If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option suitable for general use and with a longer battery life, the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 would be appropriate. However, if you're interested in higher performance capabilities for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, and don't mind the additional cost and slightly shorter battery life, the MSI Stealth GS66 is better equipped to handle those demands. The MSI also offers a higher refresh rate screen which is ideal for fast-paced games, at the cost of less storage space and higher weight. Both have similar screen sizes, but the higher resolution of the Dell could be more appealing for productivity and entertainment. 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 Stealth GS66
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
6.3/10
7.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is only fair.
The MSI Stealth GS66 outperforms the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 in gaming and 3D tasks mainly because it has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate, making it suitable for fast-paced games that benefit from smoother visuals. While both laptops have quality IPS screens and capable CPUs, these specific GPU and screen refresh rate advantages in the MSI make it better equipped for demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS66 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good.
The MSI Stealth GS66 has a more powerful Intel processor and Nvidia graphics, which are better suited for demanding engineering and design tasks compared to the Dell Inspiron 16 5635's less powerful AMD CPU and integrated graphics. Moreover, the MSI's screen offers a higher refresh rate, indicating smoother visuals, which can be advantageous for design work, whereas the Dell has a higher resolution screen, offering sharper images but at a standard refresh rate.
Screen Quality
6.6/10
8.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth GS66 for software development, while the MSI Stealth GS66 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
Given the importance of panel type, resolution, and brightness for general use, the Dell Inspiron and MSI Stealth both provide enough quality for most users without requiring the highest specs. For engineering and design tasks, which rely heavily on accurate color representation, both laptops offer satisfactory color gamut coverage, making them suitable for professional creative work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, where a high refresh rate is crucial to ensure smooth motion, both laptops fall short, making them less ideal for those who prioritize gaming performance.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS66 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.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 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
$700
$1,799
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a price of $700 and the MSI Stealth GS66 costs $1,799.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5635 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Stealth GS66 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
7.9/10
7.7/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
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 Stealth GS66 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
7.7/10
7.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and MSI Stealth GS66 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
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and MSI Stealth GS66 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and the MSI Stealth GS66 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The MSI Stealth GS66 is powerful enough for QHD. The Core i7-12700H and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti found in the 12UGS model that we tested run all modern games smoothly in the native QHD resolution. The 15-inch display is very fast with its 240 Hz refresh rate, and it also offers a great color space (almost 100% DCI-P3) on top of that, which should please gamers as well as content creators, although we would have still wished for a higher brightness. Case, input devices, and connectivity (Thunderbolt 4) are at a good level. However, among other things, the GS66 loses points due to the high temperature development in 3D mode and its poor webcam."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 or the MSI Stealth GS66
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.
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.