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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers better performance with a more powerful processor and a dedicated graphics card, which might be beneficial for intensive tasks such as gaming or graphic design. It also has a higher resolution screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio, favoring productivity by showing more content vertically. However, this model is less affordable and slightly less portable due to its weight. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is more cost-effective and includes an integrated graphics card, which is sufficient for general use and some light multimedia tasks. Its larger screen is great for watching videos and its battery might last longer due to the lower power components. This laptop is a bit heavier but comes with a numeric keypad, which the other lacks, making it useful for data entry tasks. Your choice should consider the balance between price, portability, and specific needs such as performance for advanced applications or better display quality and battery life for everyday tasks. 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
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 5420.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
6.6
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
When considering the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and 15 3530 for general use, their screen quality is adequate due to acceptable resolution and brightness, but they may lack the panel type that offers wider viewing angles and better colors. For engineering and design tasks, although they have reasonable resolutions for detail, they fall short in reproducing a wide range of colors due to limited color gamut coverage, which is crucial for precise color work. As for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates hamper the ability to display smooth motion, and while the resolution contributes to image clarity, the panel type doesn't provide the fast response times preferred for these activities.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 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.
Build Quality
7.0
6.2
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$971
$699
$200
$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 15 3530 costs $699.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.4
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is suited for general use due to its combination of a capable processor, sufficient RAM, and a high-quality screen in a highly portable form factor with a reasonably long battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 also fits general use with its decent processor and RAM, a good screen for daily tasks, and it offers a larger display while maintaining portability, though it compromises slightly on battery life in comparison.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.3
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
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 15 3530 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is fair for gaming and 3D because it has a dedicated Nvidia MX570 GPU which is preferable for graphical tasks, but its screen refresh rate is lower, at 60Hz, which may not be as smooth for gaming. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 uses an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which generally offers less gaming performance compared to dedicated GPUs; however, it compensates with a higher screen refresh rate of 120Hz for more fluid visuals.
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 15 3530 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 stands out for engineering and design due to its higher-performing CPU and GPU, which are crucial for rendering and simulations, along with its superior screen resolution and quality that provides sharp visuals and color accuracy necessary for design work.
Content Creation
7.5
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5420 to have very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Dell Inspiron 15 3530 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $699 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i5-1335U | |
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 | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
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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