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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Swift Edge 16 offers a premium, high-resolution OLED display, better graphics, and a lighter, thinner design, ideal for those needing high performance and portability, such as professionals or creatives. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is less expensive, has more memory, and a larger screen, which makes it suitable for general use or for those on a budget, but it has a lower resolution display and heavier build. 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 Swift Edge 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift Edge 16.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.2
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 offers a more powerful GPU with the AMD Radeon 780M and a higher screen refresh rate of 120Hz, which are excellent for gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a fair CPU with Intel i5-1135G7 Iris Xe graphics and a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz, making it less suitable for intensive gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.0
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is particularly suitable for engineering and design due to its powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and AMD Radeon GPU, high amount of RAM, and premium OLED screen with high resolution and color accuracy, making it excellent for detail-oriented tasks.
Content Creation
8.1
7.5
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
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
7.9
7.3
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
8.8
6.0
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 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.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 delivers vibrant and precise visuals thanks to its high-resolution display with wide color coverage, making it ideal for engineering and design tasks that require color accuracy for tasks like photo editing or CAD work. On the other hand, its screen may not be optimal for gaming or 3D applications due to a lower refresh rate, which can make fast-moving scenes less smooth. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 offers a fair screen experience for both general use and engineering due to decent resolution and brightness, but like the Acer, it falls short for gaming and 3D where a higher refresh rate is crucial for fluid motion.
Portability
Very Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
6.2
The Acer Swift Edge 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
$820
$560
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a price of $820 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 costs $560.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.6
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
383.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Swift Edge 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.
Battery
7.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 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.
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How the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Edge 16 | Dell Inspiron 15 3511 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$820 | $560 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.73 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 383 nits | 230 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 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 Swift Edge 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | October 2023
"The Acer Swift Edge 16 is a solid super thin-and-light that pairs a large, gorgeous 16-inch display with portable design that rivals the weight of LG’s superlight Gram 16. Remarkably, Acer achieves this at a lower price point without sacrificing performance. Boring design and disappointing battery life hold the laptop back from stardom, but its rivals frequently suffer in these areas, too. That makes the Swift Edge 16 an alluring value pick."
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 Swift Edge 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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