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Updated January 10, 2024·
If price is a major concern and your tasks are primarily everyday computing like browsing, office work, and media streaming, the Dell Inspiron might suit your needs while saving you money. However, if you require high performance for tasks like 3D design, video editing, or gaming, the MSI Creator Z16P, while more expensive, is designed for such intensive work and may be worth the investment. It's also important to consider the weight and size if you plan to carry the laptop around; the Dell might be lighter and more convenient for travel. The battery life should be considered too; a laptop targeting creative professionals like the MSI might have a shorter battery life due to more powerful components, whereas the Dell could last longer on a charge for typical use. Remember that you're balancing cost against performance, portability, and battery life, with specific models excelling in different aspects. 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 5635
- Very good for general use
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is only fair.
The MSI Creator Z16P is better suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its superior Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a high refresh rate screen at 165hz, providing smoother visuals and enhanced gaming performance compared to the Dell Inspiron 16 5635, which utilizes an integrated AMD Ryzen 7 7730U Vega 8 GPU and a standard 60hz screen. While the Dell Inspiron may offer adequate performance for less demanding games, the MSI's powerful dedicated GPU and faster screen make it a superior choice for more intensive gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.3
8.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a capable AMD processor and integrated graphics, which are suited for engineering and design tasks, but the MSI Creator Z16P steps up performance with a top-tier Intel processor and a high-end Nvidia graphics card, making it very suitable for more demanding engineering and design work.
Screen Quality
6.6
8.3
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 offers a balance of resolution and brightness, satisfying general use and basic engineering tasks, but its limited color gamut and lower refresh rate may not deliver the fidelity needed for high-end design work or the smooth visuals essential for gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Creator Z16P, with its higher resolution and brightness, caters well to the detail and clarity sought in general use and provides wide color coverage necessary for professional-level design, but like the Dell, it falls short on refresh rate for gaming and 3D content. Thus, the MSI Creator is better suited for creators and professionals in design, while the Dell, at likely a lower price point, is adequate for everyday tasks and non-specialized engineering work.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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.
Build Quality
7.0
8.0
The MSI Creator Z16P has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$735
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a price of $735 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5635 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Creator Z16P is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.9
7.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and MSI Creator Z16P 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and MSI Creator Z16P both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 5635 | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$735 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.72'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.05" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 265 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 16 5635
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Dig into reviews and images
UltrabookReview
Derek Sullivan | January 2023
"Compared to the previous year’s Inspiron, Dell upgraded the screen aspect ratio on this generation, but also transitioned to a more minimalistic centered keyboard flanked by up-firing speakers. The 16-inch screen is huge plus and I really appreciate the extra real estate without sacrificing the footprint much. This year’s model is a little larger than last, though, as the former model was already very small for a 15 incher."
MSI Creator Z16P
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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