A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its midrange price, is somewhat more expensive but offers higher resolution, better screen pixel density, and a dedicated Nvidia graphics card which is beneficial for lightweight gaming, 3D work, or machine learning tasks. Its portability is reasonable and has decent battery life. On the contrary, the Dell Latitude 5530, priced in the lower midrange, is less expensive with a larger screen but lower resolution. It's equipped with integrated graphics, making it suitable for general business tasks but not as well-equipped for intensive graphics tasks. Both models feature similar RAM, and the Latitude has a slightly larger battery but shorter reported battery life and is marginally heavier, which may affect portability. 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 5530
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
6.3
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
286.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5530 for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Latitude 5530 offer fair screen quality due to adequate resolution and brightness, but the panel type may not provide the most vivid colors or wide viewing angles. In engineering and design, their fair quality is because the screens cover enough of the color gamuts to be acceptable for most tasks although professionals might seek displays with higher fidelity in color accuracy. However, for gaming and 3D where motion clarity is key, these laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, resulting in less fluid visuals compared to laptops designed with gaming-grade screens.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Dell Latitude 5530 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
286.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Latitude 5530 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is well-suited for general use with its ample RAM, high-resolution IPS screen, and a dedicated GPU, offering a good balance for everyday tasks and some media work, though it's slightly less portable than some models. The Dell Latitude 5530, while also equipped with ample RAM and a newer-generation CPU, prioritizes portability and battery life, and has an enterprise-focused build with features like facial recognition, making it a strong option for business professionals on the go.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.2
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 5530 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, equipped with an Nvidia MX570 GPU, offers slightly better graphics performance suitable for gaming and 3D tasks compared to the integrated graphics in the Dell Latitude 5530, making the Inspiron a more favorable choice for these activities. However, both laptops have the same screen refresh rate and their CPUs and screen quality are comparable, thus they are both rated fair for gaming and 3D purposes.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
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 Latitude 5530 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its robust Nvidia graphics, stands out for engineering and design tasks that can benefit from dedicated graphics capabilities, while the Dell Latitude 5530 is equipped with integrated Intel graphics suitable for lighter engineering and design workloads. Both laptops provide ample RAM and high-quality displays, but the Inspiron 14 5420 offers a slightly higher screen resolution, which could be preferable for detail-oriented tasks.
Content Creation
7.5
7.4
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 Latitude 5530 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 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Latitude 5530 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 5530 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.
Build Quality
7.0
7.4
The Dell Latitude 5530 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
$919
$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 5530 costs $919.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Dell Latitude 5530 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Dell Latitude 5530 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $919 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.2'' x 0.87'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i5-1245U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
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 | 58 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 286 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 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 | Yes | |
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
See more
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 5530
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
113,295
Recommendations made
24,548
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
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.
Featured in
