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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) may suit you if you appreciate a lower price, longer battery life, silent operation, and a highly-rated build quality. Its lightweight design also offers great portability. By contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a slightly larger screen, more storage space, and double the RAM, which could be beneficial if you require better performance for engineering or 3D tasks, although it comes with a bit more weight and typically shorter battery life. The Dell laptop is generally more expensive, but for resource-intensive applications, its dedicated graphics card and additional ports might justify the cost. Keep in mind the Dell Inspiron runs Windows, and the MacBook Air runs MacOS, so consider the software ecosystem you're invested in or prefer. 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 Apple MacBook Air (2020)
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
- The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2020).
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.5
6.5
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, AI, and engineering and design.
The MacBook Air's high-resolution display and quality panel type offer crisp and bright visuals ideal for general tasks, and its wide color gamut ensures accurate color representation critical for engineering and design work, but its standard refresh rate limits its appeal for 3D applications. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, with its fair resolution and brightness, provides an adequate but not exceptional visual experience for everyday use and professional design tasks. However, its lower refresh rate, similar to the MacBook Air, make it less suitable for gaming and 3D work, where smoother motion is a key factor.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 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
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) boasts an efficient Apple M1 CPU and integrated GPU, offering strong performance for general use and longer battery life for greater portability, complemented by a high-quality IPS screen with excellent color coverage, ideal for various media consumption. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 features a more powerful Intel i7 processor with an Nvidia MX570 GPU and double the RAM, comfortably handling multitasking and more demanding applications, fitted with a higher resolution screen but sacrifices some battery life and portability in comparison.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.5
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
2.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is equipped with an integrated GPU which is not designed for high-end gaming or demanding 3D tasks, and also, MacOS is not compatible with many popular games limiting its gaming capability, despite its high screen quality. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 includes a dedicated Nvidia MX570 GPU which offers better performance for gaming and 3D applications, but still falls under a fair category due to its limitations in comparison to high-end gaming laptops that contain more powerful GPUs and higher screen refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
7.2
7.2
5.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
2.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020), with its Apple M1 processor and integrated GPU, is praised for its screen quality and operates silently without a fan, making it a strong candidate for engineering and design tasks that value portability and a high-quality display.
Content Creation
7.7
7.5
5.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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
7.5
7.4
5.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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.
Cost
$965
$971
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $965 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | Dell Inspiron 14 5420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$965 | $971 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | Intel i7-1255U | |
Graphics | |||
Graphics | M1 (7C) | MX570 | |
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | |||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | No | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2240 x 1400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Keyboard Lighting Color | |||
Keyboard Lighting Color | White | White | |
Warranty Period | |||
Warranty Period | 1 year | 1 year | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Dell Inspiron 14 5420
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Dig into reviews and images
Smarthouse
Nick Ross | March 2023
"If laptops were food, then the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is arguably a Big Mac. There are cheaper and more expensive options, but this arguably represents the baseline of quality and value in the world of mobile computing… something that’s underlined by the attractive $1,279 price tag."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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.
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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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