A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If price is a major concern, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 offers a more budget-friendly option without dramatically compromising on general use capabilities. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, being more expensive, typically delivers higher performance that could be necessary for tasks like engineering software or more intensive 3D and machine learning applications. Keep in mind, the Dell may not be as portable due to a possibly heavier build compared to the lighter Lenovo, which might be more convenient for carrying around. Battery life is also a factor; investing more in the Dell could yield longer usage between charges, a trade-off that could be justified for users with on-the-go lifestyles or longer work sessions away from power sources. Ultimately, consider the primary applications: for robust tasks, the Dell may be warranted, whereas for everyday computing, the Lenovo could suffice. 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
- Very good portability
- Good speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
6.5
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
341.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" have similar screen quality.
For general use, both the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" offer screens that are adequate in resolution and brightness but lack the exceptional vibrancy and clarity that higher-end panels provide. When it comes to engineering and design, these laptops deliver fair color accuracy, but professional designers may find the coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB insufficient for precision work. As for 3D and gaming, their lower refresh rates limit the smoothness of motion on-screen, and while their resolution and panel types are acceptable, they don't match the high-performance displays favored by gamers for fast-paced action.
Battery
10.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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.
Build Quality
7.0
7.6
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have good build quality, though the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$971
$690
$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 5 15" costs $690.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.4
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
341.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers a solid balance for general use with higher RAM for multitasking, a high-quality screen with stronger color accuracy, and a premium build that manages heat efficiently, despite being less portable than the Lenovo. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" counters with a larger screen, longer battery life for extended use away from outlets, and additional features like a touchscreen and number pad, although it may not handle multitasking as effectively due to less RAM.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.2
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
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia MX570 graphics card which is better suited for gaming and 3D applications than the integrated Vega 8 graphics in the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15", but both only have a 60Hz screen refresh rate so they are still fairly limited for high-frame-rate gaming.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5420 to be good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
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
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5420 to have very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $690 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 9.2'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 4.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 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 | 57 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 | 341 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 14 5420
See more
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 5 15"
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | August 2021
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is convincing due to its long battery life. The device scores points especially with its large battery and long battery runtimes combined with its low consumption. The CPU and GPU perform in the test as one would expect, and in line with what was familiar from the somewhat smaller 14-inch sister model, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Dell Inspiron 14 5420 vs. Acer Nitro 17
VS
Compare Dell Inspiron 14 5420 vs. MSI Prestige 14
VS
Compare Dell Inspiron 14 5420 vs. MSI Bravo 15
VS
Compare Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" vs. HP Victus 15
VS
Compare Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" vs. HP 15" Laptop
VS
Compare Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" vs. MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
130,695
Recommendations made
28,318
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
