The Dell Latitude 5431, with its slightly higher price, offers a good balance for general use thanks to a solid build quality and efficient heat management. Its lightweight design makes it highly portable, and the extended battery life is suitable for long hours of work without charging. The integrated graphics are adequate for day-to-day tasks and some engineering applications, but not for intensive 3D rendering or gaming.
On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15, usually priced slightly lower, boasts stronger performance with a dedicated graphics card suited for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. It provides more storage and a higher refresh rate screen, which is great for fast-moving visuals, but has less memory, which could affect multitasking. It's a less portable option due to being heavier, and it offers moderate battery life, which may require more frequent charging during heavy use. 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
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
7.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 5431 is only fair.
The MSI Cyborg 15 has a dedicated Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a screen with a higher refresh rate of 144, which explains its better suitability for gaming and 3D applications compared to the Dell Latitude 5431, which uses an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU and has a lower screen refresh rate of 60.
Engineering and Design
6.9/10
7.5/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5431 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.1/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
241.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The MSI Cyborg 15 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5431 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Dell Latitude 5431 and MSI Cyborg 15 offer adequate displays with enough resolution and brightness for everyday tasks like web browsing and video streaming, but they may lack the vividness and sharpness of higher-end screens. When it comes to engineering and design, both models have limitations in color accuracy and range, which means professionals working with graphics or video might find the colors less precise than what's needed for optimal work. For gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short as their refresh rates are likely too low for the smooth visuals that gamers and 3D designers seek, while also having only moderate resolution and panel quality that could detract from a fully immersive experience.
Battery
9.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell Latitude 5431 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 has 7.5 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.
Portability
Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Latitude 5431 and MSI Cyborg 15 both have good portability, though the Dell Latitude 5431 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
6.7/10
The Dell Latitude 5431 has good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$950
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell Latitude 5431 has a price of $950 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
The Dell Latitude 5431 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for general use.
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
7.4/10
7.5/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Cyborg 15 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
7.3/10
7.2/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Latitude 5431 and MSI Cyborg 15 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Latitude 5431 and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Dell Latitude 5431 or the MSI Cyborg 15
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.
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Joe Golden, Ph.D
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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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