The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are similarly priced and both cater to general use with adequate performance for everyday tasks. The Dell has a slightly smaller screen with a taller aspect ratio and higher resolution, which can be better for browsing and productivity tasks. It also has more RAM, which can enhance multitasking capabilities. On the other hand, the Lenovo has a larger screen with a traditional aspect ratio, making it good for multimedia consumption, and its battery life exceeds that of the Dell, which may be vital if you often work on the go. Both models offer touchscreens, backlit keyboards, and are light enough for portability. If you prioritize a higher resolution and better multitasking, you might lean towards the Dell, but if longer battery life and a larger screen size are more critical for your use, the Lenovo could be more suitable. 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
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
Very good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2/10
6.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
260.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 for general use.
For general use, both the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" offer screens with adequate resolution and brightness, but they may not have the superior panel types found in higher-end models which provide better color reproduction and viewing angles. When considering engineering and design, these laptops' displays fall short in covering the wider color gamuts such as DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which are critical for precise color work and detailed design. For 3D and gaming, the lack of high refresh rates limits the ability to render smooth motion, and although the resolution might be acceptable, the panel types do not offer the fast response times preferred for these activities.
Battery
7.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 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
6.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$801
$741
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has a price of $801 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" costs $741.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
6.2/10
6.1/10
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
9.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" both offer respectable integrated graphics and 60Hz display refresh rates, making them fair choices for gaming and 3D tasks; the Dell Inspiron has the edge with a slightly more powerful CPU and Intel Iris Xe graphics, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad provides a larger screen with modest AMD Ryzen 7 5700U Vega 8 graphics. However, both machines may not handle intensive gaming as smoothly as laptops with dedicated GPUs and higher refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
6.9/10
6.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is outfitted with a higher-end CPU and more RAM, and it has integrated graphics suitable for less demanding engineering and design software, while also offering a higher resolution and better quality display, enhancing visual detail and workspace. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15", with a capable but less powerful CPU and less RAM, also has an integrated graphics solution that is less suited for intensive graphics tasks, and a lower resolution screen, making it less ideal for detailed engineering and design work.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
7.3/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
15.6in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 7420 to have very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
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.
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
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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