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Updated January 10, 2024·
To decide between the Dell Inspiron 14 7435 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, consider how you'll use the laptop. The Dell Inspiron, with its powerful AMD processor and higher storage and RAM, is better suited for more intensive tasks and multitasking, but it's heavier and bulkier than the Surface Laptop Go 2 which offers better portability due to its smaller size and lighter weight. If battery life is crucial, both are comparable. The Dell's larger screen is beneficial for productivity and entertainment, while the Surface's smaller display is sharp and bright, making it ideal for everyday tasks and travel. Choose the Dell for performance needs, or the Surface for portability and casual use. 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 Inpsiron 14 7435
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.0
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
216.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7435 offers robust performance with its higher RAM and a powerful CPU, along with a larger, high-quality screen, making it well-suited for general use; however, it is heavier and thicker, which might affect portability compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, which is lighter and has a more compact design for better portability but comes with less RAM and a less powerful CPU, which could impact multitasking and demanding applications.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
6.1
6.9
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
216.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for software development, and content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2's display offers higher resolution and brightness levels compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 7435, leading to sharper images and easier viewability in various lighting conditions. In engineering and design, although both laptops don't specialize in wide color gamuts, the Surface Laptop Go 2 still provides better color accuracy, which is crucial for detailed and color-critical work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, neither laptop excels due to poor refresh rates, but the higher resolution and panel quality of the Surface Laptop Go 2 might provide a slightly more satisfactory visual experience for less demanding graphics work.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$779
$565
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 has a price of $779 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $565.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.0
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 Inpsiron 14 7435 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7435 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both fair for gaming and 3D because they are equipped with integrated GPUs, the Vega 8 and Iris Xe respectively, which offer decent but not top-tier gaming performance. Both laptops have a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate which is adequate for casual gaming, but dedicated gamers often prefer higher refresh rates for smoother visuals.
Content Creation
7.6
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.4
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
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 Inpsiron 14 7435 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 has 8 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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 2 and Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 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 Inpsiron 14 7435 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$779 | $565 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 8.9'' x 0.73'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.48 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.92" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 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 | 216 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 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 Inpsiron 14 7435
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | August 2023
"We see no shame in an economy laptop missing the four-star mark. Frankly, we considered giving the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 three-and-a-half stars for its low price, competitive performance, and long battery life. Unfortunately, working with a screen that can't deliver at least 300 nits of brightness is simply no fun to the point of detrimental. Still, if you're looking for a convertible laptop on a tight budget, it's worth keeping an eye on Dell's sales and discounts. That Lavender Blue model is fairly tempting."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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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