Choosing between the Dell Latitude 5430 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 depends on your needs. The Latitude 5430 offers slightly better performance and has a larger screen, making it more suitable for intensive tasks and multitasking. Its built-in ports accommodate a broader range of peripherals, and it has extra features like a backlit keyboard and a fingerprint reader. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, making it a better choice if mobility is a priority. It also has a higher resolution touchscreen, which is great for touch-based use and content with a taller aspect ratio. However, the Latitude 5430 has better battery life and additional RAM and storage slots for potential upgrades. If cost is a significant factor, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is usually less expensive. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Dell Latitude 5430
The Dell Latitude 5430 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2.
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
Excellent portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.1/10
6.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
248.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5430 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a higher resolution and a brighter display, making it superior to the Dell Latitude 5430, which provides adequate clarity and brightness but falls short compared to the Surface. Engineering and design professionals favor the Surface Laptop Go 2 for its broader color coverage, necessary for accurate color work, whereas the Latitude's color range is serviceable but doesn't match up. However, both the Surface Laptop Go 2 and the Dell Latitude 5430 are not ideal for Gaming and 3D, as they lack high refresh rates needed for smooth visuals, although their resolution and panel types are sufficient for less demanding visual tasks.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Dell Latitude 5430 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
The Dell Latitude 5430 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use.
The Dell Latitude 5430 offers fair general use with an adequate CPU, sufficient RAM for multitasking, and a good-quality screen; its bigger size and longer battery life make it less portable but more suitable for longer work sessions without charging. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 provides fair performance with a similar CPU and RAM and a higher-quality but smaller touch screen, alongside excellent portability due to its lighter weight and compact size, although its storage is limited and its battery doesn't last as long.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
6.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Latitude 5430 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Latitude 5430 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both fair for gaming and 3D because they come with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which can handle casual gaming but may struggle with high-end games and intense 3D tasks. Additionally, both laptops have a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, adequate for general use but not ideal for the fast-paced visuals required in high-end gaming or serious 3D rendering.
Engineering and Design
6.5/10
6.5/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Latitude 5430 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Latitude 5430 offers fair performance for engineering and design tasks due to its sufficient CPU and RAM combination and its competent integrated GPU, but its screen quality, while adequate, is not the most color accurate or bright for design work, and though it is portable, it may not be as travel-friendly as some lighter options. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 also offers a fair performance with a comparable CPU and integrated GPU for lightweight engineering applications and is more portable with a higher resolution touchscreen, but it features a smaller screen and is limited by less RAM and a smaller storage capacity, factors which could affect its ability to handle more demanding software and larger projects.
Content Creation
7.2/10
7.1/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Latitude 5430 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.1/10
7.0/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Latitude 5430 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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.
Battery
9.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Latitude 5430 has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 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
7.4/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and Dell Latitude 5430 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$790
$774
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Latitude 5430 has a price of $790 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $774.
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How the Dell Latitude 5430 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Dell Latitude 5430 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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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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