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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
When deciding between the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and the HP 17" Laptop, the Dell offers better portability due to its smaller screen and lighter weight, while also providing touch capability and higher screen resolution. The Dell's battery life is longer, which might be important if you're frequently mobile. On the other hand, the larger HP laptop has a numeric keypad and is less expensive, but has shorter battery life and is heavier, making it less convenient to carry around. The HP's larger screen could be preferable for multitasking and entertainment. Performance-wise, both are similar, suited for general use, and not specialized for intensive gaming or engineering tasks. 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 7420
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the HP 17" Laptop
- The HP 17" Laptop has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 7420.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
6.6
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
260.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has a better screen than the HP 17" Laptop for software development, while the HP 17" Laptop has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
When considering general use, both the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and the HP 17" Laptop have sufficient resolution and brightness for typical tasks, but may not offer the color depth or sharpness of more expensive models. For engineering and design purposes, they provide adequate clarity and resolution for most work, but professionals who require precise color representation might find them lacking in color gamut coverage, such as DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. While for gaming and 3D rendering, both laptops fall short as their refresh rates are lower than what is preferred for smooth visuals, and although the resolution and panel type are acceptable, dedicated gaming laptops would offer significantly better performance in these areas.
Battery
7.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 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
17.3in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has very good portability, while the HP 17" Laptop has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.0
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has good build quality, while the HP 17" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$801
$510
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has a price of $801 and the HP 17" Laptop costs $510.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.3
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
260.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and HP 17" Laptop are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 boasts a nimble Intel i7 processor with integrated graphics, a bright and high-resolution touch screen, and a convertible design for versatility, making it easily portable and suitable for a range of tasks, but with more limited battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.2
3.7/10
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
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and HP 17" Laptop are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and HP 17" Laptop are both rated fair for gaming and 3D due to their integrated graphics, with the Dell featuring Intel Iris Xe and the HP equipped with AMD Vega 8, both of which offer moderate gaming capabilities compared to dedicated gaming GPUs, and standard screen refresh rates of 60Hz which are sufficient for casual gaming but not ideal for high-frame-rate experiences.
Engineering and Design
6.9
6.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and HP 17" Laptop are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is equipped with a powerful Intel i7 processor and Iris Xe graphics, a high-quality IPS screen with greater pixel density, making it suitable for detailed engineering and design work, plus it's more portable thanks to its smaller size and lesser weight.
Content Creation
7.3
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and HP 17" Laptop 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
7.3
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and HP 17" Laptop 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and the HP 17" Laptop compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 7420 | HP 17" Laptop |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$801 | $510 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | 15.8'' x 10.2'' x 0.81'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.61 lbs | 4.58 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 15.78" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 10.15" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 41 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 260 nits | 287 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 14 7420
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | June 2022
"Notable qualities of the Inspiron 7420 2-in-1 include the 16:10 aspect ratio, strong hinges, 12th gen Intel CPU with optional GeForce MX graphics, and easy serviceability. Such features would typically cost hundreds of dollars more on higher-end alternatives from competing manufacturers. The value proposition is therefore relatively high for users looking to maximize bang for the buck."
HP 17" Laptop
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | November 2022
"As far as starter laptops go, the HP Laptop 17 is a sound investment. Sure, it might not be the lightest of options, but what you get for the price is a well-rounded machine that fits multiple niches. Whether it be office duties that require you to multi-task between multiple programs, or study tasks in which you’ll spend hours browsing online, this laptop does it all. Plus, when it's time to unwind, you can watch your favorite shows or movies on a super-wide display. What's best of all is that you can do all this for about half a day on a single charge."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 or the HP 17" Laptop
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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