The Acer Aspire 5 15 is somewhat less expensive and lighter, making it more convenient for travel. It comes with sufficient performance for general use tasks and is suitable if you prioritize budget and portability. However, the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 offers a larger, higher resolution screen which can be better for viewing detailed content and multitasking. It also has double the storage capacity and a slightly more powerful processor, which may be beneficial for more intensive tasks like engineering software, but keep in mind it's heavier and usually costs more. Consider your use case and whether you prioritize portability and savings or performance and screen real estate. 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
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 16 5635.
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5635
Very good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.5/10
8.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
275.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is good.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 provides a solid foundation for general use with a good balance between processing power and portability, complemented by a decent battery life and a standard display resolution. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 excels with a more powerful CPU, double the storage space, better screen quality with a higher resolution, and improved speaker quality, albeit with a slight increase in weight and dimensions, which slightly reduces its portability.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
7.3/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is well-suited for engineering and design because it has a powerful CPU, ample RAM, and a capable GPU that can handle demanding software used in these fields, plus a high-quality screen for detailed visuals. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 also supports such intensive tasks with a robust CPU and GPU, sufficient RAM, and a superior screen resolution, which is beneficial for design work, although both may be less portable due to their size and might have average keyboard, speaker quality, and operating noise.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.9/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Acer Aspire 5 15 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
6.6/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
275.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 15 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Aspire 5 15 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 have displays with adequate resolution and brightness, making them suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. However, for engineering and design work, the screens may not render colors accurately due to limited color gamut coverage, which is essential for precision in visual projects. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the lack of high refresh rates on these laptops means motion may not appear as smooth, which can be a drawback for fast-paced games and interactive 3D simulations.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has 8 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.
Cost
$479
$700
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a price of $479 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 costs $700.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Acer Aspire 5 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Software Development
7.3/10
7.7/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Acer Aspire 5 15 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Aspire 5 15 and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5635 to have good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 has 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 16 5635 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Compared to the previous year’s Inspiron, Dell upgraded the screen aspect ratio on this generation, but also transitioned to a more minimalistic centered keyboard flanked by up-firing speakers. The 16-inch screen is huge plus and I really appreciate the extra real estate without sacrificing the footprint much. This year’s model is a little larger than last, though, as the former model was already very small for a 15 incher."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 15 or the Dell Inspiron 16 5635
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.
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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