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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift Go 14 is a more expensive option that provides better performance for general use, 3D and machine learning tasks, and engineering applications due to its higher-end processor and more RAM. It also has a higher-resolution screen with better color accuracy, making it suitable for tasks where display quality is important. However, it is less portable than the Dell due to a lower portability score. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is significantly cheaper and offers a larger screen size, but with lower performance capabilities due to its entry-level processor and less RAM. It might be more suitable for basic tasks and offers decent portability. The choice between the two should be made based on your budget and whether performance and display quality or cost savings and portability are more important to you. 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 Go 14
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift Go 14.
Key differences
General Use
7.7
6.9
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Acer Swift Go 14 is favored for general use due to its superior processor (Intel i7), ample RAM (16GB), and high-quality IPS screen, which combined, provide faster performance and better visual experience than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, which has a lower-tier processor (Intel i3), less RAM (8GB), and a basic screen quality. Additionally, the Acer boasts better portability and longer battery life, key aspects for everyday use, while both have comparable storage, keyboard, speakers, and manage heat and noise effectively.
Engineering and Design
7.2
6.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift Go 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Acer Swift Go 14 is better suited for engineering and design due to its stronger CPU, more RAM, and better GPU, which are crucial for intensive applications, whereas the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 with its lower-tier CPU and GPU, and less RAM, may struggle with such demanding tasks. Despite being heavier and larger, the Inspiron offers an advantage in screen size, which can be beneficial for design work, but it cannot match the overall performance and screen quality of the Swift Go 14, which offers higher screen resolution and color accuracy important for precise design details.
Content Creation
7.6
7.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both good for content creation, though the Acer Swift Go 14 is somewhat better.
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
7.6
6.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 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
6.8
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers a crisp and bright display with higher resolution, making it suitable for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate limits its performance for 3D applications and fast-paced gaming. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520's display provides adequate sharpness and brightness for day-to-day activities and technical designs but falls short in providing an immersive gaming experience due to similar refresh rate limitations. Neither laptop's screen excels in gaming or high-end 3D work due to lower refresh rates, although they may serve well for general use and precision tasks that benefit from good color accuracy and resolution.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Swift Go 14 has 8 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
Excellent
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Swift Go 14 has excellent portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.2
The Acer Swift Go 14 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
$793
$329
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a price of $793 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 costs $329.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift Go 14, with its Iris Xe GPU and a 60Hz screen refresh rate, delivers modest gaming and 3D capabilities suited for casual gaming, whereas the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, despite having a lower-tier UHD Graphics GPU, offers a slightly better gaming experience due to its higher 120Hz screen refresh rate, which results in smoother motion but is still limited by its GPU quality. Both laptops are equipped with IPS screens for good viewing angles, but the tradeoff for the Dell's higher refresh rate is a reduced battery capacity compared to the Acer, impacting its portability and usage duration away from power sources.
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How the Acer Swift Go 14 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 | Dell Inspiron 15 3520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$793 | $329 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.6'' x 0.59'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 3.65 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.32" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.58" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | 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 | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 65 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 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 | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 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 Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Swift Go 14
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | May 2023
"The Acer Swift Go 14 is a surprising machine. Its performance, display, and battery life leave little to be desired from a device at this price. You might think it’d be cheaper given the “Go” in the name, or thinner given its close competition with thin-and-light laptops, but it manages to strike a decent enough balance between its capabilities and hardware to really stand out as an exceptional value."
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 Go 14 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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