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Updated January 12, 2024·
If performance in tasks like video editing, graphic design, or music production is important to you, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) provides a robust system with a high-quality display, which is especially suitable for creative professionals. On the other hand, if your tasks are more typical like web browsing, document editing, or streaming, and if cost is a significant factor, the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 will more than suffice. The MacBook Pro generally offers a longer battery life and a sturdier build quality but is less portable due to its size and weight. If your work entails engineering software, the MacBook Pro's more powerful processors would be beneficial, but if you prefer a machine that's easier to carry around and at a lower price point, the Dell Inspiron is a viable 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 16 (Late 2019)
- 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 3525
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019).
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.0
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
7.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is equipped with a more powerful CPU and double the RAM of the Dell Inspiron 15 3525, contributing to its better general use performance. Additionally, the MacBook features a higher-resolution screen with superior color accuracy, contributing to its higher screen quality, while the Dell's lower battery capacity and screen quality result in a fair rating for general use.
Engineering and Design
7.5
6.4
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 3525 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) stands out for engineering and design use due to its better performance with a higher number of RAM gigabytes, a faster CPU, and a stronger GPU, paired with a high-resolution and high-brightness screen. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has less RAM, a less powerful processing combination, and a lower-quality screen, making it less suitable for demanding engineering tasks despite being lighter and potentially more portable.
Content Creation
8.0
7.1
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 3525 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
6.9
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 3525 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
6.3
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 is acclaimed for its vibrant and high-resolution display which excels in clarity and color accuracy, making it ideal for engineering and design tasks that demand precise color representation. However, it suffers in the 3D department due to a refresh rate that isn’t as high as specialized gaming or 3D rendering laptops. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 with a fair screen quality offers a decent display for day-to-day tasks and some design work but lacks the superior color gamut and resolution of the MacBook, and it also is not equipped for the demands of gaming or fast-paced 3D graphics work due to its lower refresh rate.
Battery
12.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 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
6.2
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$630
$400
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $630 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 costs $400.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.0
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
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 16 (Late 2019) and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 with its AMD Radeon Pro 5300M GPU is fair for 3D tasks due to its decent graphics capabilities, but its 60Hz screen refresh rate is not ideal for the fastest-paced games, and MacOS compatibility issues with many popular games limit its gaming potential. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 also has a fair performance for gaming and 3D graphics with its integrated AMD Ryzen 5 5625U Vega 7 GPU, and it similarly has a 60Hz screen, but it runs Windows which is more gaming-friendly due to broader game support.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) | Dell Inspiron 15 3525 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$630 | $400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2019 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.64'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.3 lbs | 3.71 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.09" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-9750H | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 100 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3072 x 1920 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 477 nits | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 720P | 720p | |
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 | 4 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"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 Inspiron 15 3525
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | January 2023
"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. Many of its slightly higher-end rivals have to be on sale (and frequently are) to match it on price, but the Inspiron 15 (3525) is outclassed even by some similarly priced options, making it a difficult recommendation."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the Dell Inspiron 15 3525
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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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.
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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.
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