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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is more suited for intensive engineering tasks, offering better general use and engineering performance with more ample storage and more RAM. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, being lighter, offers greater portability and a touchscreen, making it an ideal choice for casual use and mobility. The Surface also has a longer battery life and is typically less expensive, but is not as capable for demanding software or multitasking as the Inspiron. If you need a laptop for more robust workloads and can handle a slight increase in weight and size, consider the Dell; for lighter use and better portability, the Microsoft might serve you better. 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
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.2
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
326.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
6.0 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 Inspiron 14 Plus and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use, though the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is well-suited for general use with a higher-end CPU, more RAM, and a higher resolution screen, enhancing performance and visual clarity, but is heavier and has shorter battery life, affecting portability. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers great portability with its lighter weight and longer battery life but has a lower-tier CPU and half the RAM, which may limit performance capabilities for demanding applications, despite its portability and better touch screen quality.
Gaming and AI
6.6
6.1
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2240 x 1400
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 Inspiron 14 Plus and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is better suited for gaming and 3D tasks due to its high-performance GPU and CPU, which are essential for rendering graphics smoothly, although this comes with less portability and a shorter battery life than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3. However, the Surface Laptop Go 3, while offering better battery life and portability, has a less powerful GPU and CPU, making it less ideal for demanding gaming and 3D applications despite its high-quality screen.
Engineering and Design
7.8
6.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is equipped with a more powerful processor and double the RAM, making it more suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which has a less powerful CPU and less RAM, limiting its capability for such intensive work. While the Surface Laptop Go 3 is more portable and offers a higher quality keyboard and less operating noise, the Inspiron 14 Plus's superior CPU, RAM, and larger, higher-resolution screen make it a better fit for engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
7.9
7.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is somewhat better.
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
7.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for software development, though the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is somewhat better.
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
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
326.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offer screens that are sufficiently bright, clear, and detailed, with resolutions that make everyday activities like browsing and document editing pleasant. Engineering and design professionals would find their screens suitable due to good color coverage, which ensures that the designs and models they work on are accurately represented. However, for gaming and 3D work, the lack of high refresh rates limits the smoothness and responsiveness that is crucial for these applications, despite acceptable resolutions and panel types.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,200
$788
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has a price of $1,200 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $788.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 Plus | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $788 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 64 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 326 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 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 | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
See more
Dig into reviews and images
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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