Given the difference in price between the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, consider how you will use the laptop. The MacBook Pro is typically favored for its higher performance capabilities, display quality, and build, which are well-suited for professionals in design, video editing, and music production. However, it is less portable due to its size and weight. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron may offer more value for everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and light media consumption, with the added benefit of being more affordable and potentially offering better portability. Battery life will also vary, with the MacBook Pro often outperforming lower-priced models. If you need a laptop for intensive tasks and prioritize a premium experience and longer battery life, the MacBook Pro may be worth the extra cost. If your usage is more casual or budget is a primary concern, the Dell Inspiron should suffice. 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 16 (Late 2019)
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good 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 16 (Late 2019).
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
6.9/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) offers a higher-end CPU, greater RAM, and a more vibrant and higher-resolution display which provides a richer visual experience and better multitasking capabilities, making it well-suited for general use; additionally, it has a larger battery capacity, contributing to longer battery life.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.3/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.0/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
7.9/10
6.7/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
7.8/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 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 16's screen offers high resolution and brightness, coupled with excellent color coverage, making it well-suited for general use and tasks requiring accurate color representation like engineering and design; however, it has a standard refresh rate which is not ideal for 3D work where smoother motion is important. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 provides adequate resolution and brightness for basic tasks, but its color gamut may not sufficiently meet the needs of professionals in engineering and design fields. For gaming and 3D applications where high refresh rates can greatly improve the experience, the Inspiron falls short, making it less appropriate for those specific uses.
Battery
12.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
$540
$346
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 costs $346.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a dedicated AMD Radeon Pro 5300M GPU which is stronger than the integrated Intel UHD Graphics in the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, making it better for 3D work, but the lower screen refresh rate and the fact that it runs MacOS, which doesn't support many popular games, limits its gaming capabilities. Conversely, the Inspiron's higher screen refresh rate is a plus for gaming, yet still being limited by the less capable integrated GPU for both gaming and 3D tasks.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
"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 16 (Late 2019) 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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.