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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
Choose the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 if you want a more portable device with a touchscreen and longer typical battery life. It's good for general use and has a lower midrange price, often less expensive than the MSI. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 has superior performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, plus better gaming capabilities thanks to its powerful graphics card. Although it costs more, if high-performance computing is a priority, the extra expense may be justified. The GL66 also has a higher refresh rate screen which is better for fast motion, like in gaming, but it has a shorter battery life and is less portable than the Dell. 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 portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425, equipped with an integrated AMD GPU and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, offers fair performance for gaming and 3D tasks, while the MSI Pulse GL66, featuring a dedicated high-performance Nvidia GPU and a higher 144Hz screen refresh rate, provides a superior gaming and 3D experience. Additionally, the MSI's dedicated GPU excels in handling more complex graphics and is more suited to gaming enthusiasts or professional 3D work, compared to the Dell's integrated GPU which is suitable for less intensive gaming and occasional 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.5
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is well-suited for engineering and design due to its 2-in-1 convertible form, enabling flexibility in use, and a higher screen resolution for sharper images, though it has integrated graphics which are generally less powerful than dedicated GPUs. The MSI Pulse GL66, on the other hand, caters to the same use with a stronger CPU and a high-end dedicated GPU, providing better performance for graphics-intensive tasks, but sacrifices some portability and has a standard laptop design without a touchscreen.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
260.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for software development, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and MSI Pulse GL66 offer screens with resolutions and brightness that meet the needs for general tasks like web browsing and document editing, but they may lack the crispness or vibrancy desired by some users. For engineering and design, their color reproduction may not cover the wider color gamuts professionals look for, resulting in less accurate color work. When it comes to 3D applications and gaming, the refresh rate on these panels may not be high enough to provide the smoothest visual experience, making fast-paced scenes appear less fluid.
Battery
7.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Pulse GL66 has 4 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
15.6in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has very good portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$800
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has a price of $800 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.3
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
260.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 boasts an efficient AMD Ryzen processor and a high-resolution 2-in-1 touchscreen display, making it versatile for general usage with reasonable battery life, while the MSI Pulse GL66, with a powerful Intel processor and a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, offers superior gaming and intensive task performance but is heavier and has a shorter battery life. Both come with ample RAM and storage for general use, but the Dell offers a more portable and longer-lasting solution, and the MSI excels in performance-heavy scenarios at the cost of portability and battery duration.
Content Creation
7.3
7.2
6.8/10
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 7425 and MSI Pulse GL66 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
6.8/10
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
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and MSI Pulse GL66 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 7425 and MSI Pulse GL66 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 7425 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 7425 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$800 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.61 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | 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 | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
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 | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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."
MSI Pulse GL66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | April 2022
"The MSI Pulse GL66 has a lot of potential for improvement. Although the RTX 3060 is only able to use 105 watts, we still liked the gaming performance, particularly since this also makes the Pulse comfortably efficient but not slow by any means. Neither the dark display with its lame response times, nor USB 2.0 or the lack of Thunderbolt will please real gamers. The use of a sticker factory seal, which is at least questionable, also won't inspire any enthusiasm. It is obvious that the laptop is really designed for price-conscious gamers."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 or the MSI Pulse GL66
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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