The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is a higher-end, more expensive option that provides a premium experience with a higher-resolution display, longer battery life, and a lighter, thinner design. It's ideal for those needing a machine for general use to more demanding tasks like video editing, and its fanless design ensures it operates silently. Meanwhile, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is a budget-friendly laptop that offers a larger screen and is suitable for general use and basic tasks. It is heavier, which might affect portability, but includes a wider range of ports for connectivity. If cost is a significant concern and your tasks do not require the high performance of the MacBook Air, the Dell Inspiron could be a practical choice. However, if you value a sleek design, better screen, and longer battery life and are willing to invest more, the MacBook Air could be worth the premium. 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 Apple MacBook Air (2022)
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent 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 (2022).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
6.9/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) boasts a more powerful Apple M2 chip, better screen resolution and brightness, lighter build for more portability, and a longer battery life compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, which compensates with a larger screen and fair portability but is hampered by a less capable Intel i3 processor and less impressive screen quality. Additionally, the MacBook Air has a higher build quality and operates silently, while the Inspiron maintains an edge in heat management but has a lower overall build quality and louder operating noise.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The MacBook Air (2022) features an Apple M2 chip, renowned for powerful CPU and GPU performance in engineering applications and excellent screen quality, crucial for design tasks. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with an Intel i3 processor and UHD Graphics, offers more modest processing power and screen quality, which may not be as optimal for demanding engineering software and intricate design work.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Air (2022) 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
8.0/10
6.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) 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
7.6/10
6.8/10
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air's screen boasts superior resolution and brightness, along with a high-quality panel, offering crisp and vibrant visuals for general use, and it covers a broad spectrum of colors, making it excellent for engineering and design work. However, its refresh rate is not optimized for 3D applications, where smoother motion is crucial. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15's screen quality for general tasks and creative work is adequate but doesn't stand out due to lesser brightness and a narrower color range, and it also falls short for gaming and 3D tasks because of a lower refresh rate.
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
Excellent
Good
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent 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 (2022) 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
$899
$346
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 costs $346.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) 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 (2022) 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 (2022) 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.
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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
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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.