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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If your priority is high performance for tasks like gaming or intensive engineering software, the Acer Nitro 17 with its advanced graphics card and processor should serve you well, though it is less portable due to its size and weight. On the other hand, if you favor affordability and a more portable option for general use like browsing and office applications, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is lighter and offers a substantial cost-saving, albeit with less power for demanding applications. The Dell also has higher battery longevity for on-the-go use, whereas the Acer's shorter battery life is a tradeoff for its performance. 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 17
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4
6.2
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 17 is better suited for gaming and 3D tasks due to its higher-end Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, which outperforms the Dell Inspiron 15 3511's integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, and a significantly higher screen refresh rate that provides a smoother visual experience during fast-paced games. Although the Dell Inspiron has a capable CPU for general use, the combined higher GPU power and refresh rate of the Acer provide a more immersive and responsive gaming and 3D rendering experience.
Engineering and Design
7.9
7.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 17 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for engineering and design, though the Acer Nitro 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 17's combination of a potent AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU makes it well-suited for demanding engineering and design tasks that require significant computing power and graphics processing, whereas the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, with its higher RAM but less powerful Intel i5 processor and integrated graphics, offers ample multitasking capabilities but is less suited for graphic-intensive workloads. The Acer has a larger screen and better screen quality which benefits detailed work and visualization, but it's heavier and less portable than the Dell, which may be a more convenient option for users frequently on the move.
Screen Quality
7.4
6.0
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 17 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Acer Nitro 17's screen provides vibrant colors and clarity that are essential for engineering and design tasks, while the Dell Inspiron 15's screen meets basic needs but lacks the color accuracy vital for professional design work. However, the lower refresh rate on both laptops means they're not ideal for gaming and 3D applications, which benefit from smoother visual transitions. For general use, both laptops offer sufficient quality, with the Acer Nitro 17 offering a slightly better viewing experience due to its higher resolution and brightness, making it more suitable for a variety of environments and content types.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 17 has 8 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
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.2
The Acer Nitro 17 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
$970
$580
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 17 has a price of $970 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 costs $580.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Nitro 17 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 17, with a stronger CPU and dedicated graphics, better suits users who need more performance for tasks beyond basic use, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, which offers more memory for a smoother multitasking experience and is easier to carry around due to its lighter weight and compact size. Screen quality is comparable in both, but if portability and battery life are a priority, the Dell might be a better fit, while the Acer could appeal to those looking for higher performance in a larger, less mobile package.
Content Creation
7.8
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 17 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
7.4
7.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Nitro 17 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 17 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 17 | Dell Inspiron 15 3511 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$970 | $580 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 11.6'' x 1.1'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.83 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.77" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.59" | 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 | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 280 nits | 230 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.6/10 | 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 | 6.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 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 | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 17
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | October 2023
"The Acer Nitro 17 isn't an exceptional gaming laptop; it's kind of chunky even among 17.3-inch notebooks, with a lackluster keyboard, and it doesn't outperform comparably priced machines. But there's a lot to like about it, including a good array of ports, a screen that's sharp and bright for work and play alike, and battery life that soundly beats the competition. All this comes at an affordable price. If size and weight aren't big concerns, you'll find the Nitro 17 a dependable big-screen gaming rig. If you crave higher quality, consider a slight step down or up in screen size with the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 or Alienware m18 respectively."
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 17 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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