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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Latitude 5431 generally costs less than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, which might make it a better option if you're budget-conscious. It's lighter and more compact for portability, has a higher-rated battery life for on-the-go use, and scores well in general use performance. However, if you need a laptop with better graphics performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or even light gaming, the Surface Laptop Studio may be a better option, despite its higher price and heavier weight, as it includes a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU. Furthermore, the Surface Laptop Studio offers a larger, higher-resolution touchscreen with a unique 3:2 aspect ratio excellent for productivity, and it features a more versatile design that can function as a tablet. 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 5431
- The Dell Latitude 5431 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio.
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.1
8.0
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
241.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5431 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Latitude 5431's screen, while suitable for tasks like browsing and document editing due to adequate resolution and brightness, falls short for engineering and design as it lacks the wide color gamut necessary for precise color work. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio excels in displaying sharp and vibrant images for both general use and professional design work with its higher resolution and broader color coverage. However, both laptops' screens may disappoint gamers and those into 3D modeling because of their lower refresh rates, which can result in less fluid motion and responsiveness during fast-paced scenes and interactions.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the Dell Latitude 5431 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$950
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Latitude 5431 has a price of $950 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
241.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Latitude 5431 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
The Dell Latitude 5431 is valued for general use because of its balance between efficient processing power, sizeable RAM, quality IPS screen, and good portability due to its lightweight design and long battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is equally adept for general use with its higher-end CPU, robust GPU for better graphics handling, superior screen quality with higher resolution and touch capability, and a design that allows it to double as a drawing tablet, although it is slightly less portable and has shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
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 and Dell Latitude 5431 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.3
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5431 is only fair.
The Dell Latitude 5431 with its Intel i5 processor and integrated graphics is suitable for engineering tasks but may lag behind in performance for more intensive design applications compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, which boasts a faster Intel i7 processor and a dedicated Nvidia graphics card with higher screen resolution and quality, making it better suited for graphics-intensive engineering and design work.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Dell Latitude 5431 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
7.3
7.3
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Dell Latitude 5431 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 5431 has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Portability
Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Latitude 5431 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Latitude 5431 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 5431 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$950 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.96'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.65" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.35" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1250P | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 64 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 241 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Dell Latitude 5431 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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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