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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is slightly more expensive than the Lenovo Flex 5 16 but offers a better balance of portability, with a smaller screen and lower weight, making it easier to carry around. Both laptops have similar performance capabilities, with the same processor and graphics, and both have touchscreens with high-resolution displays, though the Lenovo has a slightly larger and higher-resolution screen which can offer clearer and more vibrant visuals, ideal for tasks requiring greater detail like photo editing or design work. However, the Lenovo is heavier and has a larger form factor, which might affect its portability. If you prioritize longer battery life and a display that's better for professional creative work, you may prefer the Lenovo Flex 5 16, while if you want something more portable for general use, the Dell might be the better choice. Both fall into the same price range and are capable of handling general use, 3D rendering, machine learning tasks, and engineering work, but neither is especially suited 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 7420
- Very good portability
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 16
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
7.3
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
260.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
For general use, a vibrant, clear display is essential for comfortably viewing content; the Lenovo Flex 5 16's higher resolution and brightness make it superior to the Dell Inspiron 14 7420. When it comes to engineering and design, professionals need accurate color representation; the Lenovo's wider color gamuts allow for precision that the Dell cannot match as closely. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops' screens may fall short due to lower refresh rates, although their resolutions and panel types are acceptable for casual use.
Battery
7.5 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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
16.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has very good portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.6
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
260.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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
6.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are rated as fair for gaming and 3D due to their shared integrated graphics (Intel Iris Xe) which can handle light gaming but aren't as powerful as dedicated GPUs, and both have a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz which is lower than the higher refresh rates preferred for smoother gaming. While their CPUs can manage average gaming demands, the screen quality of the Lenovo is higher with better resolution and brightness, making it more visually impressive but possibly not resulting in a significantly different gaming experience due to the common GPU limitations.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Flex 5 16 to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is tailored for engineering and design with a capable CPU, plenty of RAM for multitasking, and an integrated GPU that can handle moderate graphics tasks, all paired with a high-quality IPS screen for clear visuals; its smaller size makes it more portable, but this also means a smaller display compared to some alternatives.
Content Creation
7.3
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
7.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.0
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$801
$779
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has a price of $801 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $779.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 7420 | Lenovo Flex 5 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$801 | $779 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.61 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 11.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 52.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 260 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Lenovo Flex 5 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | April 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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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