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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and tasks that are more demanding on the system such as gaming, thanks to its higher-end processor and advanced graphics card. It's meant for users who need a powerful laptop capable of handling intensive tasks but compromising on battery life and portability due to its heavier weight and larger power brick. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is more budget-friendly, lighter, and offers longer battery life, making it more suitable for general use and greater portability but with significantly reduced performance for demanding tasks. 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 general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.2
6.0
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
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 3520 is only fair.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.6
6.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is better suited for engineering and design due to its powerful Intel i7 processor, higher capacity RAM, and a stronger GPU with Nvidia RTX 3060, which significantly outperform the Dell Inspiron 15 3520's Intel i3 processor, lower RAM, and integrated graphics. Additionally, the Helios 300 has superior screen quality, crucial for detail-oriented tasks, whereas the Inspiron 15 3520 trades off some performance and screen quality for better portability and less operating noise.
Screen Quality
7.3
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers a vibrant display with good resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use and detailed engineering tasks, where accurate colors are vital. However, its lower refresh rate hampers the gaming and 3D experience, where smooth motion is crucial. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 provides an adequate display for everyday activities and engineering work, but its color range might not be as wide as needed for professional design work, and like the Acer, its refresh rate isn't high enough for optimal gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
3.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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
3.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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 3520 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,204
$325
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,204 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 costs $325.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
6.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 300 to be good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
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
7.0
7.4/10
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 Predator Helios 300 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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
6.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 300 to be good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | Dell Inspiron 15 3520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,204 | $325 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 3.65 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i3-1215U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 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 | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 7.7/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
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
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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 3520
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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. Plus, those alternatives are much more enjoyable after work."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
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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