If value is a priority and you prefer a laptop with a touchscreen for more versatility, the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is typically less expensive and also provides a 2-in-1 feature, making it useful for tablet-like interactions. It's slightly heavier than the Inspiron 14 5420, which may impact its portability. On the other hand, the Inspiron 14 5420 often costs more but offers better performance for 3D applications and engineering tasks, thanks to its dedicated Nvidia graphics card. Both have the same battery capacity and RAM, but the 5420 has a higher resolution non-touchscreen display, which might be better for detailed work. 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 7425
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5/10
6.2/10
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 7425 for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and 14 7425 with fair screen quality have adequate resolution and brightness, making them suitable for everyday tasks but could be challenging under bright lighting or for users who prefer very sharp or vibrant displays. In engineering and design, while the resolution supports detailed work, the fair screen quality indicates that the color range may not cover the wider gamuts necessary for precise color work, which is crucial for professional editing or design. Regarding 3D and gaming, the lack of a high refresh rate can limit the smoothness in fast-paced visuals or high-end graphical simulations, despite the resolution and panel type being sufficient for moderate levels of detail and viewing quality.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 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
$800
$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 7425 costs $800.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 stands out for general use with its higher-resolution screen, and dedicated Nvidia graphics, which can handle various tasks smoothly. In comparison, the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 offers a touchscreen and is a 2-in-1 convertible, lending itself to versatility in use cases, despite having integrated graphics; both have the same size and type of RAM and CPU class suitable for everyday applications, solid battery life, and come in a highly portable form factor.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
6.2/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 7425 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is equipped with a Nvidia MX570 graphics card, which provides reasonable graphics performance for gaming and 3D tasks, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 utilizes the integrated AMD Ryzen 7 Vega 8 graphics, which can handle gaming and 3D content but may not perform as well as dedicated graphics cards. Both laptops have 60Hz screen refresh rates, which is decent for fair gaming experiences, but may not be as fluid as higher refresh rates preferred by heavy gamers.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
6.9/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 7425 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is equipped with an Intel processor and a dedicated Nvidia GPU, which is advantageous for engineering software that benefits from higher processing power and graphics performance, and it has a higher resolution screen, enhancing design precision.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.3/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
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 7425 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
7.4/10
7.3/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
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 7425 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 7425 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
7.4/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 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 7425 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Overall, this Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 offers a lot to like, especially at its oft-discounted price of $800. It’s a sturdy laptop with strong performance, a convertible touchscreen, loud speakers, and a convenient fingerprint reader. But the trade-offs you’ll make in pursuit of that lower price—most notably the dim display and stiff trackpad—might just keep you from outright loving it."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the Dell Inspiron 14 7425
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 Golden, Ph.D
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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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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