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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a higher RAM capacity, which can provide better performance for multitasking and resource-intensive tasks, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 comes with a touch screen feature which might be more convenient for some users. If you're looking for longer battery runtime, the Acer might be the better option. On the other hand, the Dell is slightly lighter, which could make it more portable. Both laptops are equipped with solid-state drives of the same size and have similar processors, so everyday performance should be quite comparable for general use. If your tasks are more demanding, you might prefer the Acer for its additional memory, whereas if touch functionality or a slight edge in portability is important, the Dell could be more suitable. 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 5 15
- Good for software development
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3525
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has no clear advantages over the Acer Aspire 5 15.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
6.3
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
275.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for software development.
When considering laptops for general use, both the Acer Aspire 5 and the Dell Inspiron 15 offer screens that are adequate for everyday tasks like browsing and streaming, but they may not have the high resolution or brightness levels that make for an exceptional viewing experience. For engineering and design work, their displays may lack the wide color gamuts needed to accurately render colors, making them less suitable for professional graphic work where color precision is crucial. Regarding 3D applications and gaming, their lower refresh rates could hinder smooth motion and responsiveness, which is vital for these immersive experiences and could detract from gameplay or 3D rendering performance.
Cost
$480
$400
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a price of $480 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 costs $400.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
275.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 delivers better performance for general use with a higher RAM and a solid CPU, coupled with a relatively brighter screen, which makes for an improved visual experience, although it has an average battery life which could limit mobility compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3525. Meanwhile, the Dell model, while featuring a touchscreen and good speaker quality, falls behind in performance due to lesser RAM and a slightly dimmer display, but offers a slight edge in portability due to its lower weight.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.0
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both considered fair for gaming and 3D because they possess integrated GPUs which are adequate for some gaming and 3D tasks but lack the power of dedicated gaming graphics cards. Both have screens with a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, which is workable for casual gaming but doesn't offer the smoothness preferred by competitive gaming, and while they both have IPS panels with respectable screen quality, they don't reach the high contrast ratios and color space coverage that more gaming-focused laptops offer.
Engineering and Design
6.6
6.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 offers a more robust suite for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel i5 processor, double the RAM for multitasking, and higher spec integrated graphics, leading to better performance in computational and graphical tasks.
Content Creation
7.3
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 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
7.3
6.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 5 15 to be good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is only fair.
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.
Battery
7.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 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
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Acer Aspire 5 15 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
6.2
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 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 5 15 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 15 | Dell Inspiron 15 3525 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$480 | $400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 3.71 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.21" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 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 | 275 nits | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | 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 Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 5 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | November 2022
"The Acer Aspire 5 15 is a good value office laptop with reasonable battery life. The combination of slim exterior, relatively low weight (approx. 1.7 kg) and 8 hour real-life battery runtime makes the Acer Aspire a truly mobile laptop. The modest Tiger Lake processor supports this area and simultaneously ensures an affordable price point. The Aspire produces little noise and stays cool. The screen (FHD, IPS) might not win any prizes but is entirely appropriate for the price."
Dell Inspiron 15 3525
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Dig into reviews and images
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. Many of its slightly higher-end rivals have to be on sale (and frequently are) to match it on price, but the Inspiron 15 (3525) is outclassed even by some similarly priced options, making it a difficult recommendation."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 15 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3525
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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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