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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is a midrange laptop that is significantly more expensive than the budget-friendly Gateway 11.6", but it offers a larger storage, more RAM, and a faster main processor with a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, better suited for intensive tasks like engineering or 3D rendering, although it's heavier and less portable. The Gateway is highly portable with its small size and light weight, but it has less storage and RAM, and is powered by an Intel Celeron processor with integrated graphics, which are sufficient for basic tasks and some general use, but not for performance-intensive activities. 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 general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 11.6"
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.6
5.6
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers better general use capabilities with a more powerful Intel i7 processor, more RAM, and a higher resolution screen, making multitasking and clarity better than the Gateway 11.6", which has a less powerful Intel Celeron processor, less RAM, and a lower resolution screen, thus affecting performance and visual experience. Additionally, the Inspiron has a larger screen and more storage, enhancing productivity and media consumption, whereas the Gateway's smaller size and storage may limit those aspects but offers greater portability due to its smaller form factor and lighter weight.
Gaming and AI
6.4
5.4
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications compared to the Gateway 11.6" because it is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia MX570 GPU, while the Gateway has a less capable Intel UHD Graphics 600. Additionally, the Dell's larger screen and higher resolution will offer a better visual experience, which is important for these activities, although both laptops have the same screen refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
7.1
5.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is suited for engineering and design tasks owing to its powerful Intel i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, Nvidia MX570 graphics, and high-resolution screen, which collectively deliver the required performance and detail clarity for such workloads.
Content Creation
7.5
5.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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.
Screen Quality
6.5
5.7
14.0in
SIZE
11.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a screen that's good enough for everyday tasks and with decent resolution and brightness, it's usable for engineering and design, but lacks the high color accuracy professional designers need. However, for gaming and 3D work, the screen falls short primarily due to a lower refresh rate, which is a key factor for smooth visuals in fast-paced environments. The Gateway 11.6" has overall poorer screen quality due to its lower resolution and brightness, which impacts general use, and its limited color gamut and refresh rate make it less suitable for specialized tasks in engineering, design, and gaming.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Gateway 11.6" 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
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
11.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 11.6" 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
5.1
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$971
$89
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the Gateway 11.6" costs $89.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Gateway 11.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Gateway 11.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $89 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 11'' x 7.5'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 2.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 7.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 11.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 200 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 9.2/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 0 | |
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 Gateway 11.6"
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.
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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