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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is a more affordable and portable option, with sufficient performance for general use and casual tasks. Its battery life is suited for extended usage on the go. Conversely, the MSI Raider GE78 is a premium machine with robust performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive gaming, featuring a powerful processor and top-tier graphics but comes at a higher price and with decreased portability due to its size and battery life. Your choice should be guided by your specific needs: everyday computing and portability or top performance for demanding tasks and 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
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7
8.7
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is well-suited for general use with its capable CPU, sufficient RAM, and high-quality IPS screen, balancing performance and portability with decent battery life. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78, with its top-tier CPU, ample RAM, superior IPS display, and additional features like a higher screen refresh rate and excellent speakers, excels in general use but is less portable and has a shorter battery life due to its powerful components and larger size.
Gaming and AI
6.2
9.5
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425's modest integrated GPU and standard 60Hz screen refresh rate make it only fair for gaming and 3D tasks, whereas the MSI Raider GE78's high-end dedicated GPU and a much higher 240Hz screen refresh rate provide best-in-class gaming and 3D performance.
Engineering and Design
7.0
9.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is considered good for engineering and design because it offers a capable AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and integrated Vega graphics, sufficient RAM, and a high-quality IPS screen, balanced with better portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size.
Content Creation
7.5
8.8
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 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
8.5
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 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
8.6
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering the Dell Inspiron 14 5425, its screen has adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, which makes it suitable for general use. However, for engineering and design work, the color gamut coverage may be limited, resulting in less accurate color reproduction, though it's still acceptable for casual design tasks. The MSI Raider GE78's screen displays vibrant and accurate colors, making it excellent for engineering and design where color precision is critical; but for gaming and 3D applications, despite having good resolution and panel quality, the lower refresh rate limits the smoothness and responsiveness, which can detract from the experience.
Battery
12.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 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
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has very good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 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
$4,386
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has a price of $500 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5425 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 5.6/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 or the MSI Raider GE78
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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