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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a dedicated Nvidia graphics card and a slightly larger screen size which makes it better suited for tasks like light gaming or graphic-intensive work, but it's also heavier and bulkier than the Dell XPS 13, affecting its portability. The Dell XPS 13, however, offers better battery life, a higher-resolution and brighter display which makes it ideal for general productivity and media consumption while being more lightweight and portable. Additionally, the XPS 13's higher build quality, keyboard, and touchpad ratings suggest a more premium feel, which might be appreciated for everyday use. If price is a concern, the XPS 13 tends to be less expensive while still offering high-quality features for general use and 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
- The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 13.
Advantages of the Dell XPS 13
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
7.2
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has adequate resolution and brightness for daily tasks but lacks the wider color gamut necessary for professional engineering and design work, whereas its lower refresh rate is not optimal for fluid gaming and 3D applications. The Dell XPS 13 offers a more vibrant and accurate display for both general use and demanding engineering and design tasks due to its better color coverage, but like the Inspiron, it falls short for gaming and 3D work due to a refresh rate that isn't high enough to ensure smooth motion. Both models compromise gaming and 3D capabilities to maintain a balance of battery life and portability, which may suit general and professional users but may disappoint avid gamers or 3D professionals.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
8.5
The Dell XPS 13 has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$971
$850
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the Dell XPS 13 costs $850.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.7
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Dell XPS 13 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers a larger screen, dedicated graphics for better performance, and good battery life for general use, but is heavier which affects portability, whereas the Dell XPS 13 features a more compact and lightweight design, superior screen brightness and color representation, and has excellent portability, yet it utilizes integrated graphics which may not be as robust for certain tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.2
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
8.7/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell XPS 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420's dedicated Nvidia MX570 GPU provides better gaming and 3D performance compared to the integrated Iris Xe graphics in the Dell XPS 13, although both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, which is limiting for high-frame-rate gaming.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for engineering and design.
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
7.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 13 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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
7.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 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.
Battery
10.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 13 has 10 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Dell XPS 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Dell XPS 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $850 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 2.59 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 11.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 7.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i7-1250U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.4" | |
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 | 442 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 9.3/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
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."
Dell XPS 13
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chen | April 2023
"In the past, the XPS 13 was a hands-down contender for the best laptop on the market. But the Apple-silicon MacBook has since barrelled onto the scene, and it wipes the floor with most of the ultraportable Windows laptops that cross my desk on a daily basis. This XPS is no exception. Compared to the M2 MacBook Air, battery life is worse."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the Dell XPS 13
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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