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Updated January 12, 2024·
If cost is a deciding factor and you need a device for general computing tasks such as internet browsing, office applications, and media consumption, the Dell Latitude 14 7490's affordability and reliable performance make it a practical choice. However, if your work involves graphic design, video editing, 3D modeling, or demanding engineering software, then the MSI Creator Z16P, despite its higher cost, provides a more powerful system that can efficiently handle such intensive tasks. Keep in mind the MSI Creator Z16P will generally be bulkier and heavier, which affects portability. Battery life also varies, with the Dell likely providing longer usage on a single charge due to lower power components, while the MSI's more powerful hardware may drain the battery faster. 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 14 7490
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.2
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for general use, though the MSI Creator Z16P is somewhat better.
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.
Gaming and AI
5.9
7.6
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is poor.
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 is limited in gaming and 3D capabilities due to its less powerful Intel i7 processor paired with integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, and a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz. On the other hand, the MSI Creator Z16P excels with its higher-end Intel i9 processor, dedicated Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics, and a much higher refresh rate of 165Hz, providing smoother visuals and better overall performance for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.5
8.3
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is only fair.
The MSI Creator Z16P is more suitable for engineering and design use because it features a more powerful CPU and GPU, which are very important for such tasks, and a higher-quality screen with better resolution and color space coverage. Conversely, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is more portable and has fewer complaints about its operating noise, it has a weaker CPU and GPU and lower screen quality, making it only fair for the demanding requirements of engineering and design work.
Content Creation
7.3
7.9
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Creator Z16P is somewhat better.
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
7.6
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for software development, though the MSI Creator Z16P is somewhat better.
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
6.7
8.3
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 14 7490 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Latitude provides a satisfactory visual experience due to its decent resolution and brightness levels, but it might be outshone by the MSI Creator Z16P which boasts superior resolution and brightness, contributing to a sharper and more vibrant display. When it comes to engineering and design, the MSI stands out with its wider color gamut, presenting more accurate colors for professional work, while the Dell Latitude still maintains good color representation but may not be as vivid. However, gamers and 3D designers may find both laptops lacking because of their lower refresh rates, despite their resolution and panel quality which are adequate but not optimized for fast-paced visuals required in gaming and high-end 3D rendering.
Battery
9.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has very good portability, while the MSI Creator Z16P has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.0
The MSI Creator Z16P has very good build quality, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$300
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has a price of $300 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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How the Dell Latitude 14 7490 and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 14 7490 | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$300 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2018 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13'' x 8.7'' x 0.8'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.11 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.7" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-8650U | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 305 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Latitude 14 7490
See more
Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Henry T. Casey | April 2018
"The Dell Latitude 7490's got the speed you need (and then some), a keyboard that's comfortable enough for writing all day long and a battery that supports a full 8-hour workday. If only the display were brighter and it managed heat better. If you need every minute of battery life you can get, the extended-battery version of the Lenovo ThinkPad T480 lasts 8 hours longer than the Latitude 7490, but its display is much less colorful."
MSI Creator Z16P
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Dell Latitude 14 7490 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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