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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a higher refresh rate display for fast-motion clarity and dedicated graphics for gaming or 3D applications, the MSI Katana 15 provides these capabilities. However, the Dell Inspiron 14 7435 offers better portability, touch screen functionality, and is less expensive. The Dell also has a better battery life for typical usage, but if intensive gaming is a priority, only the MSI Katana 15 is suitable. Both laptops have the same storage and RAM, but the Dell’s screen is smaller though with a higher resolution and aspect ratio, which could be beneficial for productivity tasks and entertainment. 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
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
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 Inpsiron 14 7435 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7435 is fair for gaming and 3D because it comes with an integrated AMD GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, whereas the MSI Katana 15 is deemed good in this aspect due to its dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU and a higher 144Hz screen refresh rate, which provides smoother visuals and is better suited for fast-paced games.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.7
6.9/10
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 and Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI Katana 15 is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7435, with its AMD Ryzen CPU and integrated Vega 8 graphics, is suited for engineering and design due to its balance of power and efficiency, enhanced by a high-resolution touchscreen display, making it useful for hands-on tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX GPU alongside an Intel CPU, making it superior for graphics-intensive applications, but at the expense of greater weight and lower screen resolution without touch capability.
Screen Quality
6.1
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
216.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 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.
If you prioritize a clear, vibrant display for everyday tasks such as browsing the web, watching videos, or working on documents, the screen quality of both the Dell Inspiron 14 and the MSI Katana 15 are sufficient, though they won't stand out in terms of sharpness or brightness. For engineering and design professionals who rely on color accuracy for tasks like photo editing or CAD work, the displays might fall short due to limited color gamut coverage, which could affect how true-to-life the colors appear. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the relatively lower refresh rates on these laptops may lead to less fluid visuals, which can detract from the immersive experience that most gamers look for.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 has 8 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
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$779
$949
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 has a price of $779 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
216.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7435's 2-in-1 design with a touchscreen and its lower weight make it highly portable and versatile for everyday computing tasks, while its AMD processor and long battery life give it balanced performance for general use. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 offers a higher performance Intel CPU and dedicated Nvidia graphics making it better for graphics-intensive applications, yet it compromises on portability and battery life compared to the Dell, limiting its suitability for on-the-go usage.
Content Creation
7.6
7.4
6.9/10
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 Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 and MSI Katana 15 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
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 Inpsiron 14 7435 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 Inpsiron 14 7435 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 Inpsiron 14 7435 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inpsiron 14 7435 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$779 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 8.9'' x 0.73'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.48 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.92" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 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 | 216 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 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 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."
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 Inpsiron 14 7435 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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