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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
If you prioritize saving money and require a machine for everyday tasks, the Dell would be a practical choice. On the other hand, the MSI is tailored for users who demand top-end performance for activities like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning applications, justifying its higher cost. With the MSI, you can expect a considerable increase in power but a decrease in battery life and portability compared to the more budget-friendly and portable Dell. Choose the MSI if your work necessitates that extra performance; otherwise, the Dell should suffice for general 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 portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.5
8.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
241.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Dell Latitude 5431 is good.
The Dell Latitude 5431 offers a balance of capable processing power and memory for everyday tasks, with a focus on portability and longer battery life, making it ideal for general use and on-the-go productivity. In contrast, the MSI Titan 18 HX, while offering superior screen quality and even higher computing performance for demanding applications, is less portable and has a shorter battery life, which may be less of a concern for users prioritizing performance for intensive tasks over mobility.
Gaming and AI
6.2
9.4
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 5431 is only fair.
The Dell Latitude 5431 has modest graphics capabilities that can handle casual gaming, but for the immersive experiences offered by the latest games or 3D software, the MSI Titan 18 HX is equipped with a top-tier GPU and a high screen refresh rate, which are critical for fluid and detailed gameplay. While both laptops have competent CPUs and good screen quality, the premium GPU in the MSI Titan 18 HX makes it the preferred choice for serious gamers and professionals working with 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.9
9.9
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5431 is only fair.
The Dell Latitude 5431 offers solid CPU, RAM, and screen quality suitable for engineering tasks, but the MSI Titan 18 HX excels with a superior CPU, more RAM, and a high-end GPU, making it more capable for demanding design applications. However, while both provide good keyboards and moderate portability, the MSI may sacrifice some portability for its enhanced performance and could have louder operating noise due to its powerful components.
Content Creation
7.4
9.0
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the Dell Latitude 5431 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
7.3
8.9
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for software development, while the Dell Latitude 5431 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
9.2
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
241.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5431 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, a laptop like the MSI Titan 18 HX with sharp resolution, bright display, and superior panel types provides a vibrant and crisp viewing experience, making it stand out compared to the Dell Latitude 5431. In tasks like engineering and design, where accurate color representation is crucial, the MSI Titan 18 HX excels due to its wide color gamuts, offering a richer palette of colors that professionals require. However, for gaming and 3D applications that benefit from smoother motion and faster reaction times, neither laptop is ideal as they both lack high refresh rate displays that are sought after in this domain.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Latitude 5431 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Dell Latitude 5431 has good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,949
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Latitude 5431 has a price of $950 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,949.
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How the Dell Latitude 5431 and the MSI Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 5431 | MSI Titan 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$950 | $4,949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.96'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 7.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.65" | 15.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.35" | 12.08" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1250P | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 128 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 4096 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 64 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 241 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
MSI Titan 18 HX
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Dell Latitude 5431 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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.
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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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