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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is often less expensive, more portable due to its smaller size and lower weight, and has a longer battery life which is suitable for general use on the go; it's also equipped with a touchscreen. It performs well for general applications and light engineering work. The Lenovo Legion 5 17", although typically more expensive and less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight, offers a more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card for intensive engineering tasks, 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming. It also has a higher screen refresh rate beneficial for fast-paced gaming. Choose the Dell for portability and everyday use or the Lenovo for performance-heavy tasks and 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
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.4
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" offers a higher refresh rate and a superior dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, making it better suited for gaming and 3D applications than the Dell Inspiron 14 7420, which has a lower refresh rate and relies on the integrated Iris Xe graphics of its Intel i7 processor.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 caters to engineering and design with its capable CPU and integrated GPU suitable for moderate design tasks, complemented by a screen that supports touch, making it versatile for various applications and creative work.
Screen Quality
6.2
7.3
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
260.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 5 17" for software development, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420's screen, with modest brightness and resolution, serves general tasks well but may lack the vibrancy professionals need for precise color work in engineering and design. The Lenovo Legion 5 17" provides a larger, brighter display with better color coverage, making it suitable for detailed creative work, although its refresh rate falls short for the smoothest gaming and 3D rendering experience. Both struggle in gaming and 3D applications, as their refresh rates aren't high enough for the fluid visuals that these tasks often require.
Battery
7.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has 4.5 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
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$801
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has a price of $801 and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
260.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is good for general use with its efficient CPU, ample RAM, high-quality IPS screen, lightweight design which improves portability, and decent battery life. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" offers a powerful CPU and dedicated graphics suitable for heavier tasks, a larger screen for better viewing experience, with the trade-off of being heavier and having lower portability and shorter battery life. Both laptops offer satisfactory keyboards, storage, and manage heat and operating noise reasonably well, although the Legion's larger form factor may handle heat dissipation more effectively.
Content Creation
7.3
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
7.4
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 7420 | Lenovo Legion 5 17" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$801 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | 15.7'' x 11.4'' x 1'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.61 lbs | 6.57 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 11.41" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 80 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 260 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 5.8/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
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 Legion 5 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | February 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 5 17 is a current-gen 17-inch gaming laptop and equipped with the latest AMD CPU and a powerful GPU, that manages to reach its full potential. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600H is a very good choice for this laptop and able to maintain its performance level for long periods of time. Our test model only falls behind consistently in a direct comparison with its competitors that are often equipped with eight cores and 16 threads. Despite this, the Legion 5 17 leaves an excellent impression and is almost able to keep up with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 mobile GPU in synthetic benchmarks."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 or the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
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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