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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option that still offers solid performance for general use, the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is a strong choice with its good battery life and portability. However, if you need higher graphics performance for tasks like video editing, 3D work, or gaming, and don't mind a higher price and slightly less portability, the MSI Prestige 15 will serve you better due to its dedicated Nvidia graphics card. Both laptops have similar memory and storage capabilities, but the MSI model is newer with a more modern processor, offering better future-proofing. Keep in mind that while the Dell has longer battery life for on-the-go use, the MSI may offer more raw power for intensive tasks. 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
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
- Good for engineering and design
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.5
7.2
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is only fair.
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 is deemed fair for engineering and design use because it is equipped with an Intel UHD Graphics 620, which offers modest graphical performance suited for less demanding tasks. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 15 is rated as good for such use due to the inclusion of a more capable Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q graphics card, which provides better handling of graphics-intensive applications.
Screen Quality
6.7
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 15 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 14 7490 for general use.
The Dell Latitude 14 7490, with its fair screen clarity and color accuracy, is adequate for daily tasks but may not dazzle with vibrancy in more color-critical work like design. The MSI Prestige 15 offers a richer color palette and better brightness, making it ideal for professionals needing precise color representation for engineering and design, despite both laptops lacking the high refresh rate preferred for smooth 3D rendering in games. Neither laptop is tailored for gaming; they lack the swift display refresh rates needed to reduce visual lag and tearing during fast-paced gaming scenarios.
Battery
9.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 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.
Cost
$300
$1,044
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has a price of $300 and the MSI Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.2
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Prestige 15 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for general use.
The Dell Latitude 14 7490, with an Intel i7 CPU, offers strong performance and good screen quality for general use, while being light and having a long battery life, making it easily portable. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 15, despite having a less powerful i5 processor, provides a larger screen with better color coverage, dedicated graphics for better multimedia handling, is reasonably portable, and has a decent battery life but is heavier than the Dell.
Gaming and AI
5.9
6.3
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 15 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is poor.
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.
Content Creation
7.3
7.5
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 15 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
7.1
7.2
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 15 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Latitude 14 7490 to have very good portability, while the MSI Prestige 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 and MSI Prestige 15 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Latitude 14 7490 and the MSI Prestige 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 14 7490 | MSI Prestige 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$300 | $1,044 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2018 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13'' x 8.7'' x 0.8'' | 14.1'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.11 lbs | 3.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.7" | 9.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-8650U | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 82 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 305 nits | 298 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Latitude 14 7490
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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 Prestige 15
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | December 2022
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the Dell Latitude 14 7490 or the MSI Prestige 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.
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