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Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, consider their strengths for your needs. The MacBook Air typically boasts superior build quality, a more vibrant display, longer battery life, and a lighter weight for portability. It's often preferred for design work, video editing, and for users already invested in the Apple ecosystem. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron generally offers more affordable pricing, a variety of ports, and the flexibility of Windows OS, which is more common in business environments and supports a wider range of software for engineering and gaming. If cost is a major factor and you require broad software compatibility, the Dell might be the better choice. However, if you prioritize a higher quality user experience, and are willing to pay more for it, the MacBook Air could be the way to go. 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 15 (2023)
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- 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 3530
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.6
6.9
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) with its Apple M2 CPU and integrated GPU is better suited for engineering and design due to its higher screen resolution and color accuracy, facilitating precise visual work, whereas the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, while offering more RAM, uses an Intel i5-1335U CPU with Iris Xe graphics that may be sufficient for less intensive tasks but with a lower resolution display that is less suitable for detailed design work. The MacBook Air is lighter and has a fanless design for silent operation, enhancing portability and comfort during use, but the Dell Inspiron 15 has a numeric keypad which can be handy for numerical entry and a higher refresh rate screen that some might prefer for smooth scrolling and potential gaming uses.
Content Creation
8.0
7.3
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
8.1
7.2
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
7.8
6.6
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the MacBook Air boasts superior resolution and brightness, and its panel type ensures crisp, clear images, making it very good for everyday tasks, while the Dell Inspiron's adequate resolution and brightness provide fair quality suitable for basic needs. In engineering and design, the MacBook Air's wide color gamut delivers very good color accuracy and range, essential for detail-oriented work, whereas the Inspiron's narrower color gamut results in just fair screen quality, which may not be ideal for precision work. For 3D applications, the MacBook Air's screen falls short on refresh rate, important for smooth rendering, whereas the Inspiron also offers limited performance in this area due to its poor refresh rate, affecting the fluidity of motion in gaming and 3D modeling.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
6.2
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$722
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 costs $722.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.4
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023), with its Apple M2 chip and high screen resolution, provides smooth performance and excellent display quality for general use, along with superior portability due to its lightweight design and long battery life. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 offers more RAM and storage, which might enhance multitasking and data storage, respectively, but it falls short on battery life and display crispness compared to the MacBook, though it compensates with a high refresh rate screen and a better option for those preferring Windows OS.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.3
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15, with its high-quality screen and capable GPU, offers a decent experience for 3D applications, but its lower refresh rate and the fact that not all games are compatible with macOS make it less ideal for gaming. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, while it has a GPU suitable for gaming and may support a higher screen refresh rate, its performance in 3D tasks and gaming could be limited by a less powerful CPU and a possibly lower-quality screen compared to the MacBook.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | Dell Inspiron 15 3530 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $722 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 3.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i5-1335U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
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Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
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.
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