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Updated January 10, 2024·
The MacBook Pro 14 is typically more expensive, offering higher performance for intensive tasks like engineering, machine learning, and gaming, with better build quality and display. MacBook has a higher resolution Mini LED screen suited for color-sensitive work, longer battery life, and runs on macOS. It's less portable due to its weight. The Dell Inspiron 14 is much less expensive and adequate for general use with decent performance and runs on Windows 11 Home, offering more connectivity options; however, its lower-cost screen and build are less optimal for professional creative work. The choice depends on whether the need for advanced performance and display capabilities justifies the higher cost of the MacBook. 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 (2023)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- 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 5425
- The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.5
7.7
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) outperforms with its high-quality Mini LED display, Apple M2 Pro processor, and longer battery life, making it better for demanding tasks, content creation, and longer periods without charging, but these features and its build quality contribute to a higher cost.
Gaming and AI
7.0
6.2
5.2/10
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
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is equipped with a powerful 16-core GPU and a high refresh rate screen, making it suitable for 3D applications that are compatible with macOS. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has a more modest integrated Vega 8 GPU and a standard refresh rate screen, which can handle less demanding games and 3D tasks and offers better compatibility with a wider range of games due to its Windows operating system.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.0
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) offers a high-quality Mini LED screen with a superior contrast ratio and greater brightness, combined with a powerful M2 Pro CPU and integrated GPU for demanding engineering and design tasks, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 features a standard IPS display and an AMD Ryzen CPU with Vega 8 graphics, which are adequate for such tasks but not as advanced. While both laptops are roughly equal in weight and portability, and offer similar RAM and storage, the MacBook's screen quality and performance capabilities are better suited for high-end professional work, justifying its higher positioning for engineering and design use.
Content Creation
8.5
7.5
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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
8.4
7.5
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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
6.3
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 boasts a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and color accuracy covering wide color gamuts, making it ideal for general use and professional design tasks where nuanced color representation is crucial. Comparatively, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 offers a decent display with adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and some level of engineering work, but it may not fully satisfy professionals needing precise color fidelity. For 3D applications, however, the MacBook Pro falls short due to its standard refresh rate, while the Inspiron's screen quality lags behind for gaming and 3D tasks, lacking the high refresh rates enthusiasts seek for smooth visuals.
Battery
13.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has 12 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
7.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$479
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a price of $1,700 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 costs $479.
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Key similarities
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 (2023) and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) | Dell Inspiron 14 5425 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,700 | $479 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 Pro (10C) | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 13.5 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 489 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"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."
Dell Inspiron 14 5425
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2022
"A slim chassis, an acceptable weight (1.6 kg) and a real-world battery life of almost 13 hours turn the Inspiron into a mobile companion. Good: The battery can not only be charged using Dell's proprietary power adapter, but also with a universal USB-C power adapter (min. 45 watts). Office and Internet applications are handled by the built-in combination of Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM just as easily as modest computer games. Heat and noise development are generally okay, but the laptop should work a bit quieter under full load."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) or the Dell Inspiron 14 5425
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.
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