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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 offers a longer battery life, higher screen resolution, and better performance for intensive tasks compared to the MSI Modern 14, making it more suitable for heavy workloads and long hours of operation. However, it comes at a higher price and weighs slightly more, which could affect portability. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 is more budget-friendly, lighter, and has a higher general use score, making it a good choice for everyday use and carrying around. Neither laptop is ideal for intensive gaming. 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 engineering and design
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
- The MSI Modern 14 has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 5425.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.3
6.4
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and the MSI Modern 14 have sufficient resolution and acceptable brightness, but their panel types do not provide the wide viewing angles and color accuracy that higher-end screens do. When it comes to engineering and design, the screens fall short as they lack the wider color gamut coverage needed for precision in color-critical work, such as CAD or photo editing. In terms of gaming and 3D, the lower refresh rates of these models may lead to less fluid visuals, which is less optimal for fast-paced games or smooth 3D animation rendering.
Battery
12.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 both have very good portability, though the MSI Modern 14 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and MSI Modern 14 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
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425, with its AMD Ryzen 7 5825U Vega 8 graphics, and the MSI Modern 14, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U Vega 7 GPU, are on the modest side for gaming and 3D due to these integrated graphics solutions which are less powerful compared to dedicated gaming GPUs. Furthermore, both models are limited by their 60Hz screen refresh rate, which is lower than the higher refresh rates often preferred for a smoother gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
7.0
6.6
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 5425 to be good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is better suited for engineering and design work because it has a more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and an integrated Vega 8 GPU, which offer stronger performance for computation and graphics-related tasks. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14 comes with a slightly less powerful AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and a weaker Vega 7 GPU, making it less optimal for demanding engineering software and intensive design applications, although it compensates with a slightly higher portability due to its lower weight.
Content Creation
7.5
7.2
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and MSI Modern 14 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
7.1
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and MSI Modern 14 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
7.0
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and MSI Modern 14 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$500
$525
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has a price of $500 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5425 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 8.7/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
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 Modern 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 or the MSI Modern 14
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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