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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is on the costlier side but provides better portability due to its smaller size and lower weight, making it suitable for carrying around. Its screen has higher resolution, which could make for sharper images, but it isn't touch-enabled. On the other hand, the HP Envy 17 is less expensive, offers a larger touch-enabled screen at the cost of lower resolution, and may be less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight. 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
- Good speakers
Advantages of the HP Envy 17
- The HP Envy 17 has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 5420.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The HP Envy 17 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, and engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers a balanced screen setup, performing adequately for tasks like browsing and document editing where exceptional color accuracy or high refresh rates aren't critical, but its modest resolution and brightness may fall short for discerning engineers or designers needing to see finer details and color precision. The HP Envy 17 provides a larger, brighter display with better resolution, benefiting users in need of crisp images and accurate colors for detailed engineering and design work, yet both laptops lack high refresh rate screens, making them less suitable for fluid, fast-paced 3D gaming experiences.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The HP Envy 17 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
Good
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the HP Envy 17 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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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
329.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and HP Envy 17 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is appreciated for general use due to its more portable design and substantial battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go tasks with a display that offers good screen quality. The HP Envy 17, while less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight, provides a larger screen with higher quality that can improve the user experience for multimedia consumption, supported by a strong CPU and good battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.4
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
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
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and HP Envy 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia MX570 GPU but a lower screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, which is adequate for light gaming and 3D tasks, while the larger HP Envy 17 leverages integrated Iris Xe Graphics with the same 60 Hz screen refresh rate, making it similarly suitable for fair gaming and 3D performance. Both laptops have capable CPUs and good screen quality, although neither reaches the higher refresh rates preferred for intensive gaming.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Envy 17 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia GPU and a higher resolution screen, which are desirable for engineering and design tasks requiring graphical capability and detail, while being more portable and having a quieter operation noise.
Content Creation
7.5
7.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Envy 17 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
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Envy 17 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.
Build Quality
7.0
7.2
The HP Envy 17 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
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the HP Envy 17 costs $1,000.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the HP Envy 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | HP Envy 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 10.2'' x 0.77'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 5.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 15.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 55 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 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."
HP Envy 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | April 2023
"In our test, the HP Envy 17-cr0079ng presents itself as a balanced multimedia laptop. Thanks to its solid CPU performance and dedicated entry-level GeForce, it can also be used for playing video games, as long as the demands aren't too high. Those looking for more can find it in the Dell XPS 17 for example."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the HP Envy 17
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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