The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers high performance, ideal for intensive engineering tasks, 3D, machine learning, and gaming, but comes at a premium price and is less portable due to its size and weight. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is much more affordable and lightweight, making it better for general use and portability. The Inspiron has a longer battery life but lower performance capabilities compared to the Strix Scar, which could be a deciding factor if you prioritize endurance over raw power. Ultimately, the choice should align with your primary needs, whether that’s top-tier performance or everyday use and mobility. 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 ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.4/10
6.2/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 excels in gaming and 3D tasks because it comes equipped with a powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and boasts a high screen refresh rate of 360 Hz, which is significantly smoother for fast-paced action compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, which has a modest Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
7.0/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is preferred for engineering and design due to a more powerful CPU, superior dedicated GPU, and a higher-quality screen, all crucial for intensive tasks and detailed visuals; however, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, while offering ample RAM, is less inclined for demanding engineering software and high-fidelity design work due to its integrated GPU and lower screen quality, though it does offer better portability and a quieter operating noise.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.5/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
6.0/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
292.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 has a brighter display with higher resolution, providing sharper images and better clarity, while the Dell Inspiron's display offers adequate viewing but at a lower sharpness. In engineering and design, the Asus' display covers a wider color gamut, ensuring more accurate color representation crucial for detailed work, whereas the Dell's display may not represent colors as precisely. However, when it comes to Gaming and 3D, the Asus falls short due to its lower refresh rate, making fast-paced visuals less smooth compared to laptops designed specifically for gaming that usually feature a higher refresh rate.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
6.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has very good 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
$2,499
$580
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a price of $2,499 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 costs $580.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for general use because it has a powerful Intel i9 CPU and high-end Nvidia GPU, ensuring smooth performance in a variety of tasks along with a high refresh rate display for crisp visuals, though its large size and weight make it less portable and it has only average battery life.
Software Development
7.5/10
7.3/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
7.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 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.
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How the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 compare to other laptops
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
"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 ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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