If you're seeking a cost-effective option and decent performance for everyday tasks, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 with its AMD Ryzen processor and Vega 8 graphics is a solid choice. However, the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i, with its Mini LED display, delivers superb screen quality, powerful Intel i7 processor, and Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, making it ideal for more intensive tasks such as 3D work, machine learning, or gaming, albeit at a higher price. The Slim Pro 9i's superior RAM and storage also make it a good fit for demanding engineering applications. The tradeoff here is between price and high-end performance, with the Inspiron offering better value and the Slim Pro 9i offering more advanced capabilities for demanding users. 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 5425
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Best in class overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
8.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
618.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is appreciated for its good portability, decent screen quality, and excellent heat management, but its performance for general use is outmatched by the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i, which offers a more powerful CPU, double the RAM for smoother multitasking, and superior screen quality with higher resolution and brightness for crisp, vibrant visuals. Despite the Lenovo's heavier weight impacting its portability score slightly, it compensates with significantly longer battery life, enhanced speaker quality, and superior keyboard, making it very good for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
7.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is only fair.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i outperforms the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 in gaming and 3D due to its superior Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, compared to the Dell's integrated AMD Vega 8 graphics and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz. Additionally, the Lenovo's Mini LED screen offers better quality and resolution, further enhancing gaming and 3D experiences.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
8.9/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i stands out for engineering and design tasks with its more powerful Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia RTX GPU, higher RAM capacity, and superior screen quality, including a Mini LED display with higher resolution and brightness, essential for detailed visual work. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425, with its AMD Ryzen CPU and Vega GPU, offers competent processing and graphics ability, but with lesser RAM and a standard IPS screen with lower resolution and brightness, it's less suited for highly intensive tasks; however, it may gain favor for slightly better portability and lower operating noise.
Content Creation
7.5/10
8.5/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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
7.5/10
8.3/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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
6.3/10
9.6/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.5in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
618.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 offers adequate resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks, but its limited color range and standard refresh rate may not satisfy professionals in engineering, design, or gaming. On the other hand, the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i's superior panel provides excellent resolution, brightness, and a wide color gamut, appealing to engineers and designers who prioritize color accuracy for their work. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications, as they lack the high refresh rates required for smooth visuals in those areas.
Battery
12.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has 12 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has 6 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.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$479
$1,600
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has a price of $479 and the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i costs $1,600.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5425 to have very good portability, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i compare to other laptops
"A slim chassis, an acceptable weight (1.6 kg) and a real-world battery life of almost 13 hours turn the Inspiron into a mobile companion. Good: The battery can not only be charged using Dell's proprietary power adapter, but also with a universal USB-C power adapter (min. 45 watts). Office and Internet applications are handled by the built-in combination of Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM just as easily as modest computer games. Heat and noise development are generally okay, but the laptop should work a bit quieter under full load."
"The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is an impressive laptop with a brilliant Mini-LED display, a powerful 100-watt version of Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, and excellent connectivity. Having run the Cinebench benchmark again, we were impressed with the CPU performance. That makes the Slim Pro 9i is an easy recommendation, especially for those who care about GPU and CPU performance. It’s also a fantastic choice if you frequently view HDR movies and games on your laptop."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 or the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
97,095
Recommendations made
21,038
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.