The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is typically more expensive but offers a higher resolution screen, better build quality, longer battery life, and is lighter, making it more portable. Its performance is suitable for general use and it has a fanless design for silent operation. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is more affordable and has a larger screen with a higher refresh rate, which can be an advantage for fast motion, such as in gaming, but has lower screen quality and battery life. The Dell is heavier and a better choice if you prefer Windows or need a dedicated number pad on your keyboard. Both have similar storage and RAM. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2020).
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) shines in general use due to its potent Apple M1 CPU, ample RAM, superior screen quality with a higher pixel density, lightweight design for better portability, and long battery life. Contrastingly, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a fair performance for general use with an Intel i3 processor, adequate RAM, reasonable screen quality, but it’s heavier which affects portability, and it offers a significantly shorter battery life.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
6.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is equipped with the Apple M1 chip that integrates the CPU and GPU, providing robust performance and high screen quality, which are essential for engineering and design tasks, along with the benefit of silent operation and better portability due to its lightweight design and long battery life. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers only fair performance for engineering and design due to its lower-tier Intel i3 CPU and integrated graphics, and while it's less portable due to heavier weight and shorter battery life, it might appeal to those who need a machine with a dedicated number pad.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.0/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) 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
7.7/10
6.7/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) 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
7.5/10
6.8/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Air's screen delivers vibrant colors and sharp resolution, which is great for everyday activities like browsing and watching videos, but it might not cover the wider color gamuts required for professional engineering and design tasks. For design professionals, the MacBook Air's screen lacks the color accuracy needed for precise work. Meanwhile, the Dell Inspiron 15's display offers a balance suitable for daily tasks and some design work, but its lower refresh rate and moderate resolution fall short for an optimal gaming or 3D modeling experience, which demands fast, fluid visual performance.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 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
Very Good
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class 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
$1,000
$346
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 costs $346.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
"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 Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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.
By the numbers
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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.