The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is a midrange-priced laptop known for strong performance, particularly in creative tasks such as video editing, and it is more portable due to its smaller size. However, it typically comes at a higher price point. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is budget-friendly, offering sufficient performance for everyday tasks like browsing and light productivity; it has a larger screen but is less portable and not suited for intensive gaming or heavyweight applications. Your choice should reflect your balance of price, performance needs, and the importance of portability for your workflow. 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 Pro 13 (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
Best in class 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 Pro 13 (2020).
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
20.0 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 Pro 13 (2020) is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
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 Pro 13 (2020) is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) excels in engineering and design tasks with its high-resolution display, providing more screen space and clarity, and the power of the Apple M1 chip for better performance in CPU and GPU-intensive applications. While the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers a larger screen and is favorable for less demanding tasks, its standard resolution and less powerful Intel i3 graphics are not as suited for advanced engineering software or design work that benefits from superior display quality and graphics performance.
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 Pro 13 (2020) and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (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
7.8/10
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 Pro 13 (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
7.6/10
6.8/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 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 Pro 13 (2020) has a high-resolution display and bright screen, with wide color gamut coverage, making it suitable for general use and detailed engineering tasks where color precision matters. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520's screen, while adequate for everyday tasks, lacks the sharpness, brightness, and color range that professionals require for specialized engineering and design work. Neither of these laptops is ideal for 3D applications as their screens have lower refresh rates, which can affect the smoothness and responsiveness necessary for 3D rendering and gaming.
Battery
20.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 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
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (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 Pro 13 (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
$1,249
$346
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 costs $346.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has an integrated Apple M1 GPU which is sufficient for basic 3D tasks but not optimized for high-end gaming or 3D applications, especially considering many popular games are not compatible with its MacOS system. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 also has an integrated GPU, which is capable for fair gaming and 3D performance, and it features a higher screen refresh rate which is beneficial for smoother gameplay; however, its performance may still be limited due to its entry-level CPU and GPU compared to specialized gaming or engineering machines.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 compare to other laptops
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
"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 Pro 13 (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.
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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.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Laptops Expert
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