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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X, with its higher price, offers a larger OLED touchscreen, higher resolution, more extensive color coverage, and a more powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX GPU suitable for intensive engineering tasks, 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420. The Dell, more affordable and lighter, making it more portable, has a decent Intel i7 processor and Nvidia MX GPU, an IPS non-touch screen, and longer battery life, suitable for general use and some engineering applications but less so for demanding graphics tasks or 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 Zenbook Pro 16X
- 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
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.3
7.6
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
354.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X offers robust performance for general use with a high-end CPU, ample RAM, and superior screen quality but is less portable and has shorter battery life, whereas the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, while still providing sufficient power and memory for routine tasks, has a longer battery life and better portability with a compromise on screen resolution and color accuracy.
Gaming and AI
7.5
6.4
6.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is superior for gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, which far outperforms the Dell Inspiron 14 5420's Nvidia MX570 GPU, making it better suited for graphically intensive tasks; although both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, the Zenbook's OLED panel will typically offer better screen quality than the Inspiron's IPS panel.
Engineering and Design
8.6
7.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
6.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X stands out for engineering and design use with its powerful Intel i7 processor, ample RAM, high-performance RTX GPU, and a superior OLED screen with high color accuracy and resolution, making it well-suited for demanding graphical tasks. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, while still competent for engineering tasks with a capable processor and RAM, offers a lower-tier MX GPU and an IPS screen with less color coverage and lower resolution, translating to less graphical prowess but greater portability due to its lighter weight.
Content Creation
8.5
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X 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.
Software Development
8.2
7.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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
8.3
6.5
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
354.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X excels in screen quality for general use and engineering due to its superior panel type, higher resolution, and greater brightness, delivering crisp and vivid images, along with a wider color gamut to meet the color accuracy requirements for professional design work. For gaming and 3D applications, however, its higher-quality display is limited by a lower refresh rate which isn't as optimal for the fast-paced visuals that benefit from faster screen updates. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420's display offers fair quality for general use and engineering with decent resolution and acceptable color reproduction, but it falls short for gaming and 3D purposes due to its poorer refresh rate and less impressive color gamut.
Battery
7.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has 7 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
7.0
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have good build quality, though the ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,300
$971
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has a price of $1,300 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
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How the ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X | Dell Inspiron 14 5420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,300 | $971 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 96 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2240 x 1400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 354 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 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 | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marc Herter, Alex Wätzel | November 2023
"The new Zenbook Pro 16X is more powerful, quieter and doesn't need to shy away from dedicated workstations and gamers. It is also comparatively compact, and our test device is the best Zenbook that we've reviewed so far. It seems equally suitable for content creators and gamers or anyone looking for a very powerful laptop that is still slim."
Dell Inspiron 14 5420
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Dig into reviews and images
Smarthouse
Nick Ross | March 2023
"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 Zenbook Pro 16X 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.
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