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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is pricier and offers a discrete Nvidia graphics card, which might be better for gaming or graphic-intensive tasks. It's also more compact and lighter, making it easier to carry around. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 comes with a larger screen and Intel's integrated Iris Xe graphics, which are sufficient for everyday tasks and consume less power. Despite having a bigger screen, it's thinner and has silent, fanless operation, which can be a significant benefit if you prefer a quieter machine. If storage is a concern, the Inspiron 16 5630 also has double the storage of the Inspiron 14 5420. Consider your priorities in terms of graphics performance, portability, screen size, sound, and storage when making your decision. 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
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5630
- Very good for general use
- Very good for content creation
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.2
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is considered very good for general use thanks to its higher screen resolution which means sharper image quality and its larger screen size that provides more space for multitasking, alongside a silent fanless operation which adds to user comfort. Conversely, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is rated as good for general use with a strong battery life and a high portability score, it has a smaller storage capacity and the display offers lower color coverage, which may affect the viewing experience compared to the Inspiron 16 5630.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.2/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for engineering and design, though the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.5
8.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.2/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 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
6.5
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks complemented by a panel type that provides adequate viewing angles and color reproduction, making it acceptable for general use. While the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has similar qualities, its larger screen and potentially better coverage of professional color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB make it more suitable for detailed engineering and design work. However, both models fall short for gaming and 3D applications, as they lack high refresh rates which are essential for smooth motion and rendering in fast-paced visual environments.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has 8 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$971
$849
$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 16 5630 costs $849.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.5
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
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
10.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with an Nvidia MX570 GPU, offers fair gaming and 3D performance and is complemented by a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 uses the Intel i7-1360P Iris Xe GPU, which also provides fair gaming capability, and has the same 60Hz screen refresh rate.
Software Development
7.4
7.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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.
Build Quality
7.0
7.0
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Inspiron 16 5630 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Dell Inspiron 16 5630 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $849 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 4.28 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.91" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i7-1360P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
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 | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.7/10 | |
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 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 16 5630
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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