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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, being more expensive, offers a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, making it better suited for tasks that benefit from a discrete GPU like gaming and 3D rendering. It also features a higher-resolution non-touch display, which could benefit work involving fine details or multiple windows. The 5420 has a slightly lighter body but has a shorter battery life in typical usage scenarios. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is less expensive and includes a touch screen, which can be convenient for hands-on interaction with applications. It employs integrated graphics, which are sufficient for general use and some light engineering work. While slightly heavier, it has a higher portability score and only marginally compromises on performance for general use and engineering, making it a solid choice for everyday tasks and travel. Both models have the same battery capacity, processor, RAM, and storage, maintaining a level of parity in baseline performance. 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 Dell Inspiron 14 5420
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good battery life
- Good speakers
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
6.2
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 for general use, and engineering and design.
When considering a laptop for general use, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and 7420 offer fair screen quality due to their resolutions and brightness levels that are adequate for everyday activities like web browsing and document editing, but they may not stand out for their panel type. For engineering and design, while these models might have fair resolutions and sufficient brightness, their color gamut coverage likely doesn't meet the higher standards required for professional photo editing or CAD work, where accurate color representation is critical. As for gaming and 3D applications, the fair screen quality of both laptops is hampered by their lower refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion and a less immersive experience compared to laptops with higher refresh rates, although their resolution and panel type offer a basic level of detail and image quality.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has 7.5 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.
Cost
$971
$801
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 costs $801.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both well-suited for general use with solid CPUs, ample RAM, and IPS screens that offer good visual quality. The 5420, with its higher-resolution non-touch screen, prioritizes a traditional laptop experience and may have a slight edge in graphical tasks due to its dedicated Nvidia graphics, whereas the 7420 offers the versatility of a 2-in-1 convertible with a touch screen and integrated graphics, making it adaptable but perhaps slightly less tailored for demanding graphics tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.2
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers a dedicated Nvidia MX570 GPU, which generally provides better gaming and 3D performance compared to the integrated Iris Xe graphics found in the Dell Inspiron 14 7420; however, both have similar screen refresh rates and quality, affecting how smooth the visuals appear and how crisp the display looks during gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5420 to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia MX570 GPU and a high contrast IPS screen which enhances its performance for engineering and design tasks, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 with its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and 2-in-1 convertible design emphasizes flexibility and touch-screen interaction without a dedicated GPU which might limit its capability in more demanding graphical tasks. Both models carry the same powerful Intel i7 processor and ample RAM for multitasking, but the 5420's better GPU and screen quality make it more suitable for intensive engineering and design use where visual accuracy and render speeds are paramount.
Content Creation
7.5
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both good for content creation.
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
7.4
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
7.4
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Dell Inspiron 14 7420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $801 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.61 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 260 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 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 | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
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."
Dell Inspiron 14 7420
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | June 2022
"Notable qualities of the Inspiron 7420 2-in-1 include the 16:10 aspect ratio, strong hinges, 12th gen Intel CPU with optional GeForce MX graphics, and easy serviceability. Such features would typically cost hundreds of dollars more on higher-end alternatives from competing manufacturers. The value proposition is therefore relatively high for users looking to maximize bang for the buck."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
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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