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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, being more expensive, offers a dedicated Nvidia graphics card suitable for light gaming or graphic-intensive tasks. MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo, on the other hand, is a convertible laptop with touch screen capabilities, making it versatile as both a laptop and tablet but relies on integrated graphics. The Dell has a slightly larger screen and higher resolution, providing crisper visuals for multimedia and productivity; conversely, the MSI's smaller screen and lower weight enhance its portability. Both have similar storage and memory, but the MSI has a significantly longer battery life, which is beneficial for on-the-go use. If high performance in visual tasks is a priority and you don't mind the extra cost and weight, go for the Dell. If you prefer flexibility, portability, and a longer battery life, the MSI could be a better fit. 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
- The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has no clear advantages over the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo.
Advantages of the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
7.3
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
517.0 nits
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its fair screen resolution and brightness, is suitable for tasks like browsing and video streaming, but its color accuracy and range may not meet the higher standards required for engineering and design work. While the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo offers better color reproduction and brightness making it more suitable for creative professionals needing precise color detailing, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications due to their lack of high refresh rate displays, which are crucial for smooth visuals in fast-paced environments. Therefore, the Dell is passable for everyday activities, whereas the MSI is a better fit for design-oriented tasks, but neither is ideal for gaming or 3D modeling where screen refresh rate is key.
Battery
10.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has 11 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
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have very good portability, though the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$971
$699
$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 Summit E13 Flip Evo costs $699.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.6
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
517.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 offers ample performance for general tasks with a decent processor, sizable RAM, and a dedicated graphics card, coupled with a moderate battery life and satisfactory screen quality, making it a solid choice for everyday use and light multimedia tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.3
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its Nvidia MX570 graphics card, is equipped to handle gaming and 3D applications better than the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo, which relies on integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics; however, both laptops have screens with a 60Hz refresh rate, making them less suitable for high-frame-rate gaming. While the Dell's GPU is more capable for these tasks, neither laptop is ideal for the most demanding gaming and 3D scenarios due to their limited refresh rates and GPUs that fall behind those typically found in high-end gaming laptops.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 comes equipped with a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, which is preferable for engineering and design applications that demand more graphical power, against the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo which relies on integrated graphics; however, the MSI Summit boasts a higher screen resolution, which could render sharper images for design work.
Content Creation
7.5
7.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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
7.4
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $699 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | August 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 11.8'' x 8.8'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 2.98 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 11.82" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 8.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 70 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 517 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 8.9/10 | |
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 | 6/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
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 Summit E13 Flip Evo
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | April 2021
"MSI wants to prove that it can do more than just gaming laptops and the Summit E13 Flip is a great example of what the manufacturer is capable of especially in terms of aesthetics and performance. Normally for subnotebooks or convertibles, TDP and performance are often below average as makers want to meet slimmer designs and lower weight targets. The Summit manages to outperform others in its size class and category while still looking sleek and portable in the process. If you want a convertible that won't throttle significantly when under load, then this MSI will be one of the better options you can find."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo
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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