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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you need a laptop for high-performance tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the Acer Nitro 16 with its more powerful AMD processor and Nvidia graphics is a better choice; however, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, which makes it less portable. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, despite being less powerful with an Intel processor and integrated graphics, offers a lightweight design and longer battery life which makes it suitable for general use and easier to carry around, and it costs less than the Acer Nitro 16. 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 Nitro 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.2
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and 3D because it has a superior Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU that can handle graphically intensive tasks and a high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which provides smoother visuals during fast-paced action. The Dell Inspiron 15 3511, on the other hand, has an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU that is less powerful for gaming and 3D applications, and a lower screen refresh rate of 60 Hz which may result in less fluid motion in games.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
8.3
6.0
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, where panel type, resolution, and brightness are key, the Acer Nitro 16 stands out due to its superior display that likely offers crisper images and better visibility in various lighting conditions. In engineering and design, the same display on the Acer Nitro 16 with a wider color gamut would enable more accurate color representation, essential for precision work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where high refresh rates are paramount, the Acer Nitro 16's screen falls short, leading to less fluid motion and a less immersive experience compared to screens designed with higher refresh rates.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.2
The Acer Nitro 16 has good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,050
$580
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 costs $580.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.8
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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
7.7
7.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | Dell Inspiron 15 3511 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $580 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 230 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2023
"Video editing, rendering and, of course, gaming represent the Nitro 16's core competencies with a Ryzen 7 7735HS and GeForce RTX 4070 providing the necessary power. Both chips run at consistently high clock speeds. A fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the required storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Nitro 16 AN16-41, Acer has a well-specced, mid-range gaming laptop in its portfolio."
Dell Inspiron 15 3511
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Zachary Cuevas | November 2021
"The Dell Inspiron 15 3000 (3511) is a solid, if unremarkable, 15-inch budget laptop. It improves on many of the issues we had with the previous 3505 model, and with the inclusion of Windows 11, the 3511 is already a step above its competition. The lack of a USB-C port, the subpar speakers, and the dim display are drawbacks to factor in, but it's still one of the better 15-inch budget laptops on the market, especially when you consider it's under $400."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
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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