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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Latitude 5430 offers good performance and battery life suitable for general use and engineering tasks, but it is heavier and not as portable. It also has more physical ports and a professional business design but is typically more expensive. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers greater portability and a touchscreen with a unique 3:2 aspect ratio which may be beneficial for productivity tasks. It's generally less expensive than the Dell, but it has a lower battery capacity and fewer ports which could limit connectivity options. Neither is ideal for intensive gaming or 3D/machine learning tasks. 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 Latitude 5430
- The Dell Latitude 5430 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.1
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
248.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5430 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a higher resolution and brighter display, enhancing clarity and visibility for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work where precision is key. Its display also covers a wider range of colors, crucial for accuracy in engineering and design projects. However, both the Dell Latitude 5430 and Surface Laptop Go 3 have displays with lower refresh rates, making them less suitable for smooth visuals required in high-end gaming and 3D rendering.
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 3 has excellent portability, while the Dell Latitude 5430 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.2
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
248.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Dell Latitude 5430 are both good for general use.
The Dell Latitude 5430 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 both offer solid performance for general use with the same CPU and RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and adequate speed for everyday tasks. The Dell has a larger screen and longer battery life, which may appeal to users who prioritize a more spacious display and fewer charges throughout the day, whereas the Surface Laptop Go 3 offers greater portability due to its smaller size and lighter weight, plus a higher resolution touchscreen, which can enhance the user experience for those who value mobility and touchscreen capability.
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.1
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Dell Latitude 5430 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Latitude 5430 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are considered fair for gaming and 3D because they share a similar integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics processor, which provides modest gaming capabilities, and both have screens with a standard refresh rate, which is less than optimal for the most fluid gaming and 3D animation experiences. While their CPUs can handle general tasks, for gaming and 3D work, dedicated GPUs paired with higher refresh rates are preferable, which these models lack; they also have typical screen quality that won't stand out in these use cases.
Engineering and Design
6.5
6.8
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Dell Latitude 5430 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Latitude 5430 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both equipped with the same CPU and integrated graphics, providing capably fair performance for engineering and design, but they may struggle with more demanding tasks due to the limited power of the integrated GPU. The Dell has a larger, higher-resolution non-touch screen which might be preferred for design clarity, while the Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a smaller, touch-enabled screen with a higher pixel density, along with a more compact and lighter build, making it more portable but with a potentially less immersive display for design work.
Content Creation
7.2
7.3
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Dell Latitude 5430 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
7.1
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Dell Latitude 5430 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 3 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
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
$788
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Latitude 5430 has a price of $790 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $788.
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How the Dell Latitude 5430 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 5430 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$790 | $788 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.76'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.01 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.65" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.35" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 248 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Dell Latitude 5430 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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.
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