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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you value high-end graphics performance for 3D rendering, machine learning or gaming, the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i with its dedicated Nvidia graphics card will offer better performance than the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, which comes with integrated graphics. However, remember that the Lenovo is significantly more expensive, reflecting its higher specifications like greater memory capacity. Both laptops are similar in weight, making them comparably portable despite the Lenovo offering a slightly larger display with higher resolution and outstanding color accuracy, which could make it more appealing for creative professionals who prioritize display quality. The Dell, on the other hand, offers a better price-to-performance ratio for general use, engineering tasks, and casual gaming but falls short of the Lenovo in more graphics-intensive applications. 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 Slim Pro 9i
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.5
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
326.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
618.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus offers a solid balance for general use with a capable CPU, generous RAM and storage, and an IPS screen known for good viewing angles, but its portability and battery life are only rated as very good, which may limit its use on-the-go.
Gaming and AI
6.6
7.6
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, with an Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard 60Hz display, can handle gaming and 3D applications to a certain extent, but the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i, with its Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU that supports ray tracing and a much higher 165Hz refresh rate screen, is more adept for those tasks, providing smoother visuals and better overall performance. Additionally, both laptops have high screen quality, but the Lenovo's Mini LED display stands out for its higher brightness and resolution, contributing to a more immersive gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
7.8
8.9
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is good.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, with an Intel i7 CPU, integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU, and a high-definition IPS screen, offers competent performance for engineering, but the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i outshines it with a more powerful Intel i7 CPU, Nvidia RTX GPU capable of intensive graphics tasks, a sharper Mini LED display with higher color accuracy, and double the RAM for multitasking. While both laptops are fairly portable and have quality keyboards and speakers, the Lenovo's additional GPU power, screen quality, and memory make it more suitable for demanding engineering and design applications despite potentially higher operating noise and cost.
Content Creation
7.9
8.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is good.
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
8.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is good.
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.
Screen Quality
7.0
9.6
14.0in
SIZE
14.5in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
326.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
618.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus offers a balance between price and performance with a screen that's sharp and bright enough for general use and engineering tasks; however, its lower refresh rate isn't ideal for gaming or 3D work which requires smoother visuals. The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i, while likely more expensive, boasts superior screen clarity and color accuracy due to high coverage of professional color gamuts, making it excellent for detailed engineering and design work. Unfortunately, like the Dell, the Lenovo's screen isn't built with gaming in mind, as it also lacks a high refresh rate necessary for fluid motion in fast-paced games and 3D simulations.
Build Quality
7.4
8.0
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,162
$1,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has a price of $1,162 and the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has 6 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has 6 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
14.5in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 Plus to have very good portability, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 Plus | Lenovo Slim Pro 9i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,162 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 12.9'' x 9.6'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 12.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.64" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i7-13705H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 64 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 3072 x 1920 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 326 nits | 618 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 7.7/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
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 | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
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NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | August 2022
"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."
Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
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PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | August 2023
"The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is an impressive laptop with a brilliant Mini-LED display, a powerful 100-watt version of Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, and excellent connectivity. Having run the Cinebench benchmark again, we were impressed with the CPU performance. That makes the Slim Pro 9i is an easy recommendation, especially for those who care about GPU and CPU performance. It’s also a fantastic choice if you frequently view HDR movies and games on your laptop."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus or the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
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.
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