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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift Edge 16 comes at a higher price but offers better performance, a larger and more vibrant OLED screen, double the storage, and higher resolution than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 which is more cost-effective but with less powerful hardware and an IPS screen. If you prioritize display quality for tasks like photo editing, the Acer is a better choice. However, the Dell is suitable for day-to-day tasks and is more affordable. The Acer is lighter and thinner, thus more portable, but the Dell offers a touchscreen. If your use includes intensive applications, opt for the Acer, otherwise for general use, the Dell might suffice. 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
- 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 3525
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift Edge 16.
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.0
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
7.7/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both good for general use, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
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.
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
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 3525 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 excels in gaming and 3D tasks with a high screen refresh rate and a powerful GPU, making it smooth and responsive for such intensive uses. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3525, with a standard refresh rate and a less capable integrated graphics component, offers a fair experience, suitable for less demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.1
6.4
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 3525 is only fair.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is better suited for engineering and design due to a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and superior GPU capabilities compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3525, which contributes to faster processing and better handling of complex software used in these fields. Additionally, the Acer's high-resolution OLED screen with impressive color accuracy provides a more detailed and vivid display for design work, while the Dell's lower screen quality and less robust hardware specification make it less ideal for demanding engineering tasks.
Content Creation
8.1
7.1
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 3525 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
6.9
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 3525 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
6.3
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a superior panel with higher resolution and brightness, making it better for activities like browsing or working with documents where clarity and detail are important. For engineering and design, its wider color gamut ensures more accurate color representation, essential for precise visual work. However, its lower refresh rate hampers gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion and quick screen updates are crucial, giving it a disadvantage in those areas compared to laptops with higher refresh rates.
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 3525 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 3525 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$820
$400
$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 3525 costs $400.
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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 3525 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 3525 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Edge 16 | Dell Inspiron 15 3525 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$820 | $400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.73 lbs | 3.71 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 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 | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 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 3525
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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. Many of its slightly higher-end rivals have to be on sale (and frequently are) to match it on price, but the Inspiron 15 (3525) is outclassed even by some similarly priced options, making it a difficult recommendation."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Edge 16 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3525
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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