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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 offers higher storage and memory, a stronger processor, and a larger 14-inch screen, which may be preferable for intensive engineering tasks or multitasking. Despite being usually more expensive than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, it provides stronger overall performance and a touchscreen with higher resolution and brightness. However, it is heavier and offers less battery life compared to the Surface Laptop Go 3. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Go 3, while often less expensive and offering less storage and memory with a smaller 12.4-inch screen, is more portable due to its lighter weight and better battery life. Its keyboard and build quality are rated slightly higher than the Dell's. It might not be suited for intensive tasks but is a viable option for general use and mobility. Both laptops have touchscreens, backlit keyboards, and are advertised as suitable for gaming, although neither is specifically designed for that purpose. 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 7425
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
260.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
While both the Dell Inspiron and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 have screens suitable for everyday tasks, thanks to their resolution and brightness, the Surface stands out with a slightly crisper display. For engineering and design professionals requiring color accuracy, the Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a wider color range, ensuring more precise color representation in projects. However, both laptops aren't ideal for gaming and 3D applications because they lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
260.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 offers a more powerful AMD Ryzen processor, double the RAM, and a higher storage capacity compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, along with a larger screen which makes it more suitable for multitasking and demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are considered fair for gaming and 3D due to their moderate GPUs—AMD Ryzen Vega 8 and Intel Iris Xe respectively—which can handle games but are not top-tier for heavy graphics tasks, and both have standard screen refresh rates of 60Hz, which is fine for casual gaming but not optimal for competitive or high-frame-rate gaming. The Dell's larger screen and higher resolution may enhance the gaming experience slightly more than the smaller and lower resolution Surface Laptop Go 3, yet both share similar quality IPS panels, affecting the overall visual fidelity moderately.
Engineering and Design
6.9
6.8
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.3
7.3
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
7.1
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Battery
7.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 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
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$800
$797
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has a price of $800 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $797.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 7425 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$800 | $797 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.61 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 260 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 9.3/10 | |
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 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 14 7425
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Jared Newman | December 2021
"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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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