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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is a mid-range laptop suitable for general use and basic engineering tasks, with decent portability. However, for intensive gaming or tasks like 3D modeling or machine learning, the HP Omen 15 is a better choice due to its high performance capabilities, but it is less portable and typically has a shorter battery life. Both are similarly priced, so if performance for demanding tasks is a priority over battery life and portability, go with the HP Omen 15; otherwise, the Dell Inspiron may meet your needs. 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
- Good speakers
Advantages of the HP Omen 15
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.6
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
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
7.5/10
The HP Omen 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The HP Omen 15 offers better gaming and 3D capabilities mainly due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 which comes with a lesser Nvidia MX570 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz. While the Dell may have a higher screen resolution, for gaming and 3D tasks, the GPU strength and refresh rate are more critical, giving HP Omen 15 an advantage.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Omen 15 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for engineering and design, though the HP Omen 15 is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its Intel CPU and Nvidia MX series GPU, paired with a higher resolution screen, makes for a balanced engineering and design machine, suitable for tasks requiring both performance and visual clarity. In contrast, the HP Omen 15, with a more powerful AMD CPU and higher-end Nvidia RTX GPU, offers exceptional performance for the most demanding engineering simulations and design work, complemented by a high-refresh-rate screen, at the expense of a bulkier build and lower resolution.
Screen Quality
6.5
7.3
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
318.0 nits
The HP Omen 15 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's screen provides adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and professional work, but its color range may fall short for precision engineering and design work. The HP Omen 15 offers higher color accuracy, crucial for those in engineering and design fields who require true-to-life color representation. However, neither laptop is ideal for gaming and 3D applications, as they lack the high refresh rates needed for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the HP Omen 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.9
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
318.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Omen 15 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for general use because it has a dependable processor and ample RAM, along with a high-quality screen, and it's very portable with a respectable battery life. The HP Omen 15 also suits general use with its powerful processor and more RAM, a quality display designed for gaming, and superior speaker quality, though it is less portable and has a larger screen but offers longer battery life.
Content Creation
7.5
7.8
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 HP Omen 15 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
7.6
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
8.5/10
The HP Omen 15 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 HP Omen 15 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.
Build Quality
7.0
7.2
The HP Omen 15 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
$1,012
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the HP Omen 15 costs $1,012.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the HP Omen 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | HP Omen 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $1,012 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | December 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.4'' x 0.9'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 5.42 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.44" | |
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 | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 70.9 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 | 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 | 7.1/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
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 | 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."
HP Omen 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2021
"We consider around 1,260 Euros (~$1530) for a Ryzen 7 4800H, a GeForce RTX 2060, a 512 GB SSD and 16 GB dual-channel RAM to be a good offer that appeals to price-conscious gamers. Very high details are rarely a problem in the native resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. Buyers will also be spoiled with a top-notch battery life that even beats most other notebook classes. If HP now improves the speed of the WLAN module, the stability of the case and the repeatedly criticized picture quality, the competition will have to dress extra warmly."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the HP Omen 15
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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