance, making it very suitable for general use despite a higher cost. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers good performance with its Intel processor and Nvidia graphics, along with a quality IPS screen, but with less impressive color accuracy and brightness, shorter battery life, and a more affordable price, it still stands as a good option for general-use scenarios.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) exceeds the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 in engineering and design due to its superior CPU and GPU (Apple M1 Pro), which offer better performance for such tasks, and its high-quality Mini LED screen that provides excellent color accuracy and brightness critical for design work.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.5/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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
7.4/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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
9.2/10
6.5/10
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in screen quality for general use and engineering tasks due to its high resolution and color-accurate display covering a wide range of color gamuts, which ensures sharp images and precise colors for detailed work. However, its refresh rate is not tailored for 3D use where smoother motion is crucial. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 provides a balanced screen resolution and brightness for general activities and can handle engineering tasks to a fair degree but lacks the higher refresh rate and color fidelity needed for specialized 3D applications and gaming.
Battery
13.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$971
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Pro 14, with its superior GPU and high-quality display, excels in 3D tasks, but its gaming potential is limited by the fewer game titles available for macOS. The Dell Inspiron, while offering a decent GPU and screen refresh rate for gaming, may not match the MacBook's performance in 3D rendering due to its screen quality and processing power.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
"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 Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
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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About the laptop team
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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
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.