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Updated January 10, 2024·
Let me help you compare the two laptops. The ASUS Vivobook 15 typically offers better performance, which is ideal if you plan on doing more intensive tasks like video editing or gaming. However, you'll pay more for that capability. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, while possibly less powerful, might compensate with better battery life and could be a good fit if you prioritize a laptop for general use like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption. Assessing portability, both are similar in size, but specific models can vary in weight, so if ease of carrying is crucial, compare the weights. Finally, your decision should align with your needs: higher performance and willingness to spend more may steer you towards ASUS, while prioritizing cost savings and sufficient functionality for everyday tasks might make the Dell more appealing. 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 Vivobook 15
- Good overall build quality
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
- Good for content creation
Key differences
Content Creation
6.4
7.0
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
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
6.3
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering screen quality for general use, both the ASUS Vivobook 15 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offer displays with resolutions and brightness levels that are adequate for everyday tasks like browsing and document editing, but won't stand out for crispness or vibrancy. For engineering and design, where accurate color representation is crucial, neither laptop's display covers the professional color gamuts such as DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB extensively, which might not satisfy professionals who need precise color fidelity for their work. In the realm of gaming and 3D applications, the refresh rate, which dictates how fluid motion appears on screen, is not the strong suit of these laptops, and combined with only moderate resolution and panel quality, they do not deliver the premium experience desired for high-end gaming or smooth 3D rendering.
Build Quality
7.0
6.2
The ASUS Vivobook 15 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.
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Key similarities
General Use
6.5
6.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and ASUS Vivobook 15 are both only fair for general use.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 have similar processors and RAM, making them equally capable for general use; the Dell offers more storage but both laptops have fair screen quality and are equally portable with reasonable battery life. While the ASUS has slightly better build quality and heat management, the Dell boasts a higher screen refresh rate, potentially making for smoother visuals, and both have good keyboards but only fair speaker quality, with heat management being excellent on the Dell.
Gaming and AI
5.9
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 15 3520 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both fair for gaming and 3D because they share an identical GPU and a CPU that is somewhat capable for these tasks. However, the Dell has a much higher screen refresh rate, which is crucial for a smoother visual gaming experience, whereas the ASUS has a standard refresh rate, which is less ideal for fast-paced games.
Engineering and Design
6.1
6.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and ASUS Vivobook 15 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520, both equipped with Intel i3-1215U processors, identical graphics, and 8GB of RAM, offer comparable CPU and GPU capabilities for engineering and design tasks, but the ASUS's slightly lower screen brightness and color space coverage may affect display quality for detailed visual work. While both are similarly portable with 15.6-inch screens and weigh under 4 pounds, the ASUS has room for storage upgrades but a lower quality build and speaker performance compared to the Dell, factors that could influence user experience during long use sessions.
Software Development
6.5
6.7
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and ASUS Vivobook 15 are both only fair 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
6.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 15 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Vivobook 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$339
$322
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
$450
$500
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has a price of $339 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 costs $322.
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How the ASUS Vivobook 15 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Vivobook 15 | Dell Inspiron 15 3520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$339 | $322 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.2'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.75 lbs | 3.65 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.15" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i3-1215U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 42 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
ASUS Vivobook 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck, | April 2022
"The Asus VivoBook 15 is a quiet office notebook with a strong screen. However, the VivoBook 15 still has room for improvement. Office and internet applications as well as simple games do not pose any major challenges for the VivoBook - this is ensured by the built-in combination of Ryzen 7 5700U APU and 16 GB of RAM. Heat and noise emissions are acceptable. But, the laptop has weaknesses that should not be present at this level: lack of keyboard lighting, a slow memory card reader, no fast USB-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt 4) with Power Delivery and DisplayPort. Battery runtimes can only be described as average."
Dell Inspiron 15 3520
See more
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 Vivobook 15 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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