A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
When deciding between the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, consider that the Dell has a slightly longer battery life and is lighter, making it more portable than the Surface Laptop Studio. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Studio sports a better screen with higher resolution, touch capability, and a faster refresh rate, which enhances the visual experience and can be advantageous for creative tasks. The Surface also has a dedicated graphics card, making it more suitable for 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming uses. The Dell is priced more affordably and could offer a better value for general use or if budget is a significant concern. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.3
8.0
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 offers a satisfactory display with enough resolution and brightness for daily tasks, but its limited color range and refresh rate may not satisfy engineers' need for precision or gamers' desire for smooth visuals. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio stands out with its high-resolution and bright screen, providing richer colors that professionals in engineering and design require, but it falls short for gaming due to its lower refresh rate. While both laptops serve general and professional purposes well, neither is optimized for the high refresh rates critical for immersive 3D experiences and competitive gaming.
Battery
12.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has 12 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 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
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
$500
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has a price of $500 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425, with its integrated AMD GPU and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, offers moderate gaming performance, which may not be ideal for fast-paced games that benefit from higher refresh rates. Conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is better equipped for gaming and 3D applications due to its dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU and a higher 120Hz screen refresh rate, providing smoother visuals and better handling of graphics-intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.3
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 are both good for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio both provide strong CPU and GPU performance, ample RAM, and high screen quality, making them suitable for engineering and design. The Surface Laptop Studio offers enhanced graphics handling due to its Nvidia RTX GPU and higher-resolution touchscreen with a flexible hinge for drawing or design tasks, while the Inspiron emphasizes efficiency with its AMD CPU and GPU, alongside impressive heat management and quieter operating noise, which are essential for prolonged engineering work.
Content Creation
7.5
7.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
7.5
7.3
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5425 to have very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5425 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i7-11370H | |
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 | 12 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 14 5425
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2022
"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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Dell Inspiron 14 5425 vs. Dell Inspiron 16 5620
VS
Compare Dell Inspiron 14 5425 vs. Acer Swift 3
VS
Compare Dell Inspiron 14 5425 vs. HP Pavilion 15
VS
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio vs. Gigabyte Aorus 17
VS
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio vs. Gigabyte Aorus 15
VS
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio vs. Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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
130,095
Recommendations made
28,188
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.
Featured in
