A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the ASUS TUF Gaming F16
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.5
6.9
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming F16 is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
7.9
6.0
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming F16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
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
8.2
6.3
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming F16 is very 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
7.6
7.0
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS TUF Gaming F16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both good for content creation, though the ASUS TUF Gaming F16 is somewhat better.
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
7.4
6.7
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming F16 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
7.6
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The ASUS TUF Gaming F16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
6.2
The ASUS TUF Gaming F16 has good 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
$1,699
$335
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS TUF Gaming F16 has a price of $1,699 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 costs $335.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming F16 has 6 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS TUF Gaming F16 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS TUF Gaming F16 | Dell Inspiron 15 3520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,699 | $335 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2024 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 1.11'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5 lbs | 3.65 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13650HX | Intel i3-1215U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 15 3520
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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. Plus, those alternatives are much more enjoyable after work."
Get a great deal on the ASUS TUF Gaming F16 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
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.
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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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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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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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