The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers significantly higher performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering, with better screen quality that professional creators may require, plus a longer battery life. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is much more affordable and lighter, making it more portable for everyday use, offering sufficient performance for general tasks. However, while its screen and performance are adequate, they don't match the MacBook Pro's high-end capabilities, and the battery life is shorter. Consider the MacBook Pro if you need top-tier performance and screen quality, and the Inspiron if you're looking for something more budget-friendly for everyday use. 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 16 (2021)
Excellent 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
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5425
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
7.7/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers a high-performance CPU with more RAM and an advanced Mini LED screen that provides superior color accuracy and brightness, important for users who prioritize screen quality and powerful computing but may find it less portable due to its larger size and weight. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425, while still providing a decent CPU and ample RAM for daily tasks, boasts greater portability with its smaller screen size and lighter weight, alongside good build quality and heat management, making it suitable for users who need a balance between performance and ease of carrying around.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.2/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3456 x 2234
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 16 (2021) is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in 3D tasks due to its powerful integrated GPU, superior screen quality with high brightness and color accuracy, but it's limited in game compatibility with MacOS compared to Windows-based laptops. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425's integrated graphics are adequate for entry-level gaming, and it runs Windows, offering broader game support, but it can't match the MacBook Pro's performance or display properties, which are important for both gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
7.0/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.5/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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
8.9/10
7.5/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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
9.4/10
6.3/10
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 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 16 (2021) boasts a high-resolution display, which along with its panel technology, offers outstanding brightness and a wide color gamut, making it excellent for general use and color-critical tasks required in engineering and design, but its standard refresh rate isn't ideal for 3D applications where higher refresh rates are favored. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has a fair resolution and brightness contributing to decent quality for general tasks and engineering, but it lacks the expansive color range professionals may need and falls short for gaming and 3D due to an average refresh rate. The tradeoffs between these laptops include the MacBook's superior screen for visual work at a likely higher price, versus the Inspiron's adequate performance at a more budget-friendly cost, with neither being optimized for refresh-rate-intensive 3D tasks.
Battery
17.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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
$1,949
$479
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,949 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 costs $479.
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
"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 16 (2021) 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.
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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