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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is generally more suited for everyday use, offering a balance between performance and portability, and it typically has longer battery life, making it ideal for work or study. The MSI GF65 Thin, on the other hand, is designed for gaming and more resource-intensive tasks such as 3D modeling, machine learning, and other engineering applications due to its higher performance hardware components. However, it might sacrifice battery life and portability because of these powerful components which also make it more expensive. Consider the Dell if you prioritize battery life and portability over performance, and the MSI if you need higher performance for specialized tasks even if it means a higher cost and reduced portability. 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
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 5425.
Key differences
General Use
7.7
6.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is deemed good for general use because it has a higher amount of RAM, an effective CPU for day-to-day tasks, a higher resolution screen, and better battery life, which combined with its lighter weight and smaller size, enhances portability. On the other hand, while the MSI GF65 Thin offers a powerful GPU and a high screen refresh rate, making it suitable for gaming, it falls short in RAM capacity and battery life when compared to the Dell, making it less optimal for general productivity tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GF65 Thin and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI GF65 Thin is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has moderate gaming capabilities due to its integrated Vega 8 graphics, which are less powerful than discrete GPUs, and a basic screen refresh rate that doesn't excel in fast-paced gaming scenarios. In contrast, the MSI GF65 Thin offers superior gaming and 3D performance attributed to its Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which are essential for smooth and immersive gameplay, but this comes with a sacrifice in battery life and screen quality when compared to the Dell Inspiron 5425.
Content Creation
7.5
6.8
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.3
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for software development, and content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and the MSI GF65 Thin provide satisfactory visuals due to their adequate resolution and brightness, but they won't stand out for vibrant colors or exceptional clarity. When considering engineering and design work, these laptops offer fair screen quality as they cover a reasonable range of colors, but professionals might find them lacking in the wider color gamuts that ensure precision in color-sensitive tasks. As for 3D tasks and gaming, the limited refresh rates on both models mean less fluid motion compared to higher-end gaming laptops, even though their resolutions and panel types are suitable for a decent experience.
Battery
12.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has very good portability, while the MSI GF65 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$500
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has a price of $500 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
7.0
6.7
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5425 to be good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is equipped with an AMD Ryzen CPU with integrated Vega graphics and a high-resolution screen which is suitable for engineering design tasks, while the MSI GF65 Thin includes a higher-end Nvidia GPU and a high refresh rate screen better suited for tasks requiring intense graphics processing. Despite both being capable of engineering and design work, the Dell may offer better portability and screen quality for detailed work, whereas the MSI provides stronger gaming and graphics performance but has reduced portability and battery life.
Build Quality
7.0
6.7
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5425 to have good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair 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 5425 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5425 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 14 5425
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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."
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 or the MSI GF65 Thin
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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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.
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