The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is less expensive and lighter, making it more portable and suitable for everyday tasks with respectable performance. The MSI Creator Z16P, while heavier and pricier, offers significantly higher performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering applications, with a powerful processor and high-end graphics card. It also has a better screen with higher resolution, color accuracy, and touch capability, perfect for creative professionals. The MSI has shorter battery life due to its more powerful components, so it's less ideal for those who need to work on the go without frequent charging. Choose the Dell for cost-efficiency and general use, or the MSI for high-demand tasks and superior screen qualities. 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 MSI Creator Z16P
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
7.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
8.3/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its sufficient RAM, mid-range CPU and GPU, and good screen quality, offers a balanced performance for engineering and design at a more portable size and weight. On the other hand, the MSI Creator Z16P steps up with a top-tier CPU, high-end GPU, and superior screen quality, making it very suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks, but it's less portable and likely louder in operation due to its high-performance components.
Screen Quality
6.5/10
8.3/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering general use, the MSI Creator Z16P boasts a superior screen with higher resolution and brightness, which enhances everyday activities like browsing and watching videos. When it comes to engineering and design, the MSI Creator Z16P's screen excels again due to its wider color gamuts, offering more accurate color reproduction which is crucial for professionals in those fields. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short because of their lower refresh rates, even though the MSI might have slightly better resolution and panel type, which isn't as critical as a high refresh rate for fluid motion.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the MSI Creator Z16P has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P 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
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
The MSI Creator Z16P and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its lighter weight and longer battery life, offers portability and convenience for general use, whereas the MSI Creator Z16P, with a more powerful CPU and GPU, larger RAM and storage, and superior screen quality, is better suited for demanding tasks but is less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.9/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P 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
7.4/10
7.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P 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 MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
"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."
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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