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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is more portable and offers a touch screen with a higher resolution and aspect ratio, making it well-suited for general use and productivity with moderate battery life. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15, despite being less portable, boasts a more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, enabling better performance for 3D tasks, machine learning, and gaming but with a shorter battery life. Therefore, if performance for intensive tasks is a priority and portability is less of a concern, the MSI Katana 15 would be more suitable, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is better for users who prioritize a more convenient form factor and touch capability for everyday tasks. 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
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
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has an integrated GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, which is adequate for less demanding games and 3D applications, while the MSI Katana 15 boasts a more powerful dedicated Nvidia GPU and a higher refresh rate display, making it better suited for more intensive gaming and 3D experiences.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.7
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425, with its 2-in-1 design and touch screen, is aimed at versatility in engineering and design tasks, though it may underperform in graphics-intensive work due to its integrated GPU compared to the MSI Katana 15, which, with its more powerful dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU, is better suited for rendering and modeling tasks that demand high graphics performance. Despite being less portable, the MSI Katana 15 offers a larger screen and higher refresh rate, providing a smoother visual experience beneficial for detailed engineering and design work.
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
258.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for software development, while the MSI Katana 15 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and the MSI Katana 15 offer screens with adequate resolution and brightness, but they may not have the most vibrant colors or sharpest details some users may expect. Engineers and designers might find these laptops serviceable since they can handle a variety of applications, although they may lack the broad color gamuts necessary for precise color work. Gamers and 3D users may be disappointed with the refresh rates on these machines, as they're lower than what's desired for smooth, fast-paced visuals, despite them being acceptable in terms of resolution and panel type.
Battery
7.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 15 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$800
$949
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has a price of $800 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
260.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 offers a good balance for general use with its robust CPU, ample RAM, high-resolution touchscreen with 2-in-1 flexibility, and decent battery life for portability, though it could be less powerful for heavy tasks than some options.
Content Creation
7.3
7.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 15 and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 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
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and MSI Katana 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and MSI Katana 15 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 Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 7425 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$800 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.61 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 53.5 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 | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
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 Katana 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The MSI Katana 15 B12 combines a Gen12 CPU with an RTX 4050, which is actually not a bad idea for a budget gamer. The CPU is anything but bad and the GPU in the Katana 15 proves to be significantly more efficient than last year's models. However, our main point of criticism for budget gamers is the price: while you can get budget laptops with RTX 3060 from around US$800, you pay a whole US$1,499.99 here! The efficiency advantages of the RTX 4050 do not justify this price premium."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 or the MSI Katana 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 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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