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Updated January 12, 2024·
Without additional context or specifications, here’s a general piece of advice: The Dell Inspiron line is typically aimed at general use or business purposes, offering a good balance between cost and functionality. It's usually more affordable, which may mean less powerful hardware compared to gaming or high-performance models. The MSI Stealth series, on the other hand, is designed for gaming and performance-intensive tasks. It often has higher-end specs which include better graphics and faster processors, but this also leads to a higher price. If you are engaged in activities like gaming, video editing, or 3D design, the MSI might be worth the extra cost for its performance. However, if your main activities are web browsing, office applications, and media consumption, the Dell Inspiron should suffice, and you can save money. Remember, the MSI may also have a shorter battery life due to its more powerful components, and it may be less portable due to potentially increased weight and size. 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 Stealth 14 Studio
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is only fair.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio provides better gaming and 3D performance than the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 largely due to its higher-end Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics unit and a screen with a higher refresh rate, which is very important for gaming smoothness and visual fidelity. Although both laptops have similar screen quality and sufficient processing power, which are somewhat important, the Dell's integrated AMD graphics and lower screen refresh rate limit its gaming and 3D capabilities compared to the MSI's dedicated gaming-grade GPU and faster screen.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.5
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio outperforms the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel processor and Nvidia GPU, compared to the Dell's AMD CPU and integrated graphics, which leads to significantly better performance in demanding applications. Additionally, the MSI has a higher screen refresh rate and better color coverage, which is crucial for design work, alongside hardware features like ray tracing and DLSS that benefit engineering visualization and gaming, making it very good for such tasks.
Screen Quality
6.3
7.6
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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 offers a screen that is suitable for everyday tasks and watching videos, but for engineering and design, its color coverage may fall short in providing the wide color gamuts needed for precise work. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio, with better color accuracy and gamut, suits professionals requiring fidelity for design and photo editing, enhancing their workflow efficiency. Neither laptop is ideal for gaming or 3D work due to lower refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth visuals in fast-paced games or when working with motion graphics.
Battery
12.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has 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.
Build Quality
7.0
7.6
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 both have good build quality, though the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$500
$1,520
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has a price of $500 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,520.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.8
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is well-suited for general use due to its satisfactory balance of a strong CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality screen, coupled with very good portability and a respectable battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio also fits general use with its more powerful CPU and graphics, larger storage, and superior screen, but it trades off some battery life and is a slightly less portable option.
Content Creation
7.5
7.9
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
7.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and MSI Stealth 14 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
14.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 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 MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5425 | MSI Stealth 14 Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $1,520 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 12.4'' x 9.7'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 12.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 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 | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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 Stealth 14 Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | June 2023
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 or the MSI Stealth 14 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 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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