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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Dell Latitude 5431 will depend on your needs and preferences. If you prioritize better graphics performance for light gaming or visual tasks, the Inspiron 14 with its dedicated Nvidia graphics card may be better suited for you, whereas the Latitude 5431, with integrated graphics, offers a more business-centric design and extra connectivity options like additional ports. While they have similar storage capacities and memory, the Inspiron offers a slightly higher screen resolution which could be preferable if you value sharper images. Both are similarly portable and offer professional-grade operating systems, but the Inspiron may have a slight edge in multimedia performance while the Latitude could be more advantageous in professional environments where connection variety is key. 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 portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Latitude 5431
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
6.1
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
241.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5431 for general use, and engineering and design.
When selecting a laptop for general use, such as browsing and office applications, both the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Dell Latitude 5431 offer screens that are bright enough and have adequate resolution, making them suitable for everyday tasks. For engineering and design work, which often requires precise color representation, these laptops provide only adequate coverage of professional color gamuts, meaning they are satisfactory but not ideal for color-critical tasks. However, for gaming and 3D purposes, their lower refresh rates lead to less fluid visuals and may detract from the immersive experience that high refresh rate displays offer.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
241.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Latitude 5431 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.2
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Latitude 5431 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is equipped with an Nvidia MX570 GPU which outperforms the integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU found in the Dell Latitude 5431, giving the Inspiron an advantage for gaming and 3D applications, but both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, which is merely adequate for such tasks. Despite this similarity in refresh rate, the distinct GPUs and the superior screen resolution of the Inspiron contribute to its edge over the Latitude for these uses.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
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 Latitude 5431 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is equipped with a higher-end Nvidia graphics card and a more powerful i7 processor, better suited for intensive engineering and design tasks, while its higher resolution and pixel density display improve image clarity and color accuracy for detailed work.
Content Creation
7.5
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
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 Latitude 5431 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
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Latitude 5431 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.
Battery
10.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 5431 has 9 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
14.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5420 to have very good portability, while the Dell Latitude 5431 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
7.4
The Dell Latitude 5431 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.
Cost
$971
$950
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the Dell Latitude 5431 costs $950.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Dell Latitude 5431 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Dell Latitude 5431 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $950 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.96'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 12.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 8.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i5-1250P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 64 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 241 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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 Latitude 5431
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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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
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