A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 offers you a balance of price and good overall performance, with a longer battery life for general use, a larger, higher resolution screen that's ideal for productivity and media consumption. However, it may not be the best choice for graphics-intensive tasks or gaming. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 has stronger graphics capabilities, a high refresh rate display for smoother visuals, and additional features like RGB keyboard lighting and hardware ray tracing, which are geared more towards gamers and those doing 3D work or machine learning, but it comes with a heftier price tag and shorter battery life. Consider the Inspiron if you prioritize work and media on a budget, and the Katana if you're focused on gaming or graphic-intensive tasks despite a higher cost and portability tradeoffs. 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 portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a more vibrant display with better color coverage and a quieter, fanless operation that's preferred for general use; it’s also lighter and slimmer, making it more portable. The MSI Katana 15, on the other hand, offers higher screen refresh rates and superior graphics performance, which could be more appealing to users with an interest in gaming or visually intensive tasks, but it has a bulkier build and a slightly lower portability score.
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 15 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which provide smoother graphics and better performance in fast-paced scenes, whereas the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U Vega 8 GPU and a lower screen refresh rate of 60Hz, resulting in less graphic detail and fluidity in visual rendering.
Software Development
7.7
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development, though the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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
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
258.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for software development, and content creation, while the MSI Katana 15 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and MSI Katana 15 have displays that are adequate for everyday tasks due to their decent resolution and acceptable brightness levels, ensuring that text and images are fairly crisp and visible under various lighting conditions. For engineering and design, both laptops provide only fair screen quality because they likely don't cover the wider color gamuts such as DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which are essential for precise color work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the poor rating stems from the screens having lower refresh rates, which can result in less smooth visuals during fast-paced activities, although resolution and panel quality do contribute moderately to overall experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 15 has 4 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
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$700
$949
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a price of $700 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 are both good for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is well-suited for engineering and design tasks with a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and its integrated GPU that can handle moderate design work, complemented by a high-resolution 16-inch screen that provides clarity and enough workspace. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15, with its Intel i5 CPU and dedicated Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, offers superior graphical performance for engineering applications that require advanced graphics processing, and its higher refresh rate screen benefits design precision, but has a smaller, standard full HD display.
Content Creation
7.9
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and MSI Katana 15 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.
Build Quality
7.0
7.2
The MSI Katana 15 and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 5635 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.72'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.05" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i5-12450H | |
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 | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 53.5 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 | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 16 5635
See more
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 Katana 15
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The MSI Katana 15 B12 combines a Gen12 CPU with an RTX 4050, which is actually not a bad idea for a budget gamer. The CPU is anything but bad and the GPU in the Katana 15 proves to be significantly more efficient than last year's models. However, our main point of criticism for budget gamers is the price: while you can get budget laptops with RTX 3060 from around US$800, you pay a whole US$1,499.99 here! The efficiency advantages of the RTX 4050 do not justify this price premium."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 or the MSI Katana 15
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
130,995
Recommendations made
28,383
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
