If you prioritize a laptop with a longer battery life and a more portable design, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is a solid choice, especially as it has premium business features that might appeal to professionals. However, if you need more storage and a slightly bigger screen, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus would be the way to go, although it is slightly heavier and has a shorter battery life. Both offer strong performance for general use and engineering, but keep in mind the ThinkPad has a touchscreen, which the Inspiron does not. They are similarly priced, so your decision should be based on these specific use-case preferences. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has no clear advantages over the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13.
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
Very good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.0/10
7.0/10
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
326.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 have similar screen quality.
When considering the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, both laptops offer screens with adequate resolution and brightness, providing clear and vibrant displays suitable for everyday tasks. For engineering and design purposes, their screens cover a broad range of colors, ensuring accurate color reproduction which is crucial when precision in visual projects is paramount. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates of these laptops might result in less smooth visuals, which could detract from the immersive experience that high-speed content requires.
Battery
6.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has 6 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has 10 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
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent portability, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
$808
$949
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has a price of $808 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 costs $949.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is equipped with a strong CPU and ample RAM making it a solid performer for general use, alongside a high-quality screen and substantial battery life, but it's less portable than some alternatives. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, while also offering a strong CPU and sufficient RAM for everyday tasks, stands out with its exceptional portability, touchscreen, and longer battery life, providing a well-rounded package for users on the go. Both laptops have high RAM and good quality screens, but each offers a different balance between portability and battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.6/10
6.3/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is better for gaming and 3D tasks because it has a higher performance CPU and its integrated GPU is capable of handling demanding graphics more efficiently than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13's AMD Radeon graphics. Although both have the same screen refresh rate, the Dell's graphics processing capabilities, coupled with its CPU, make it more suitable for gaming and 3D applications, while the Lenovo, with a less powerful GPU, offers fair performance for such tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.8/10
7.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both good for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is equipped with a high-performance Intel CPU and its integrated Iris Xe graphics make it suitable for engineering and design tasks requiring solid processing power; the laptop also offers high-resolution screen quality but is slightly heavier, impacting portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 offers a powerful AMD CPU with Radeon graphics, ensuring smooth performance for engineering applications; while it has a smaller yet crisp screen and is lighter, making it more portable, thus also excelling in design tasks.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.8/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
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 ThinkPad Z13 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
7.7/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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."
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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.
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