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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) offers better performance, superior graphics capabilities, and a more vivid display with higher resolution compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, making it a compelling choice for professional work such as video editing or design. It also includes higher-quality speakers, a more advanced operating system tailored for Apple hardware, and boasts a longer battery life, enhancing productivity for users who require a machine that can handle intensive tasks or longer work sessions without the need to recharge. On the other hand, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a lower quality display and less powerful performance overall, it is notably less expensive, making it suitable for general use or for those on a budget. Its larger screen is advantageous for multitasking, and Windows 11 offers broad compatibility with a wide range of software. Additionally, the Inspiron includes a variety of ports which may reduce the need for additional adapters. In summary, if the budget allows and demands center around high-end creative work or computational tasks, the MacBook Pro is an excellent choice. However, for everyday tasks, casual use, and for those seeking value for money with good performance, the Dell Inspiron is a strong option. 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 14 (2023)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent 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 Pro 14 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.5
7.4
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is good.
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.
Gaming and AI
7.0
6.3
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023), with its stronger GPU, is better suited for 3D rendering tasks which is crucial for performance, although its MacOS might limit the available game library. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, while adequate for gaming given its decent GPU, may not handle 3D tasks as well and offers a typical screen refresh rate akin to the MacBook, which is suitable for most games but may not be ideal for high-end gaming that benefits from faster screen refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
8.4
6.9
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) excels for engineering and design use with its high-performance Apple M2 Pro CPU and GPU, more vivid Mini LED display with higher color accuracy, and better screen resolution, thus delivering smoother graphics and more accurate color representation for design work. In comparison, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 also supports engineering and design tasks with a capable Intel CPU and integrated graphics, along with adequate RAM, but with a lower-quality screen and a build that's less conducive to demanding applications, highlighting a compromise in overall performance and visual fidelity for a likely lower price point.
Content Creation
8.5
7.3
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (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
8.4
7.2
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (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
9.2
6.6
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14's display boasts a high resolution and brightness, along with a wide color gamut, providing sharp, vivid images crucial for general use and color-critical work in engineering and design. On the other hand, its lower refresh rate may not be ideal for 3D applications where smooth motion is key. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 offers decent resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks and some engineering and design work, but its limited color range and lower refresh rate are less optimal for high-end creative tasks and fluid 3D experiences.
Battery
13.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (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 Pro 14 (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
$1,700
$722
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a price of $1,700 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 costs $722.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) | Dell Inspiron 15 3530 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,700 | $722 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 3.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 Pro (10C) | Intel i5-1335U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 13.5 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 489 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 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 | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (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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