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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Precision 5470 and the MSI Creator Z16P depends on what you value most. If portability and battery life are key, the Dell Precision is lighter and offers longer usage times between charges. However, the MSI Creator Z16P, while heavier and with shorter battery life, provides superior graphics performance and a higher-resolution touchscreen, making it more suitable for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming. Also, the MSI has a larger built-in storage capacity. The Dell tends to be somewhat more expensive, yet delivers a higher screen color accuracy, which could be essential if you're engaged in tasks requiring color precision. 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 Precision 5470
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.6
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Precision 5470 is only fair.
The Dell Precision 5470 offers solid gaming and 3D performance with its Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU and a regular screen refresh rate, suitable for many general gaming and design applications. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P steps up with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a high screen refresh rate, making it better suited for more demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Screen Quality
7.3
8.3
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
500.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the Dell Precision 5470 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, a laptop like the Dell Precision 5470 offers a balance with a clear resolution and brightness suitable for a range of tasks, while the MSI Creator Z16P elevates this with even higher brightness and clarity, making visuals pop more. When focusing on engineering and design, the MSI Creator Z16P shines with its wider color scope, presenting more accurate and diverse colors, which are essential for precision work, whereas the Dell provides adequate but less extensive color coverage. However, both fall short for gaming and 3D applications because they lack high refresh rates, which are vital for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Precision 5470 has 9 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
3.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Precision 5470 has very good portability, while the MSI Creator Z16P has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,669
$1,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Precision 5470 has a price of $1,669 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.8
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
500.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Dell Precision 5470 are both good for general use.
The Dell Precision 5470 is appreciated for general use due to its combination of powerful CPU and graphics card, adequate RAM, high-resolution screen, light weight, and a solid battery life, making it extremely portable while still offering good performance. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P, while still suitable for general use, offers an even more powerful processor and graphics, a larger and higher-quality touchscreen display, and larger storage space, at the cost of being heavier and having a shorter battery life, which may affect its portability.
Engineering and Design
7.8
8.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator Z16P to be very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Precision 5470 is good.
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.
Content Creation
7.8
7.9
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and Dell Precision 5470 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
7.7
7.6
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Precision 5470 and MSI Creator Z16P 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Dell Precision 5470 and MSI Creator Z16P both have very 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 Precision 5470 and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Precision 5470 | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,669 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.2'' x 8.3'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.26 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.22" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.27" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 500 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 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 | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 4 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Precision 5470
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Brian Westover | August 2022
"The Dell Precision 5470 is a mobile workstation that's far more portable than most alternatives. Between its slim 14-inch design and top-quality MIL-STD 810H build, it's one of the best options around for taking professional-grade performance on the road or to the job site. There are tradeoffs for its portability, and users of the most demanding, graphics-intensive applications will need to carry something heavier. But the Dell's exceptional battery life underscores its desirability as the most portable workstation we've seen."
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 Precision 5470 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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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
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
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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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