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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is a midrange, highly portable option with better performance and a high-resolution OLED screen, ideal for tasks that benefit from a high-quality display like photo editing. It's lighter and has long battery life, but it is more expensive. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is budget-friendly and offers a larger screen with a faster refresh rate, which is good for everyday tasks and some light gaming. However, it has less storage, lower performance capabilities, and heavier weight, impacting its portability. Choose the Zenbook S 13 for premium features and portability, or the Inspiron 15 for a budget-friendly, larger screen laptop with decent performance for everyday use. 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 engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Best in class portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6
6.9
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers superior general use performance with a powerful i7 CPU, ample 32GB RAM, and a high-quality OLED screen, which enhance multitasking and media consumption, at the cost of a higher price, while also being highly portable and having a longer battery life. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is more affordable but equipped with a modest i3 CPU and 8GB RAM, suited for basic tasks, and though it is less portable due to its size and weight, it exhibits commendable heat management.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers better gaming and 3D performance because it houses a more capable Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3520's Intel UHD Graphics. Additionally, the Zenbook features a higher-quality OLED screen, albeit with a lower refresh rate of 60Hz, compared to the Inspiron's IPS screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, which may result in smoother visuals in rapid-motion scenes on the Dell despite its lower overall screen quality.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is better suited for engineering and design due to its powerful Intel i7 CPU, larger RAM, and superior Intel Iris Xe GPU, all of which enable smoother operation of demanding software; additionally, its high-resolution OLED screen renders crisp, vibrant visuals essential for design accuracy.
Content Creation
8.5
7.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 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
8.3
6.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very 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
8.1
6.8
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a sharp, vibrant display for everyday tasks or detailed engineering and design work, the ASUS Zenbook S 13's screen, with its high resolution and broad color spectrum, will serve you well. However, if you are interested in gaming or 3D applications, the lower refresh rate of the Zenbook may lead to a less smooth visual experience. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, while offering a decent display for routine tasks and technical work, won't deliver the same crispness or color accuracy as the ASUS, and will also fall short for gaming due to its refresh rate limitations.
Battery
11.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 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
Best in Class
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
6.2
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 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
$1,400
$346
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 costs $346.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | Dell Inspiron 15 3520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $346 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.2 lbs | 3.65 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.66" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.52" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Intel i3-1215U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 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 | 11 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 365 nits | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.5/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 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
ASUS Zenbook S 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | May 2023
"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."
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 ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
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.
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