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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is significantly less expensive, lighter, and offers longer battery life, making it well-suited for general use and portability. However, its performance for engineering and 3D tasks is moderate. The MSI Stealth 17, on the other hand, is significantly more expensive and heavier but boasts superior performance for intensive engineering tasks, 3D rendering, and gaming, with a high-end processor and top-tier graphics. It has a larger screen with higher refresh rates beneficial for fast motion and more vivid colors. Choose the Dell if you value portability and affordability, or the MSI for top performance and better display quality in demanding applications. 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 Stealth 17
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.7
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers portability and a battery life favorable for general use, backed by a competent CPU and sufficient RAM for day-to-day tasks, albeit with a smaller screen and storage compared to high-end models. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 17 delivers exceptional performance with a top-tier CPU, abundant RAM, and a superior screen, targeting users who need power over portability and can manage with shorter battery life due to its larger size and advanced components.
Gaming and AI
6.4
9.1
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a less powerful Nvidia MX570 GPU and a maximum screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which is why it's considered fair for gaming and 3D tasks. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 17 boasts a highly advanced Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a higher refresh rate of 240Hz, making it excellent for rendering complex graphics and ensuring smoother gameplay.
Engineering and Design
7.1
9.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, while good for engineering and design, has a less powerful CPU and GPU compared to the MSI Stealth 17, which means the latter will perform better in demanding tasks that require high-end processing and graphics capabilities.
Content Creation
7.5
8.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 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
8.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 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
8.6
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a vivid, detailed display for everyday tasks and professional design work, the MSI Stealth 17 stands out with its higher resolution and brightness, alongside a broader color spectrum, which is critical for accurate color representation required in engineering and design. However, both laptops aren't ideal for gaming and 3D applications where high refresh rates are crucial for a fluid experience; the Stealth 17 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 have lower refresh rates that might not satisfy fast-paced gaming or smooth 3D rendering. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 will suffice for casual use with a fair screen but may not offer the same clarity and color fidelity as the Stealth 17 for more demanding visual tasks.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
7.8
The MSI Stealth 17 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have good build quality, though the MSI Stealth 17 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$971
$3,899
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $3,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
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."
MSI Stealth 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the MSI Stealth 17
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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