The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is significantly less expensive, more portable, and offers a better battery life, making it suitable for general use and carrying around. However, the Razer Blade 18, while more expensive and heavier, provides superior performance in 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks due to its more powerful processor and graphics card. It also boasts a larger screen and better scores in keyboard quality, webcam, speakers, and build quality, but at the cost of shorter battery life. If intensive gaming or high-demand applications are a priority, the Razer Blade 18 would be the better choice, whereas for everyday tasks and longer usage away from a power source, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is more fitting. 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 Razer Blade 18
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
8.5/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.1/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Razer Blade 18 outshines the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 mainly due to its significantly more powerful CPU and double the RAM, which greatly enhance performance for intensive tasks; moreover, its screen offers superior resolution and color accuracy that benefit visual experiences. However, the Dell provides better portability with a smaller, lighter form factor and a longer battery life, making it more suited for use on the go.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
8.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The Razer Blade 18 outperforms the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 in gaming and 3D tasks largely due to its significantly more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU which is better suited for demanding graphics compared to the Dell's Nvidia MX570, and its higher screen refresh rate which provides smoother visuals, whereas the Dell Inspiron has a standard refresh rate suitable for less intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
9.3/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 18 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Razer Blade 18 is considered excellent for engineering and design use because it has a more powerful Intel i9 processor, double the RAM, and a significantly stronger Nvidia RTX GPU compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, which, while still good for such tasks, offers a less potent Intel i7 processor, less RAM, and a more modest Nvidia MX GPU. Moreover, the Razer Blade 18's screen is larger and provides better brightness and color coverage, enhancing visual tasks, although it is less portable and likely noisier under load than the more compact Dell Inspiron 14 5420, which has a smaller screen and lower performance specs but better portability.
Content Creation
7.5/10
8.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 18 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
7.4/10
8.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 18 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
6.5/10
8.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
The Razer Blade 18 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420's screen quality is adequate with satisfactory resolution and brightness, but the panel type may not be as high-end, whereas the Razer Blade 18 delivers very good quality with a superior panel, higher resolution, and better brightness. In engineering and design, where accurate colors are crucial, the Razer Blade 18 excels due to a wider color gamut coverage, offering more precise hues than the Dell Inspiron's fair screen color reproduction. When it comes to Gaming and 3D, despite both having limitations in refresh rate, the Razer Blade's very good resolution and panel type provide a more immersive and detailed experience compared to the lower quality gaming experience on the Dell Inspiron.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 18 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
18.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Razer Blade 18 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.5/10
The Razer Blade 18 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
$10
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the Razer Blade 18 costs $10.
"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."
"Razer made a powerful laptop in the Blade 18, showing off a beautiful and fast display and the same high-quality build we’ve come to expect from this product line. It’s also quite expensive, which is hardly a surprise, but bears repeating even in this price range. It’s pricier than the Scar 18 despite an inferior GPU and half the storage, so you really have to want the Blade 18’s design to justify the cost."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 or the Razer Blade 18
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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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