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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize performance for engineering tasks and can invest more, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 with its better processor and higher RAM provides a smooth experience. However, it's less portable than the MSI GF63 Thin. The MSI laptop, though more affordable and with a gaming look, offers modest performance suited to general use and casual gaming but has less storage and a dimmer screen. Both have similar battery life, but the Dell provides a sharper display beneficial for detailed engineering work. If portability and budget are key, choose the MSI; for better performance in professional applications, go with the Dell Inspiron. 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 general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- The MSI GF63 Thin has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 5420.
Key differences
General Use
7.6
6.0
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 provides a more suitable experience for general use with its better CPU, RAM, screen quality, and exceptional battery life, supporting longer usage without the need for frequent charging, along with higher portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size. On the other hand, the MSI GF63 Thin, while offering fair general use capabilities, falls short primarily due to its lesser CPU performance, smaller RAM size, lower screen resolution, and significantly shorter battery life which may not suit users needing longer unplugged performance or better multitasking capabilities.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is better suited for engineering and design due to its superior CPU and dedicated GPU (Nvidia MX570), which together offer improved processing and graphics performance, as well as a higher resolution screen that provides clearer and more detailed visuals. In comparison, the MSI GF63 Thin, with a less powerful CPU and a GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU, delivers adequate performance but may struggle with more graphics-intensive tasks; its lower resolution display also means less screen detail, which can be a disadvantage for design work.
Content Creation
7.5
6.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.1
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the MSI GF63 Thin offer adequate resolution and brightness, but they may not have the premium panel types that provide the best viewing angles and color reproduction. When considering engineering and design, neither laptop has the wide color gamut necessary to display the full spectrum of colors accurately, which is crucial for detailed and color-critical work. Lastly, for 3D and gaming, the fair screen quality derives from their limitations in refresh rates, which means they aren't suited for the high frame rates required for smooth motion in fast-paced games or 3D rendering.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the MSI GF63 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$971
$599
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.0
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
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
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 with its Nvidia MX570 GPU and a 60Hz screen refresh rate offers a decent gaming and 3D experience for its class, but the MSI GF63 Thin, although older, brings a bit more graphics performance to the table with its Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU; both laptops, however, have equal screen refresh rates which caps the smoothness of gameplay. Both are equipped with IPS screens for good color accuracy, but gaming and 3D rendering will be more responsive on the MSI due to its superior GPU, though the CPU and the overall screen quality between the two are comparable and factor into the overall experience.
Build Quality
7.0
6.5
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5420 to have good build quality, while the MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 51 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 | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
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."
MSI GF63 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the MSI GF63 Thin
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.
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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.
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