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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is generally less expensive and lighter, making it more portable, with decent performance for general use and a moderate battery capacity. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 7 is slightly more expensive and heavier but offers superior gaming, 3D, and machine learning performance due to a more powerful graphics card and processor, as well as more storage and a larger, higher refresh rate screen. If gaming and high-performance tasks are a priority and you can handle a heavier laptop, the Legion 7 is a strong choice; otherwise, for everyday tasks and easier portability, the Dell Inspiron might be more suitable. 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
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 7
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.8
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a lower-tier Nvidia MX570 GPU and a basic 60Hz screen refresh rate, making it just fair for gaming and 3D tasks, whereas the Lenovo Legion 7 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a higher 165Hz refresh rate, enhancing its performance in gaming and 3D applications. The Legion 7 also benefits from a superior screen quality that further contributes to a good gaming and 3D performance, which the Inspiron 14 5420 lacks.
Engineering and Design
7.1
8.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with an Intel i7 processor and Nvidia MX570 graphics, is suitable for engineering and design but may not handle the most demanding tasks as smoothly as the Lenovo Legion 7, which boasts a more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU, making it better for intensive engineering applications and design work. The Legion 7 also has a screen with higher brightness and color range, further enhancing its suitability for design purposes where screen quality is crucial.
Screen Quality
6.5
8.3
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
469.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 7 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
If you prioritize a vibrant and crisp display for browsing or document editing, the Lenovo Legion 7 offers a higher resolution and brighter screen, enhancing your everyday viewing experiences. For engineering and creative tasks, the Lenovo also covers a wider color gamut, ensuring that your designs are seen with the accuracy and range of colors they require. However, for gaming or 3D modeling where motion clarity is key, despite its high-quality display, the Lenovo's refresh rate isn't optimized for such tasks, and you won't experience the smooth visuals you might be looking for.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 7 has 6.5 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
5.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 7 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
8.5
The Lenovo Legion 7 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.
Cost
$971
$1,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the Lenovo Legion 7 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.9
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
469.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 7 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is suitable for general use due to its balance of a solid CPU, sufficient RAM, and high-resolution screen, coupled with its portability and reasonable battery life. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 7 also fits general use by offering a potent CPU, ample RAM, and superior screen quality, but it is less portable and has lower battery life, making it more ideal for stationary use where high performance is a priority.
Content Creation
7.5
7.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion 7 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
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 7 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Lenovo Legion 7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Lenovo Legion 7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 10.3'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 5.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 10.27" | |
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 | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 469 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
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
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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 Legion 7
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | September 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 7 is a fast 16-inch gamer with 165 Hz display. The new Lenovo Legion 7 is a very good gaming notebook that, despite its comparatively compact compact 16-inch case, does not have to do without the most powerful components. Thanks to good cooling, no compromises are made in terms of performance. Both the Core i9-12900HX and the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti perform at a very high level."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the Lenovo Legion 7
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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