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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is often significantly less expensive and has double the storage and RAM compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, which may perform better in 3D, gaming, and machine learning tasks due to its Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU but comes with lower battery life. The Dell offers silent operation, better portability, and longer typical use battery life, making it suitable for general usage and some engineering work on-the-go. In contrast, the MSI prioritizes higher refresh rates and gaming performance but at the cost of portability and battery endurance. Choose the Dell for value and everyday tasks or the MSI if gaming and high-performance graphics are a priority. 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 for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 16 5635.
Key differences
General Use
8.0
6.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is favored for general use due to its larger screen, higher resolution, and silent operation, offering a better multimedia and work experience, while the MSI GF65 Thin's lower RAM and traditional gaming laptop design may not appeal as much to general users despite its superior graphics card.
Engineering and Design
7.3
6.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is suited for engineering and design due to its AMD Ryzen 7 processor with integrated Vega 8 graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a high-resolution 16-inch IPS screen which enhances screen quality. In contrast, the MSI GF65 Thin is also tailored for such tasks with its powerful Intel i5 processor and superior Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics, though it has less RAM and a standard full HD screen, which is offset by a higher refresh rate beneficial for smooth visuals in design applications.
Content Creation
7.9
6.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.6
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for software development, and content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, both the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and the MSI GF65 Thin have screens that are clear and bright enough for tasks like browsing or watching videos, but they lack the resolution and panel quality that would make them stand out. In the context of engineering and design, these screens don't offer the wide color gamuts necessary for precision in color-critical work, meaning the colors displayed may not be as accurate or vibrant as desired. When it comes to 3D work and gaming, both laptops fall short as their refresh rates are not high enough for smooth motion, and the resolution and panel type do not provide the sharpness and clarity required for optimal detail and immersive experiences in fast-paced games or intricate 3D modeling.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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.
Cost
$735
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a price of $735 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GF65 Thin and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635, with its integrated AMD graphics and a standard 60Hz screen, is less optimal for gaming and 3D applications compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, which boasts a dedicated Nvidia graphics card and a higher 144Hz screen refresh rate, providing smoother visuals and better performance in graphically intensive tasks. While both feature IPS screens for good color and viewing angles, the better graphics and faster refresh rate of the MSI model clearly enhance the gaming and 3D experience.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and MSI GF65 Thin both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
6.7
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5635 to have good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair 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 16 5635 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 5635 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$735 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.72'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.05" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 265 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 or the MSI GF65 Thin
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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Why trust us
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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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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