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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and lower cost, the MSI Modern 14 is a lighter option and typically less expensive. However, it has a smaller screen, a shorter battery life, and lower overall performance compared to the Dell Inspiron 16 5620, which offers better performance and battery life, suitable for intensive tasks and engineering work. The Dell also has a larger screen which may improve productivity and comfort for long-term use, but is heavier and usually somewhat more expensive. Both devices are considered budget-friendly and come with similar storage and RAM, and neither is suitable for intensive gaming. 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 16 5620
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
- Very good portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
6.4
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for software development, and content creation, while the MSI Modern 14 has a better screen for general use.
If you're into general computing, the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 and MSI Modern 14 will serve you well due to their adequate resolution and brightness, making for comfortable everyday use. For engineering and design work, these laptops are fair choices; despite acceptable resolutions, they lack the wider color gamuts needed for high-precision color work. When it comes to 3D gaming, you'll find these laptops less suitable because they don't have the high refresh rates needed for smooth visuals, although they manage to deliver a basic experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 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
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 and MSI Modern 14 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 and the MSI Modern 14 both come with ample processing power and memory for general use, quality IPS displays with good color coverage, and are equipped with sizable storage. However, the Dell offers a larger screen size and longer battery life, which makes it well-suited for longer work sessions or multimedia consumption, at the expense of increased weight and size, reducing its portability compared to the lighter and more compact MSI Modern 14, which offers better portability but with a smaller screen and shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 and MSI Modern 14 are equipped with integrated graphics (Intel Iris Xe and AMD Vega 7 respectively), which provide moderate gaming and 3D capabilities but are less powerful than dedicated gaming GPUs. Both have the same screen refresh rate but the Dell has a slightly larger screen and higher battery capacity than the MSI, hinting at potential advantages in viewing and usage duration, but they fall behind the higher-end gaming laptops with much faster refresh rates and more powerful dedicated graphics.
Engineering and Design
7.0
6.6
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5620 to be good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 is preferred for engineering and design use due to its larger screen with better color coverage, important for tasks requiring detailed visuals, and has more options for RAM and storage upgrades which can be crucial when handling large projects. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14, while lighter and more portable, has a smaller screen and less impressive color accuracy, and offers fewer upgrade options, making it less suitable for demanding engineering and design work that requires intensive processing and detailed visualization.
Content Creation
7.6
7.2
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 and MSI Modern 14 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
7.5
7.1
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 and MSI Modern 14 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
7.0
7.0
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 and MSI Modern 14 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$500
$525
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Dell Inspiron 16 5620 has a price of $500 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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How the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 5620 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.68'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.12 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.05" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 265 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 16 5620
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Stuff
Brett Venter | January 2023
"If the world is exciting enough right now, you can do far worse than a solid performer that you know will get the job done. Our review model is as powerful as you'd want an office machine to be unless you're performing specialist tasks and the price point is pretty attractive (unless work will let you have a MacBook Air instead)."
MSI Modern 14
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Rtings
Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 16 5620 or the MSI Modern 14
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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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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