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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers a balance between general use and performance with a lighter weight, making it more suitable for carrying around. It has a higher resolution screen, which is beneficial for tasks requiring clarity, but the battery life is shorter compared to gaming laptops. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 has more robust graphics capabilities with a higher refresh rate display, which is great for gaming and certain types of engineering or 3D tasks. However, the MSI is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel. Both laptops are similar in price, so consider whether portability or gaming/3D performance is more crucial for your needs. 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 Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.6
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 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 standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, which limits its performance and smoothness in gaming and 3D applications compared to the MSI Katana 15, which is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a faster 144Hz screen refresh rate, enhancing gameplay and 3D rendering.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI Katana 15 is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with a high-resolution IPS screen and a dedicated Nvidia GPU, offers enough power for engineering and design tasks while being more portable due to its smaller screen and lighter weight. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15 has a more powerful CPU and superior GPU in the Nvidia RTX series, which can handle more demanding engineering software and graphics-intensive tasks but comes at the cost of a bulkier build and potentially more fan noise.
Screen Quality
6.5
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for software development, while the MSI Katana 15 has a better screen for general use, and gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and MSI Katana 15 have display characteristics that are adequate for tasks like browsing, watching videos, or working with documents, where extreme color accuracy or high refresh rates aren't crucial. However, their color gamut limitations can affect professionals who need precise color reproduction for tasks like photo editing, graphic design, or engineering simulations. For gaming or 3D rendering, the less than ideal refresh rates on these laptops may lead to less smooth visuals, which is especially noticeable in fast-paced games or detailed animations.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 15 has 4 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.5
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and MSI Katana 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
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and MSI Katana 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.
Build Quality
7.0
7.2
The MSI Katana 15 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$971
$949
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 53.5 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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 Katana 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The MSI Katana 15 B12 combines a Gen12 CPU with an RTX 4050, which is actually not a bad idea for a budget gamer. The CPU is anything but bad and the GPU in the Katana 15 proves to be significantly more efficient than last year's models. However, our main point of criticism for budget gamers is the price: while you can get budget laptops with RTX 3060 from around US$800, you pay a whole US$1,499.99 here! The efficiency advantages of the RTX 4050 do not justify this price premium."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the MSI Katana 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 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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