The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering with its more powerful processors and better screen quality. It also boasts a higher build quality and a longer battery life but comes at a higher price. Meanwhile, the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 is more budget-friendly and offers a larger screen size, but with less powerful components suitable primarily for general use and lighter tasks. It's slightly heavier, which can affect portability, but both have a decent array of ports and similar RAM and storage configurations. Choose the MacBook if you need higher performance and better screen features, like color accuracy and brightness, and prefer MacOS, or opt for the Dell if you want to save money and predominantly use Windows for everyday tasks. 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 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
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5620
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) stands superior for general use due to its more powerful M1 Pro CPU, exceptional Mini LED screen quality, best-in-class keyboard, and longer battery life, all packed in a more portable design, despite a higher price tag. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 offers good performance with its Intel i5 CPU and satisfactory IPS display, in a slightly less portable form with a shorter battery life, but at a more affordable cost and with a silent operation that could be appealing for noise-sensitive environments.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
6.2/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Dell Inspiron 16 5620 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a more powerful GPU suitable for 3D tasks and a high screen refresh rate which is beneficial for smoother visuals in design and animation, but its MacOS may not support many popular games. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 16 5620, with an adequate GPU for gaming and a standard refresh rate, runs on Windows making it compatible with a wider range of games, though its gaming and 3D performance is considered only fair compared to the MacBook Pro.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.0/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a superior main CPU and integrated GPU compared to the Dell Inspiron 16 5620, offering better performance for engineering and design tasks. It also boasts a higher-quality Mini LED screen with better brightness and color coverage, which is crucial for design accuracy, while the Dell, with its IPS display, provides a more than adequate but less impressive visual experience.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.6/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 16 5620 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
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 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
6.2/10
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) offers superior screen quality for general use and engineering due to its high-resolution display with vivid colors, covering wide color gamuts, and exceptional brightness, providing clarity and accuracy crucial for detailed design work. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 offers fair screen quality, balancing the need for good resolution and adequate brightness at a more affordable price point, but it may not match the color precision necessary for professional design. However, for 3D and gaming, the MacBook Pro's lower refresh rate may lead to less fluid visuals compared to laptops tailored for these purposes, whereas the Inspiron's performance is limited by similar constraints, making both less optimal for fast-paced, graphic-intensive tasks.
Battery
13.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 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
Very Good
Good
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$500
$0
$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 16 5620 costs $500.
"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 the world is exciting enough right now, you can do far worse than a solid performer that you know will get the job done. Our review model is as powerful as you'd want an office machine to be unless you're performing specialist tasks and the price point is pretty attractive (unless work will let you have a MacBook Air instead)."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the Dell Inspiron 16 5620
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.
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.