The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is more portable, offers a higher resolution OLED screen with better color coverage – perfect for creative work, has more RAM for smoother multitasking, and higher battery life for longer usage away from power outlets. The Dell G15 5520, while less expensive, provides better gaming and engineering performance with its more powerful CPU and dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card. Its heavier build and shorter battery life make it less suitable for frequent travel, but it's a better fit for demanding applications and games. 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 ASUS Zenbook S 13
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Best in class portability
Very good battery life
Advantages of the Dell G15 5520
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
251.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the Dell G15 5520 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a higher RAM capacity, a more vibrant OLED screen with higher resolution, lighter weight, and longer battery life, making it very suitable for general use with a focus on portability and screen quality. In contrast, the Dell G15 5520 has a powerful CPU and dedicated graphics card, which can handle more intensive tasks but has a heavier build and shorter battery life, aligning it more with gaming or resource-heavy applications rather than maximum portability or battery efficiency.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
7.7/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Dell G15 5520 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 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.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the Dell G15 5520 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
8.3/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the Dell G15 5520 is good.
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
8.1/10
7.1/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
251.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the Dell G15 5520 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a sharp and vibrant display for everyday tasks such as web browsing and document editing, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 with its high-resolution and bright screen may offer a more enjoyable experience. For engineering and design work where color accuracy is crucial, the Zenbook's wider color gamut could provide more precise color representation. However, if your main focus is on gaming or 3D modeling, the Dell G15 5520, while having a less impressive display in terms of color and resolution, may still fall short as both laptops offer poor refresh rates which are key for a smooth visual experience in fast-paced games and fluid animations.
Battery
11.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The Dell G15 5520 has 6 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
Best in Class
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.5 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the Dell G15 5520 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,400
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the Dell G15 5520 costs $1,000.
The Dell G15 5520 and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a vibrant OLED display and more RAM, which are beneficial for detailed engineering and design tasks, though it lacks a dedicated GPU like the Dell G15 5520 which has an Nvidia RTX 3060, enabling superior handling of graphics-intensive engineering applications. While both have high-quality processors, the Zenbook is more portable and has a better screen for color-sensitive work, but the G15 excels in raw graphics performance, which may be more crucial for certain engineering simulations or design software.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.4/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Dell G15 5520 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the Dell G15 5520 compare to other laptops
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 is the slimmest OLED ultrabook worldwide struggles with annoying fans. The new Zenbook S 13 leaves us with mixed feelings, particularly since last year's model was so good. Asus has completely reworked the device, making the laptop noticeably slimmer. The result also looks good and the case makes a great impression, particularly also in terms of the stability. The new plasma ceramic surface feels great, and there are no problems with fingerprints. In addition, it now includes some of the known connections such as an HDMI port and a regular USB-A connection, which is a good achievement in such a slim device."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | April 2023
"The Dell G15 (2022) is a 15.6-inch budget gaming laptop, and is great for gaming. You can configure the laptop with powerful Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and various NVIDIA dedicated GPUs, all of which deliver a smooth gaming experience at 1080p. There's also a QHD 240Hz display option if you want better visuals, though you'll have to pair it with the top-end NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti to get good frame rates. It doesn't get overly hot or loud under load, and there's no noticeable throttling on the CPU or GPU. Unfortunately, the 120Hz panel has a slow response time, causing noticeable ghosting, and it doesn't support variable refresh rate."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the Dell G15 5520
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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