Choosing between the Dell Inspiron and the Lenovo ThinkPad involves considering your priorities: the Inspiron typically offers a balance of performance and value, which makes it suitable for everyday tasks and light work; its lower price can be attractive if you're budget-conscious. However, if you require a laptop for more demanding work or prefer a machine known for its durability and business features, the ThinkPad may justify its higher cost. Note that the ThinkPad often has a more robust build quality and better keyboard, frequently preferred for heavy typing and professional environments. On the other hand, if portability and saving money are your primary concerns, the Inspiron could be the more practical choice. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 7425
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo ThinkPad T14.
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.5/10
8.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
260.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 provides a balance of decent processing power and memory for everyday tasks, with a high-quality screen and adequate battery life making it a solid choice for routine use. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14, on the other hand, steps up performance with a robust CPU and more RAM, ensuring smoother multitasking and more demanding work, while maintaining comparable portability and screen quality, and often recognized for superior keyboard feel and build quality, justifying its edge for general use despite generally having a higher price point.
Engineering and Design
6.9/10
8.0/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425, with its capable CPU, ample RAM, and a quality screen, is built to handle demanding engineering software, while its GPU supports modest design work; however, it's heavier and has a less comfortable keyboard than the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, which offers similar performance benefits with added portability and a renowned keyboard, making it ideal for engineers frequently on the move or who type extensively. While both have good speakers, the ThinkPad tends to operate more quietly, an advantage in shared workspaces.
Content Creation
7.3/10
8.3/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is good.
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
8.3/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is good.
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.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
6.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
260.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has a display that strikes a balance between clarity and brightness, which makes it suitable for browsing, writing, and everyday tasks, but it may lack wide color coverage, which is more crucial for professional engineering and design work. Meanwhile, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 offers a higher-quality screen that presents colors more accurately, catering well to professionals who need precision for design software and detailed engineering applications, although it still doesn't provide the high refresh rates needed for smooth visuals in Gaming and 3D work. For those looking to game or work with 3D graphics, neither of these screens would be ideal due to their lower refresh rates, despite their sufficient resolutions and panel technology for non-gaming purposes.
Battery
7.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has 9 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 Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$800
$1,241
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has a price of $800 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 costs $1,241.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 both house GPUs that handle gaming and 3D tasks adequately but aren't top-tier, leading to a fair performance level for those applications. While their CPUs and screen qualities contribute positively to the overall experience, they don't match the higher-end laptops specifically tailored for gaming, which often have superior GPUs and higher screen refresh rates.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 compare to other laptops
"Overall, this Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 offers a lot to like, especially at its oft-discounted price of $800. It’s a sturdy laptop with strong performance, a convertible touchscreen, loud speakers, and a convenient fingerprint reader. But the trade-offs you’ll make in pursuit of that lower price—most notably the dim display and stiff trackpad—might just keep you from outright loving it."
"We like a lot about this laptop. It has many ports, with the inclusion of RJ45-Ethernet as a defining feature. WWAN is upgradable for maximum flexibility and the ThinkPad has many security functions. Working with the ThinkPad input devices is a lot of fun, and Lenovo puts in a serviceable Low Power panel. The AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U delivers a great performance and does not drain the battery fast. Fan noise and temperatures are nothing special, but also far away from bad. With the user replaceable keyboard, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a special feature rarely present on most modern laptops."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 or the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
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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