Consider the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 if high performance in 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks is important to you, along with significant gaming potential, due to its superior graphics card and processor. However, it's slightly heavier and not as portable as the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, which offers respectable performance for general use and engineering tasks at a lower price point, a lighter build for easier transport, and longer battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go usage and professional environments, but it's not intended for intensive gaming. 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 ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
6.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 is better for gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which provides smoother motion for fast-paced games. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its less capable Nvidia MX570 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, offers a less optimized experience for gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.0/10
7.1/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15, with its more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and RTX GPU, and higher screen refresh rate, is better suited for intensive engineering and design work than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, which has a less robust Intel CPU and MX GPU, and lower refresh rate.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.5/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 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.
Screen Quality
7.9/10
6.5/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 has a high-resolution display with good color accuracy and brightness, making it well-suited for general use and detailed engineering tasks where color representation matters. However, its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops can be a downside for gaming and 3D applications, where fluid motion is crucial. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has moderate screen specifications that offer acceptable quality for everyday tasks and engineering software but falls short for gaming and 3D work due to its lower refresh rate and less precise color gamut.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 has very good 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
$1,637
$971
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 has a price of $1,637 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 boasts a high-end CPU and graphics card, making it very good for general use, including demanding tasks, with a quality screen and adequate battery life, although it's less portable due to its size and weight. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, while still good for general use courtesy of its competent CPU and adequate RAM, offers better portability with a lighter and smaller design and superior battery life, but it has a less powerful GPU and the screen quality isn't as impressive as the ASUS.
Software Development
7.4/10
7.4/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
9.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 has 9.5 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.
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How the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
"As long as you're aware of the fact that the GeForce RTX 3080 laptop version can only unfold its potential to a limited extent due to Asus's low TDP setting and that it can be slower than a fast RTX 3070 laptop, the ROG Zephyrus G15 GA503Q cuts a fine figure. One of the biggest highlights turns out to be the WQHD panel, since it attracts customers with 165 Hz, relatively fast response times, FreeSync, and good color-space coverage. Other selling points are the surprisingly rich sound, the long battery life, and the sleek design. In terms of looks, the white edition stands out nicely from the competition."
"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 ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 or the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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 is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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