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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, while often more expensive, offers a dedicated Nvidia MX570 GPU suitable for light gaming and some engineering tasks. It may have a shorter battery life compared to the HP Spectre x360 which features a more efficient but integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, better for general use and longer battery duration, and also includes a touchscreen. The Spectre is heavier but its greater portability score implies it may be more comfortable to carry around. For tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning that require better GPU performance, the Dell could be a better choice despite not being as optimized for portability as the HP. If you value build quality, screen brightness, and higher resolution for crisp visuals, the HP Spectre could be preferable, along with a more recent processor and additional features like facial recognition. The Dell, however, might be a more balanced option in terms of performance and portability if you need a lightweight laptop with numeric keypad and do not require a touchscreen. 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
Advantages of the HP Spectre x360
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.2
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
406.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The HP Spectre x360 stands out for general use with a high-resolution touchscreen, superior battery life, and is also a 2-in-1 convertible, offering tablet functionality; however, it's heavier and therefore less portable than the lightweight Dell Inspiron 14 5420, which also has a solid processor and screen quality but lacks a touchscreen and has a shorter battery duration.
Engineering and Design
7.1
8.0
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 Spectre x360 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
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
8.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Spectre x360 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
8.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Spectre x360 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
7.6
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
406.0 nits
The HP Spectre x360 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 adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and productivity software, making it suitable for general use and engineering applications where crisp text and clear images are important; however, its limited color gamut may not fully satisfy professionals in design who depend on color accuracy. The HP Spectre x360 stands out with a high-resolution display that boasts impressive brightness and a good color range, which enhances the visual experience for both general users and creatives needing precise color representation for design work. Unfortunately, neither laptop has a high refresh rate screen, which is crucial for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D rendering, leading to a less than ideal experience in those scenarios.
Battery
10.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The HP Spectre x360 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the HP Spectre x360 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
8.5
The HP Spectre x360 has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.6
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Spectre x360 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The HP Spectre x360 is recognized as better for gaming and 3D because, despite both laptops having similar screen refresh rates, the Spectre x360 has a superior integrated GPU within the Intel i7-13700H processor which provides better graphics performance compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 5420's Nvidia MX570. Additionally, the Spectre's higher screen resolution and quality, due to its better overall screen specifications, offer a more immersive gaming and 3D experience.
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 Spectre x360 costs $1,000.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the HP Spectre x360 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | HP Spectre x360 |
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'' | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 4.74 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.66" | |
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 | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 3072 x 1920 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 406 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1440p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
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 Spectre x360
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | August 2022
"As we said, Lenovo's Yoga 9i is a tough competitor to the Spectre with an equally admirable OLED display. We're sad that neither of them has an HDMI port nor a niche or slot to hold the stylus, though the HP wins points for its bundled mini docking station and magnetically attached pen. Your choice will come down to screen shape—and in our eyes, just as seeing an OLED screen spoils you for an IPS panel, enjoying a tall 3:2 display spoils you for a more conventional view. The HP Spectre x360 13.5 is our new favorite 2-in-1."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the HP Spectre x360
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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