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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
For intensive tasks like engineering, 3D rendering, or gaming, the Acer Predator Helios 300 offers better performance with its high-end graphics card and robust processor, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, which affects portability. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is more affordable and portable due to its lighter weight and longer battery life, making it suitable for general use and basic computing tasks, but it lacks the power for demanding software or gaming. Choose the Acer if performance is a necessity, or the Dell for everyday tasks and easier travel. 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 Predator Helios 300
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.2
6.2
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D applications, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, with an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and a 60Hz refresh rate, provides a more modest gaming and 3D performance.
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for engineering and design, though the Acer Predator Helios 300 is somewhat better.
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
7.3
6.0
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
In general use, a laptop's display with better resolution and brightness can offer more vivid and clear visuals, enhancing the experience for activities like browsing, video streaming, and document editing. When it comes to engineering and design, color accuracy and range are crucial, as they ensure that the designs and models are represented with the correct hues and saturations, which can be vital for professional work requiring precision. For gaming and activities involving 3D, a high refresh rate provides smoother motion and a more immersive experience, while resolution and panel type influence image clarity and viewing angles, albeit to a lesser extent than refresh rate.
Battery
3.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 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
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.2
The Acer Predator Helios 300 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
$1,099
$560
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,099 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 costs $560.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Acer Predator Helios 300 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
7.3
7.5
7.4/10
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 Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Acer Predator Helios 300 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
7.1
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Acer Predator Helios 300 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 Predator Helios 300 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | Dell Inspiron 15 3511 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,099 | $560 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 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 | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 230 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 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 | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Predator Helios 300
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | November 2022
"The Acer Predator Helios 300 review is an overclocked gaming laptop with a good display. The Predator is large, heavy, and loud, but also offers plenty of performance according to gamers. An overclocked gaming laptop - or its user - also has to struggle with the usual disadvantages we mentioned above. On the other hand, overclocking is optional, and those who like it quieter and can live with a few less frames per second can also switch to the significantly more moderate Standard mode. Then the Helios 300 won't be any louder than the competitors."
Dell Inspiron 15 3511
See more
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 Predator Helios 300 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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