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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 better overall performance, featuring a more powerful Intel i7 processor and dedicated Nvidia graphics, which makes it better suited for intensive engineering tasks, 3D rendering, machine learning applications, and providing a higher-quality build. However, it is less portable, slightly heavier, and often significantly more expensive than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15", which offers a lower midrange price point, good performance for general use, a larger 15.6-inch screen, and touchscreen capability. The IdeaPad's AMD Ryzen 7 processor includes integrated Vega 8 graphics, making it less suitable for graphically intensive tasks but still capable for day-to-day operations and light gaming. Both options come with similar storage capacity but the Dell has more RAM, contributing to its higher performance capacity. The battery life of both laptops is around the same, offering approximately 10 hours of typical use. The Lenovo could be considered more value-oriented with a good balance of features for the price, while the Dell provides extra performance features at a higher cost. 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
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 5420.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
6.4
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for engineering and design.
For general use, users typically prefer a screen that offers clear images and comfortable brightness, which both the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" provide; however, their resolution and panel types may not be exceptional. Engineering and design professionals need accurate color reproduction for their work, and while these laptops deliver fair performance, they might not cover the full spectrum of color gamuts that high-end professional displays offer. For gaming and 3D, the lower refresh rates on both these laptops can result in less fluid motion compared to dedicated gaming laptops, which often have higher refresh rates to support fast-paced visuals.
Build Quality
7.0
6.0
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$971
$741
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" costs $741.
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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
300.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is suitable for general use due to its potent Intel i7 processor, plentiful 16GB RAM, and vivid IPS display, which makes for a sharp and enjoyable viewing experience; however, it might be less portable due to its 14-inch screen size and modest battery size. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" offers a large 15.6-inch screen and a sufficient AMD Ryzen 7 processor combined with 12GB RAM, ensuring capable performance for everyday tasks, and it comes with a marginally larger battery and slightly higher weight, which may impact portability but could provide longer battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.1
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
9.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both rated fair for gaming and 3D because each has its limitations in the GPU and screen refresh rate, which are very important for these tasks. The Dell has a dedicated Nvidia MX570 GPU which is modest for gaming, while the Lenovo relies on integrated AMD Vega 8 graphics, and both laptops have a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, which is lower than what's preferred for gaming.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5420 to be good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is better suited for engineering and design use because it has a more powerful CPU and dedicated GPU, which are critical for demanding software, and a higher resolution screen which offers finer details for design work.
Content Creation
7.5
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $741 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.57 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.18" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.29" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 12 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 42 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMedia
Alex Iliev | April 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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