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Updated March 22, 2024·
If budget is a primary concern and you're primarily using the laptop for everyday tasks like web browsing, office work, and media consumption, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 could be a great choice due to its lower cost. However, if you're looking for higher performance for gaming, 3D modeling, or engineering software, the HP Omen Transcend 14, while more expensive, offers stronger capabilities. The HP model may also have a more robust build and possibly better cooling, making it suitable for more demanding applications, but it is likely heavier and may have less battery life than the Dell, affecting 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
- Very good portability
- Good speakers
Advantages of the HP Omen Transcend 14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.2
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The HP Omen Transcend 14 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its sufficient processing power and memory, offers a solid balance for everyday tasks, and its lighter weight and longer battery life make it quite portable. In contrast, the HP Omen Transcend 14 provides superior screen quality and even smoother performance due to better CPU and RAM, which is great for more demanding applications, but this comes with a trade-off in terms of decreased battery life and added weight.
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.9
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.9/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The HP Omen Transcend 14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The HP Omen Transcend 14 typically includes a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, making it well-suited for the demands of modern gaming and 3D rendering, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with a less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate, offers a fair performance for casual gaming and less demanding 3D tasks. Additionally, even though the CPU and screen quality of the Dell might be decent, the HP's superior components in these areas further contribute to a smoother and more immersive gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
7.1
8.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Omen Transcend 14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The HP Omen Transcend 14 offers superior CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities, which are crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks as well as a high-quality screen, making it well-suited for visually intensive work. While the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 can still handle these tasks, its lower specs in these areas might limit its performance, but it may offer better portability and potentially quieter operation, suitable for on-the-go use and work environments where less noise is preferable.
Content Creation
7.5
8.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The HP Omen Transcend 14 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
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
8.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The HP Omen Transcend 14 is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
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
8.6
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The HP Omen Transcend 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420's screen offers enough brightness and resolution for everyday tasks and software related to engineering, but it lacks the wide color gamuts, limiting its effectiveness for precise color work required in engineering and design. The HP Omen Transcend 14 has a display with vibrant colors and higher resolution, making it more suitable for detailed graphical work and general consumption, but its standard refresh rate doesn't match the preferences of gamers or professionals working with 3D applications who often seek faster screen refresh rates for smoother visuals. Both laptops are less ideal for gaming and 3D work due to poor refresh rates, but they cater well to users with less demanding visual requirements.
Battery
10.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The HP Omen Transcend 14 has 11 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.
Cost
$971
$1,699
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the HP Omen Transcend 14 costs $1,699.
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Key similarities
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5420 to have very good portability, while the HP Omen Transcend 14 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
7.2
The HP Omen Transcend 14 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the HP Omen Transcend 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | HP Omen Transcend 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $1,699 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 12.3'' x 9.2'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.87 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 12.32" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 71 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the HP Omen Transcend 14
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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