Dell Latitude 14" 5420 2021, Core i7-1185G7, 16GB, 512GB SSD, Black

The Dell Latitude 5420 is a refurbished 14-inch business laptop with a Core i7-1185G7, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It's a dependable office machine at the right price, but the dim display and weak integrated graphics hold it back. Buy it if you find it cheap, skip it if you need gaming or modern performance.

The Core i7-1185G7 is a 4-core, 8-thread chip from Intel's 11th Gen lineup. In our database, it lands in the 26th percentile for CPUs in this category, which sounds rough until you remember what this laptop is for. For Office apps, web browsing, and light multitasking, it's perfectly fine. You won't feel it struggling during a normal workday. But if you're editing 4K video or running heavy data workloads, you'll hit the ceiling fast.

16GB of DDR4 RAM sits at the 37th percentile, which is about average for this class. It's enough for most people, but power users who run virtual machines or massive spreadsheets might wish for more. The 512GB SSD is also middle of the pack at the 37th percentile. Boot times are quick and apps load without drama, but you're not getting bleeding-edge storage speeds. The Intel UHD 620 graphics are the real weak point here. This is integrated graphics from a few generations back, and it shows. Gaming performance scores 12.8 out of 100 in our testing, which is about as close to a polite no as you can get. Don't buy this for games.

The Latitude 5420 goes up against some serious competition. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 21KC00A8US is the obvious rival in the business space. The ThinkPad has a better display, newer internals, and a more premium build, but it costs significantly more. If you need a laptop that feels modern and you have the budget, the ThinkPad wins. The Latitude's argument is pure price. At USD 237, it's hard to beat.

The Apple MacBook Pro MVVK2LL/A is a different beast entirely. It's faster, has a gorgeous screen, and runs macOS. But it's also in a completely different price bracket. If you're cross-shopping these two, you probably don't actually need a MacBook Pro. The ASUS Vivobook TP3407SA-DS74T and HP OmniBook 3 14-HZ0015DX are newer consumer laptops with better screens and more modern Wi-Fi. They're worth a look if you want something that feels current. The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge NP960XMA-KB1US is another step up in performance and display quality, but again, you'll pay for it.

Value here depends entirely on where you buy. We found listings ranging from USD 237 to USD 1,013 across three US vendors, which is a massive spread for the same machine. At the low end, this is a genuinely good deal for a business laptop with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. At the high end, you're paying way too much for aging hardware. Staples currently has the best deal we found, with free next-day delivery if you spend over $35. If you're in Canada or Mexico, expect to pay CAD 1,209 or MXN 18,090 respectively. Before you buy, check the exact configuration and condition, because refurbished units can vary.

The Dell Latitude 5420 is a 14-inch business laptop that keeps showing up in refurbished listings, and for good reason. It's a no-nonsense workhorse with an Intel Core i7-1185G7, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB SSD. You're looking at a machine built for spreadsheets, email, video calls, and the occasional Netflix break, not for gaming or heavy creative work. Prices are all over the place right now, from USD 237 to USD 1,013 depending on the vendor, so shopping around matters more than usual here.

People searching for a budget-friendly business laptop or a reliable refurbished Dell for school or office work will find a lot to like. The 11th Gen i7 still holds up for everyday multitasking, and 16GB of RAM means you can keep a silly number of browser tabs open without the system grinding to a halt. Windows 11 Pro comes pre-installed, which is a nice touch for anyone who needs BitLocker or domain join support.

But this isn't a laptop without compromises. The 250-nit display is dim by modern standards, the integrated graphics are weak, and the Wi-Fi situation is genuinely dated. We'll get into all of that below. For now, just know this is a solid office machine at the right price, not a do-everything laptop.

Skip this laptop if you want to play games, edit video, or do any kind of graphics work. The integrated Intel UHD 620 graphics are simply not up to the task. Also skip it if you need a bright, color-accurate screen for photo editing or outdoor use. The 250-nit display is one of the weakest points here. If you rely on fast Wi-Fi, the 802.11a/b/g support is a real problem. Modern routers will work, but you won't get the speeds or range of Wi-Fi 6. For a better all-around experience, look at the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon or a newer HP OmniBook 3 instead.

Should you buy the Dell Latitude 5420? If you can find it for under USD 400, and you need a dependable laptop for office work, school, or general browsing, yes. It's a solid refurbished business machine with enough RAM and storage to stay useful for a few more years. The keyboard is comfortable, the port selection is practical, and Windows 11 Pro is a genuine bonus.

But if you're paying more than USD 500, walk away. At that point, you're in range of newer laptops with better screens, faster CPUs, and modern Wi-Fi. And if you want to play games or do any kind of graphics work, this is simply the wrong tool. The Latitude 5420 is a budget business laptop, and it's good at that job. Just don't ask it to be anything else.