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Updated January 10, 2024·
When comparing the Acer Swift Edge 16 with the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, you're looking at two laptops designed for different user needs. The Acer comes at a higher price but offers a more advanced processor, better graphics performance, and a higher resolution OLED screen, which could be beneficial for demanding tasks such as video editing or gaming. Its lightweight design enhances portability, but this also means it has less storage capacity by default. On the other hand, the Dell is more budget-friendly and could be a suitable choice for everyday use like web browsing, office work, and media consumption, despite having a less powerful processor and graphic capabilities. The Dell also features a lower screen resolution, but this may not be a significant issue for general usage and can even benefit battery performance. Ultimately, your decision should hinge on whether the Acer's superior performance and display justify the additional cost in the context of your specific needs and usage patterns. 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
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift Edge 16.
Key differences
General Use
7.9
6.9
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
383.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 excels in general use with a higher-performing CPU, more RAM, and an OLED screen with a higher resolution and superior color accuracy, which provides a more responsive and visually compelling experience. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, while more affordable, offers lower performance due to its basic i3 CPU, less RAM, and an IPS screen with lower resolution and color coverage, which is adequate for routine tasks but less ideal for demanding applications or rich media content.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.0
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
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 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 offers superior gaming and 3D capabilities owing to its more powerful AMD Radeon 780M GPU and a high-resolution OLED display, enhancing frame rates and visuals for a more immersive experience. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with its more basic Intel i3-1215U UHD Graphics and a standard IPS screen, provides fair performance suitable for less demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.1
6.3
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is equipped with a more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor, double the RAM, and a superior AMD Radeon GPU, enhancing its capability for handling demanding engineering and design applications compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, which has a basic Intel i3 processor and less RAM. Furthermore, the Acer's OLED screen offers higher resolution and color accuracy, which is critical for design precision, unlike the Dell's IPS display which offers lower color accuracy and resolution.
Content Creation
8.1
7.0
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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
6.7
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is 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.
Screen Quality
8.8
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Swift Edge 16 offers a sharper and brighter display, enhancing readability and overall visual comfort, while the Dell's satisfactory screen doesn't stand out but does the job adequately. The Acer's superior color accuracy and wider range of colors cater well to engineering and design professionals who need precision and a broad color spectrum for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the Acer falls short due to a lackluster refresh rate, which is less of a concern for the Dell given its target audience of casual users not prioritizing fast-paced visuals.
Portability
Very Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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 3520 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$820
$329
$0
$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 3520 costs $329.
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Key similarities
Battery
7.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 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.
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How the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Edge 16 | Dell Inspiron 15 3520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$820 | $329 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.73 lbs | 3.65 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | Intel i3-1215U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 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 | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 383 nits | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.7/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
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 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 Swift Edge 16 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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