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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is a midrange laptop with a solid balance between performance and portability, featuring a dedicated graphics card that can handle casual gaming and creative tasks. It has a higher resolution display, which is beneficial for sharper images and productivity work, but may not be necessary for general use. On the other hand, the Gigabyte A7 comes at a lower midrange price and offers a larger screen with a standard resolution, which could be more immersive for media consumption and gaming. It's equipped with a more powerful graphics card suitable for intensive gaming and creative work such as 3D rendering and machine learning. However, the A7 is heavier and bulkier, making it less ideal for frequent travel. If portability and a sharper display are a priority, you might lean towards the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, whereas if you prioritize gaming or GPU-intensive tasks and prefer a larger screen, the Gigabyte A7 could be the better option, but it comes with the tradeoff of being less portable. 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 Gigabyte A7
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.3
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte A7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with a less powerful Nvidia MX570 graphics card and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, offers fair performance for gaming and 3D tasks, while the Gigabyte A7 steps up with a stronger Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a smoother 144Hz screen refresh rate, making it more suitable for such demands.
Screen Quality
6.5
7.3
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
318.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the Gigabyte A7 for software development, while the Gigabyte A7 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420's screen provides adequate resolution and brightness but might lag behind in color vibrancy when compared to the Gigabyte A7, which offers better overall visual quality due to its higher screen resolution and brightness. In engineering and design, professionals need accurate colors; the Gigabyte A7 leads with superior color representation, making it more suitable for detailed color work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, both laptops fall short because they lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for fluid on-screen action.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte A7 has 4.5 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Gigabyte A7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.3
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
318.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Gigabyte A7 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is well-suited for general use due to its lighter weight, making it more portable, along with a good balance of screen quality and battery life which ensures comfortable usage for longer periods. On the other hand, the Gigabyte A7, while also suitable for general use, provides a larger screen and more powerful graphics, but this comes with a compromise on battery life and portability due to its heavier weight.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte A7 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
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Gigabyte A7 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
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Gigabyte A7 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
7.2
The Gigabyte A7 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
$940
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the Gigabyte A7 costs $940.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Gigabyte A7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Gigabyte A7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $940 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 15.6'' x 10.3'' x 1.19'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 5.58 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 15.59" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 10.31" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 49 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 318 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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."
Gigabyte A7
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mike Wobker | October 2021
"In terms of looks, the Gigabyte A7 X1 is certainly not a trendy, slim, and ultra-mobile gaming laptop. But it does what it's supposed to do, namely bringing games smoothly onto the screen, very well. Both the processor and the GeForce RTX 3070 are able to unleash their performance without restrictions thanks to the well-ventilated case. The Gigabyte A7 X1 brings modern games smoothly onto the screen and offers excellent maintenance options."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the Gigabyte A7
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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