The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) with its premium build and high-resolution Mini LED screen excels in color accuracy, making it a solid choice for creative professionals, but it commands a higher price. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus offers more storage, more RAM, and a powerful processor suitable for intensive tasks while costing less, but its display falls short in refresh rate and color reproduction. The MacBook stands out for better battery life and speakers, whereas the Dell is a better value if storage and costs are a priority, despite its shorter battery life and less impressive screen for creative tasks. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023)
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 Plus
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023).
Key differences
Screen Quality
9.2/10
7.0/10
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
326.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers a high-resolution, bright display, making it great for general use with clear and vibrant visuals; for engineering and design, its extensive color coverage ensures accurate color representation. The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus delivers decent resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and work in design, but it might lag behind in the larger color spectra desired by professionals. When it comes to 3D applications, the MacBook Pro falls short due to a standard refresh rate, while the Dell, also not designed for high-refresh-rate needs, may not be suitable for the smoothest 3D or gaming experiences.
Battery
17.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has 6 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
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and Dell Inspiron 14 Plus both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,499
$1,162
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,499 and the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus costs $1,162.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) to be very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is favored for general use due to its powerful CPU, ample RAM, high-quality Mini LED screen, and superior portability attributed to its long battery life and lower weight. The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus also suits general use with its strong CPU, double the RAM of the MacBook, and a larger storage capacity, but it falls short on screen quality and battery life, which are key for day-to-day tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.6/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
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 (Late 2023) and Dell Inspiron 14 Plus are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its high-speed 120Hz refresh rate display and powerful integrated 10-core GPU, excels in 3D applications that benefit from smooth motion and graphics performance, but its MacOS may limit the availability of popular games. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, featuring a capable Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, offers compatibility with a wider range of games on Windows while still managing to provide solid performance for gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
7.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) to be very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its Apple M3 CPU and integrated 10-core GPU, excels in screen quality with its Mini LED display offering high brightness and color accuracy, making it ideal for design work; however, it has less RAM and storage compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, which features a powerful Intel i7 CPU, more RAM for demanding engineering software, and an IPS screen with decent color coverage and contrast. The Dell is slightly heavier and less portable, and while the MacBook has superior build quality and longer battery life for extended work sessions, the Inspiron offers more storage for large projects and a hardware configuration suited for intensive computational tasks.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 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
8.2/10
7.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) to be very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 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."
"The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is for power users on a budget. If you're looking to maximize CPU and GPU performance on your next 14-inch laptop, then consider the pricier Razer Blade 14 or Asus Zephyrus G14. If you're looking for a thin-and-light 14-inch Ultrabook, then the Asus Zenbook 14 or LG Gram 14 may be better options. For the best of both worlds, however, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7420 rides a fine line between extreme performance and portability while keeping prices at reasonable levels. Frequent travelers who rely on performance beyond what the Core U-series and integrated graphics series can offer will find the Dell to be a solid solution."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) or the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
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.
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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.