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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425, being less expensive, offers solid performance for everyday tasks and light workloads with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and integrated graphics. It's also quite portable, making it suitable for on-the-go use with a decent battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 is significantly more expensive but provides a much stronger performance with an Intel i7 processor and dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics, making it ideal for gaming, 3D work, and intensive engineering tasks. However, it's heavier and larger, which may impact its portability. Consider the MSI Katana 17 if you need higher performance and don't mind the extra weight and cost, or choose the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 for daily use and better portability at a lower cost. 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 MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.3
6.9
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425's screen may not be as bright or high-resolution as preferred for general use, and though it supports basic tasks, it lacks the wide color gamuts essential for precision in engineering and design. The MSI Katana 17 offers a good balance for general tasks with better brightness and resolution, but its color range might still fall short for professional design work. For gaming and 3D purposes, neither laptop delivers the high refresh rates required for smooth visuals, although their resolutions and panel types may suffice for casual use but not for demanding games or 3D applications.
Battery
12.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 17 has 3 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
17.3in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$500
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has a price of $500 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.9
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is appreciated for general use due to its more portable size and quality screen, but the MSI Katana 17 offers an enhanced experience with a more powerful CPU and greater RAM, along with a superior screen which is important for tasks like photo editing or watching high-definition content. However, the Katana's larger size and potentially shorter battery life could make it less convenient for frequent travelers.
Content Creation
7.5
7.8
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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
7.5
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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
7.2
The MSI Katana 17 and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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 5425 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5425 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
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 | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 6.2/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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 Katana 17
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"The MSI Katana 17 B13V laptop impressed us in its main area of competency - gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 ensures high-performance levels which can compete with the previous generation's RTX 3070 Ti. In addition to the speedy GPU, the MSI comes with a 144 Hz display as well as an RGB keyboard and provides a very good typing experience. Despite the power at hand, the laptop remains comparatively cool."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 or the MSI Katana 17
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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