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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you value a larger screen and higher refresh rate for smoother visuals, go for the Dell Inspiron 15 3520; it also boasts more storage out of the box and performs slightly better in general use. However, if portability, battery life, and silent operation are priorities, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is the better option – its fanless design is quiet, and it's lighter, with longer battery life. It also features a touchscreen, which the Dell doesn't have. Both have similar processors and memory, making them adequate for everyday tasks and light productivity, but aren’t suited for intensive gaming or heavy 3D tasks. Both lack advanced features like dedicated graphics cards, facial recognition, and Thunderbolt ports. 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 Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14
- Very good portability
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has no clear advantages over the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offer screens with adequate resolution and brightness, but their panel type may not provide the most vivid colors or viewing angles. Those interested in engineering and design may find both models lacking in color accuracy due to limited coverage of professional color gamuts, like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which are crucial for precise color work. Gamers and professionals working with 3D applications may be disappointed by the lower refresh rates of both laptops, as fast refresh rates improve the fluidity and responsiveness of visuals, which are especially valuable in fast-paced gaming scenarios or smooth 3D rendering.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 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
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$418
$315
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 costs $315.
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Key similarities
General Use
6.5
6.9
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 are both only fair for general use.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 provides sufficient performance for everyday tasks with its i3 processor and 8GB of RAM, in a versatile 2-in-1 form factor with good portability and silent operation; however, its screen is dimmer and its storage capacity is less compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, which offers a slightly better processor, more storage, and a larger, brighter screen but at the cost of reduced battery life and a bulkier build with a bit more operating noise.
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 15 3520 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
Both the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 have integrated GPUs, which limit their gaming and 3D capabilities compared to laptops with dedicated gaming GPUs. The Dell has a higher screen refresh rate, beneficial for smoother gaming visuals, while both have decent CPUs and screen quality, further contributing to their fair gaming performance.
Engineering and Design
5.9
6.3
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 15 3520 to be only fair for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14's lower screen resolution compared to its size and CPU may not deliver the top performance desired for demanding engineering applications; however, it benefits from a silent, fanless design and a high-quality, portable build.
Content Creation
7.0
7.0
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 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
6.9
6.7
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair 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
6.2
6.2
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 both have only fair 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 Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 | Dell Inspiron 15 3520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $315 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 9'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 3.65 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-N305 | Intel i3-1215U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14
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Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and Yannick Khong | November 2023
"The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is okay for school use. It feels reasonably well-built, and its compact design makes it easy to carry around. The battery lasts around seven hours of light use, so you only have to plug it in for a short time to get through a typical school day. The overall user experience is so-so; the display looks sharp but dim, and the touchpad is fairly responsive, albeit small."
Dell Inspiron 15 3520
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PCMag
Mark Knapp | January 2023
"Dell's Inspiron 15 (3525) is a peppy-enough and affordable-enough home or remote work machine, but it's not very ambitious; it does little to go beyond the basics. More the concern: It’s readily overshadowed by a number of machines that outperform and outclass it. Even if the Inspiron can get the job done today, its competition has the mettle to keep doing the job tomorrow in a way the Inspiron simply can’t promise. Plus, those alternatives are much more enjoyable after work."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
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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