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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is more budget-friendly while the MSI Stealth 17, being pricier, offers better performance suitable for gaming, 3D modeling, and machine learning tasks. If you prioritize a balance between cost and general-use capabilities, such as web browsing, office work, and media consumption, the Dell is a solid pick. However, if you require a machine for high-end tasks and prefer a laptop with stronger graphics abilities, the MSI will serve you better. Keep in mind that the MSI may also have a shorter battery life due to its more powerful components and might be less portable than the Dell due to size and weight differences. Consider how the laptop's usage aligns with your needs; general use and budget constraints favor the Dell, while performance-intensive tasks and gaming lean towards the MSI despite the higher cost. 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 5630
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.2
8.7
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 and Dell Inspiron 16 5630 are both very good for general use, though the MSI Stealth 17 is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is appreciated for its lightweight design and lengthy battery life, making it a strong candidate for portability and enduring general use without frequent recharging, while the MSI Stealth 17, with its more robust CPU and greater RAM, excels in performance for more demanding applications, although it's heavier and has shorter battery life, which may affect its ease of transportation and use on the go.
Gaming and AI
6.5
9.1
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is only fair.
The MSI Stealth 17 offers superior gaming and 3D performance, attributing to its high-end Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a high refresh rate screen, both very important for smooth and detailed gaming visuals. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 16 5630, with its integrated graphics and standard refresh rate display, provides a more modest gaming experience but excels in silent operation and portability due to its lighter weight and smaller screen.
Engineering and Design
7.7
9.4
8.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is good.
The MSI Stealth 17 stands out in engineering and design use due to its superior CPU (Intel i9 vs Dell's Intel i7), significantly more RAM, and a top-tier dedicated GPU (Nvidia RTX 4090), providing exceptional performance for computing-intensive tasks and rendering.
Content Creation
8.1
8.8
8.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 and Dell Inspiron 16 5630 are both very good for content creation, though the MSI Stealth 17 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
7.9
8.5
8.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 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
6.8
8.6
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 likely offers a resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks and some engineering work, but its panel and lower refresh rates are not ideal for gaming or 3D applications, which require quick image changes. The MSI Stealth 17’s superior brightness, resolution, and possibly wider color gamut coverage make it better for precision work in engineering and design, but like the Dell, it falls short for gaming and 3D because it doesn't prioritize a high refresh rate. Understanding these differences can guide you to pick the Dell for cost-effective general and some professional use or the MSI for higher quality visual work, with both being less suited for gaming due to poor refresh rates.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
7.8
The MSI Stealth 17 and Dell Inspiron 16 5630 both have good build quality, though the MSI Stealth 17 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$849
$3,899
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has a price of $849 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
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How the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 5630 | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$849 | $3,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.67'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.28 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.05" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.91" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1360P | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
MSI Stealth 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 or the MSI Stealth 17
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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