The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) offers better performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning, with higher screen resolution and color accuracy, making it well-suited for professionals in creative fields who also require portability and long battery life. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is significantly more affordable and offers decent general performance, along with a larger screen size, but falls short in graphics power and battery longevity. The MacBook's macOS could be a deciding factor for those invested in the Apple ecosystem, while the Inspiron's Windows 11 would be more familiar to PC users. Choose the MacBook Pro for superior performance and display quality, and the Inspiron 15 for basic to moderate computing needs with an eye on budget. 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 3520
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
6.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 provides a high-quality screen, a powerful CPU, and superior battery life, making it a great option for demanding tasks and longer use without charging, and its lightweight and thin design enhance portability; however, these features come at a higher cost. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 15 offers a fair balance between functionality and price, with decent performance for everyday tasks, but it has a lower screen quality, shorter battery life, and a slightly heavier build, which might not be ideal for more intensive uses or frequent travel.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.0/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 (Late 2023) and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
6.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) excels in engineering and design due to a high-quality Mini LED screen, a powerful Apple M3 CPU and integrated GPU suitable for demanding tasks, and a build that enhances portability while maintaining excellent keyboard quality. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, while fair for those uses, has a standard IPS screen and a less potent Intel i3 processor, making it less suitable for intensive tasks, but might be considered for its lower price and adequate portability.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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
6.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 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 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
9.2/10
6.8/10
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
259.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 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 14 (Late 2023) excels in screen quality for general use and engineering with its high-resolution display and support for wide color gamuts, providing excellent clarity and color accuracy, essential for detailed work and design tasks. However, it falls short for 3D applications due to a likely standard refresh rate, which can limit the smoothness of fast-moving visuals. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers an adequate display for general and engineering use with fair resolution and brightness, but it isn't designed for gaming or 3D purposes where higher refresh rates and more robust graphics capabilities are needed to ensure smooth performance.
Battery
17.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 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
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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 14 (Late 2023) 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
$1,499
$346
$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 3520 costs $346.
"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."
"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 14 (Late 2023) 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.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
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