If you prioritize performance, especially for gaming or engineering software, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 with its dedicated graphics card is a better option than the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, although it is less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight. The Dell offers a balance between portability and performance and might save you some money; it's lighter and has a higher resolution screen but is less suited for intense 3D tasks or gaming. Both have suitable keyboards and display quality for general use, but the Legion's higher refresh rate is a boon for fast-paced games. 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 Plus
Very good portability
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Slim 5
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.6/10
7.7/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus with an integrated Intel GPU is suitable for lightweight gaming and 3D tasks, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 comes equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, making it a better choice for intensive gaming and 3D applications where graphics performance is crucial. Additionally, the Lenovo's higher refresh rate will provide smoother visuals in games, a feature gamers typically value for a more immersive experience.
Screen Quality
7.0/10
7.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
326.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 for software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 feature panels with adequate resolution and brightness, making text and images clear and easy to read in various lighting conditions. Both laptops have displays with wide color gamuts, critical for engineering and design work, ensuring accurate color representation and detail for precision tasks. However, their screens have lower refresh rates, which is less ideal for 3D applications where smoother motion and quicker screen updates are crucial for an immersive experience.
Portability
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$808
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has a price of $808 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 costs $1,000.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, with ample storage and a good balance of display quality, portability, and battery life, fits well for varied everyday tasks, supported by a strong Intel i7 CPU and quality keyboard and speakers. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 offers a superior gaming-capable graphics card, a significantly larger screen with higher refresh rate, and longer battery life, but is heavier and has a downgraded portability and speaker quality, making it a versatile option that leans towards mixed-use including more graphic-intensive applications.
Engineering and Design
7.8/10
8.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 5 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is well-suited for engineering and design due to its high-end CPU and ample RAM, which handle demanding workloads, yet it's limited by its integrated Iris Xe graphics for GPU-intensive tasks. Conversely, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 offers a powerful dedicated GPU, which significantly enhances performance for engineering simulations and graphic design, alongside a similarly capable CPU and ample RAM, making it very good for such use cases, albeit at the expense of a heavier build affecting portability.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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
7.7/10
7.4/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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
6.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has 6 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has 7 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
7.4/10
7.4/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 compare to other laptops
"The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is for power users on a budget. If you're looking to maximize CPU and GPU performance on your next 14-inch laptop, then consider the pricier Razer Blade 14 or Asus Zephyrus G14. If you're looking for a thin-and-light 14-inch Ultrabook, then the Asus Zenbook 14 or LG Gram 14 may be better options. For the best of both worlds, however, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7420 rides a fine line between extreme performance and portability while keeping prices at reasonable levels. Frequent travelers who rely on performance beyond what the Core U-series and integrated graphics series can offer will find the Dell to be a solid solution."
"The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 acknowledges that a gaming laptop doesn’t have to be as thick as possible and can still ensure adequate cooling when the muscles need flexing. To this end, in the Slim 5 Gen 8, it finds a neat balance of refined, trimmed-down design that still lets its internals cruise (even above their max power ratings). Lenovo then added in some high-end build quality with an altogether excellent keyboard that’s useful for both work and play."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus or the Lenovo Legion Slim 5
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
93,495
Recommendations made
20,258
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.