When choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, consider the following: the MacBook Pro offers superior performance, a more vibrant display with higher resolution, a longer battery life, and an overall more premium build quality, making it ideal for demanding tasks and creative work such as video editing or graphic design. It comes with macOS, which has exclusive software and a different user experience compared to Windows. However, it's significantly more expensive than the Dell Inspiron, which still provides ample performance for everyday tasks and light productivity work, larger storage and RAM options, and features a wider variety of ports without requiring adapters. The Dell Inspiron is more budget-friendly and runs Windows 11 Home, which might be preferable if you're accustomed to the Windows environment or rely on Windows-only applications. If portability is a concern, both laptops have similar weights, but the MacBook Pro has a smaller footprint. Choose the MacBook Pro for top-notch performance and display quality if budget allows, or pick the Dell Inspiron for essential functions and cost savings. 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 (Late 2023)
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
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 3511
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers superior screen quality, a powerful CPU integrated with the Apple M3 chip, and excellent battery life which suits general use with a balance of performance and portability. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 comes with more RAM for multitasking and a larger storage capacity, but trades off in terms of screen quality and battery life, making it also suited for general use but with an emphasis on carrying more data and handling more applications at once.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.2/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 boasts a superior built-in GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, making it well-suited for 3D applications; however, its gaming potential is limited as many popular games are not available for macOS. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, with an adequate GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, is considered fair for gaming despite being less optimal for 3D tasks, and it supports a wider range of games due to running Windows.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
7.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is equipped with an Apple M3 processor and a 10-core GPU which makes it suited for engineering and design, and its Mini LED screen provides high-quality display for detailed work, whereas the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 provides more RAM for multitasking and extensive engineering applications, along with a larger screen, but it trades off with an Intel i5 processor and integrated Iris Xe graphics which might be less potent for high-end graphics tasks compared to the MacBook's GPU. Both laptops are fairly portable, but for engineering and design professionals needing higher display quality and GPU performance, the MacBook Pro may be the preferable choice, while the Inspiron 15 offers more memory which is beneficial for complex projects requiring significant multitasking.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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
8.2/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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
9.2/10
6.0/10
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers exceptional screen quality for general use and engineering with its high-resolution display and superior brightness, which provides sharp images and vivid colors essential for detail-oriented tasks, and it covers a wide range of color gamuts, making it suitable for color-critical engineering and design work. However, its screen is not optimized for 3D work that demands higher refresh rates, meaning it won't be as smooth for rendering fast-moving images. The Dell Inspiron 15, while offering a fair display for general use and engineering with adequate resolution and brightness, cannot match the MacBook's color accuracy or brightness, and its lower refresh rate screen also makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
17.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,499
$580
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,499 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 costs $580.
"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."
"The Dell Inspiron 15 3000 (3511) is a solid, if unremarkable, 15-inch budget laptop. It improves on many of the issues we had with the previous 3505 model, and with the inclusion of Windows 11, the 3511 is already a step above its competition. The lack of a USB-C port, the subpar speakers, and the dim display are drawbacks to factor in, but it's still one of the better 15-inch budget laptops on the market, especially when you consider it's under $400."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) or the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
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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