If price is a major concern and you need a lower-cost option with touch capabilities, consider the Dell Inspiron 15 3525, which also offers a larger screen. However, for higher performance, more storage capacity, and better display quality, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is superior, albeit at a higher price. It has a sharper OLED screen and a more powerful processor with more memory. While the Zenbook excels in portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, the Inspiron has a numeric keypad, which might be useful for numeric data entry tasks. 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 3525
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.0/10
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
7.7/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 outperforms the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for general use primarily due to its superior CPU and RAM, which offer better multitasking and overall performance, coupled with its high-quality OLED screen that provides vivid colors and sharp resolution. Moreover, the Zenbook's lighter weight and longer battery life make it more portable and convenient for on-the-go use, despite it being more expensive than the Inspiron, which may be a more budget-friendly option with satisfactory performance for less demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
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 3525 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers superior gaming and 3D performance with its Intel Iris Xe graphics chip, which delivers better visual capabilities than the AMD Vega 7 graphics found in the Dell Inspiron 15 3525. While both have a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, the Zenbook's OLED screen provides higher quality with its higher resolution and color accuracy, making for an improved experience in visually intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.4/10
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 3525 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with a higher-end CPU, substantially more RAM, and a premium OLED screen, offers better performance and display quality vital for engineering and design tasks compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3525's mid-range CPU, less RAM, and standard IPS screen. While the Zenbook also excels in portability due to its lighter weight and compact size, the Inspiron may still appeal for its larger screen and built-in number pad, suited for those who prioritize screen size and numeric data entry over top-tier specs.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.1/10
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 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
8.3/10
6.9/10
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 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
8.1/10
6.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 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 ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a high-resolution display and excellent brightness, making it ideal for general use where clarity and visibility are key. Engineers and designers benefit from its wider color gamut, allowing for more accurate color representation in their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate can make fast-paced scenes less smooth compared to laptops designed with higher refresh rates for these purposes.
Battery
11.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 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.
Portability
Best in Class
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
6.2/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 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
$1,400
$400
$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 3525 costs $400.
"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'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 ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3525
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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