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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is a more affordable option with decent performance for general use and can handle some lighter engineering tasks. It has a dedicated Nvidia MX570 graphics card, which provides reasonable graphics capabilities but isn't ideal for heavy 3D modeling or intensive gaming. With 10 hours of typical battery life and 16GB of RAM, it is a good fit for productivity and multitasking. If you need more storage and power, the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i comes with double the storage, a higher amount of RAM, and a significantly better Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card for high-performance engineering work, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. The Lenovo also features a higher quality display with a Mini LED panel and touch capabilities. However, its battery life is lower than the Dell's, making it less suitable for long periods away from power outlets. Both laptops have a 14-inch class screen, making them quite portable, but the Lenovo is slightly heavier and offers a better build quality, more modern ports, and hardware features like facial recognition, ray tracing, and DLSS for improved gaming and creative work. 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 Slim Pro 9i
- 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
- Best in class overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.5
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
618.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i edges out the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use primarily due to its more powerful CPU and double the RAM, providing faster and more robust performance for multitasking and demanding applications. Furthermore, the Slim Pro 9i boasts a superior Mini LED screen with higher resolution and brightness for more vivid colors and crisper images, along with a longer battery life, which is crucial for users on the go.
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.6
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i offers a better experience for gaming and 3D applications owing to its superior Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 which includes a less powerful Nvidia MX570 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz. Additionally, the Lenovo has a higher quality Mini LED display which further enhances visual fidelity over the Dell's IPS screen, along with higher resolution contributing to a sharper image.
Engineering and Design
7.1
8.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i 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
8.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i 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
32.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i 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
9.6
14.0in
SIZE
14.5in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
618.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i stands out with its superior panel clarity, resolution, and brightness, providing a more vivid and sharp visual experience compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 5420. When it comes to engineering and design work, the Lenovo's coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB ensures accurate color representation, critical for precise visual tasks, which the Dell may not match. However, for gaming and 3D applications where a high refresh rate is paramount, neither laptop is ideal, as both have screens better suited for tasks that prioritize color and resolution over fluid motion.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has 6 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
14.5in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
8.0
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i 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 Slim Pro 9i costs $1,500.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Lenovo Slim Pro 9i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 12.9'' x 9.6'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 12.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.64" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i7-13705H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 3072 x 1920 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 618 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.7/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
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."
Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | August 2023
"The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is an impressive laptop with a brilliant Mini-LED display, a powerful 100-watt version of Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, and excellent connectivity. Having run the Cinebench benchmark again, we were impressed with the CPU performance. That makes the Slim Pro 9i is an easy recommendation, especially for those who care about GPU and CPU performance. It’s also a fantastic choice if you frequently view HDR movies and games on your laptop."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
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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