The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is a bit less expensive and has a touchscreen, which makes it user-friendly for interactive tasks; however, with a slightly larger battery capacity, it has a shorter battery life compared to the HP EliteBook 845 G9. The HP EliteBook is more expensive but offers a long battery life and a brighter display for better visibility in various lighting conditions. Both have similar storage, memory, and screen size, but the HP model has a Pro version of Windows and a more vibrant color display, making it suitable for tasks requiring color accuracy. Consider the Dell for more interactive use and savings, while the HP is better for long work sessions and tasks demanding color precision. 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
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has no clear advantages over the HP EliteBook 845 G9.
Advantages of the HP EliteBook 845 G9
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2/10
7.1/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
260.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
402.0 nits
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 provides adequate clarity and brightness which are satisfactory for everyday tasks, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 offers a crisper and brighter display that enhances the user experience. When it comes to engineering and design, the EliteBook likely surpasses the Inspiron with a wider color range, offering more precise color representation crucial for detailed design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops may fall short due to their lower refresh rates, although their resolutions and panel types may be sufficient for casual gaming and entry-level 3D work.
Battery
7.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has 12 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
7.4/10
8.0/10
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$801
$740
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has a price of $801 and the HP EliteBook 845 G9 costs $740.
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 offers a versatile 2-in-1 convertible form factor with a touch screen, balanced performance from an Intel processor, and adequate portability, making it well-suited for general use that may include varied tasks from productivity to casual content consumption.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.3/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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
6.9/10
7.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP EliteBook 845 G9 to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is equipped with an Intel i7 processor and Intel Iris Xe graphics, making it capable of handling engineering and design tasks with its 16GB of RAM and quality IPS display; however, it may struggle with very intensive workloads due to the integrated graphics. On the other hand, the HP EliteBook 845 G9 features an AMD Ryzen 5 processor and Radeon 660M graphics, also with 16GB of RAM and a high-contrast IPS display, which might provide an edge in graphics-intensive applications, and it promises better battery longevity and improved color coverage, which is crucial for design accuracy.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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
7.3/10
7.7/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and the HP EliteBook 845 G9 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The high-end version of the HP EliteBook 845 G9 with a Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS, 32GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD packs a lot of power, but is still quiet and cool enough to operate in noise-sensitive environments. Quiet, cool and drawing on a massive 40 watts from the APU at the same time, however, is not possible. The 14-incher only has a single-fan solution and it only just manages to keep an near unthrottled Ryzen 9 in check."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 or the HP EliteBook 845 G9
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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