The Dell Latitude 5430 is a more budget-friendly option with respectable performance for general use, a solid battery life, and a lightweight design that enhances portability, making it suitable for everyday tasks and business use. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is a high-end device that offers significantly better performance for 3D rendering, engineering, and machine learning tasks, along with a higher resolution touchscreen display and capabilities for intensive gaming. However, this comes at a premium price and with a heavier build that makes it less portable than the Dell. If budget constraints are not a primary concern and advanced graphical tasks or gaming is a requirement, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 is an advantageous pick; otherwise, for more general use that balances cost and functionality, the Dell may be a compelling choice. 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
Very good portability
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.2/10
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
248.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the Dell Latitude 5430 is good.
The Dell Latitude 5430 offers adequate performance for general use with a mid-range CPU and graphics, sufficient screen quality, and excellent heat management, making it a reliable option for everyday tasks. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, on the other hand, provides superior general-use performance with a high-end CPU and dedicated GPU, has a higher resolution touchscreen with more vibrant colors, and despite its slightly heavier build, brings additional versatility as it doubles as a drawing tablet.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 5430 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 outperforms the Dell Latitude 5430 in gaming and 3D applications primarily because it incorporates a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and offers a screen with a higher refresh rate of 120 Hz, compared to the Latitude 5430’s Intel Iris Xe graphics and 60 Hz screen. The stronger GPU in the Surface Laptop Studio 2 facilitates smoother gameplay and better 3D rendering, while its screen's higher refresh rate makes for more fluid visuals, greatly enhancing the gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
6.5/10
8.7/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5430 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 outshines the Dell Latitude 5430 in engineering and design use due to its significantly higher RAM, a more powerful CPU and GPU, and a superior quality display with a higher resolution and touchscreen functionality. While the Dell offers satisfactory capabilities and better portability due to its lighter weight, the Microsoft Surface, with its higher performance components and advanced screen features, is more suited for demanding engineering software and precise design work.
Content Creation
7.2/10
8.4/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Latitude 5430 is good.
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
8.2/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for software development, while the Dell Latitude 5430 is good.
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
6.1/10
7.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
248.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5430 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Latitude 5430 offers a balance suitable for everyday tasks and professional work due to its adequate resolution and brightness, but falls short for gaming and 3D applications because it lacks a high refresh rate. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 boasts high resolution, excellent brightness, and wide color gamuts, making it ideal for both general use and demanding engineering and design tasks. However, for gaming and 3D content where fluid motion is crucial, the Studio 2 may not satisfy due to its average refresh rate, despite its great resolution and panel quality.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Latitude 5430 has very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the Dell Latitude 5430 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$790
$3,300
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Latitude 5430 has a price of $790 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Dell Latitude 5430 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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