To help you decide between the ASUS Vivobook 16 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, consider your primary needs. If you value better screen real estate for multitasking or creativity tasks, the Vivobook's larger screen might be preferable. However, if you often carry your laptop around, the Inspiron may be lighter and more convenient. For high-performance tasks like gaming or video editing, you may favor the one with a more powerful processor and graphics card. Longer battery life is crucial for working on the go, so pick the model with stronger battery performance if you're away from power outlets frequently. Finally, ensure the chosen laptop has the right mix of ports and connectivity for your accessories and networking needs. 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 16
Good for engineering and design
Good overall build quality
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Vivobook 16.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.4/10
6.6/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
295.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, both the ASUS Vivobook 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 have displays that are sufficiently bright and clear, with decent resolution to handle everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing, but they might lack the superior brightness or higher resolution that premium laptops offer. For engineering and design, users may find the color representation adequate on these laptops, but professionals requiring precise color accuracy for critical work might prefer displays with wider color gamuts. In terms of 3D work and gaming, both laptops fall short due to modest refresh rates, which mean less fluid visuals compared to laptops designed specifically with higher refresh rates for these purposes.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
7.0/10
6.2/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The ASUS Vivobook 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both good for general use.
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
6.3/10
6.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1200
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
The ASUS Vivobook 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Vivobook 16, with its AMD GPU, provides decent graphical performance for gaming and 3D applications but has a standard screen refresh rate, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530's Intel GPU also supports fair gaming experiences and is complemented by a higher screen refresh rate for smoother visuals in dynamic scenes. However, the ASUS might deliver richer screen quality, which is beneficial for overall viewing experiences, but both are equally matched in terms of CPU capabilities, suggesting that for tasks not heavily dependent on the GPU, their performance would be comparable.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
6.9/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Vivobook 16 to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 16 stands out for engineering and design use because of its powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor and high RAM that can handle demanding software, alongside a generous screen size with high-quality IPS display improving visual clarity. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 also suits engineering needs with a capable Intel i5 processor and Iris Xe graphics, offering a balance of performance and a high contrast screen for detailed work, while being more portable and quieter in operation compared to the ASUS model.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.3/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Vivobook 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both good for content creation.
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
7.3/10
7.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and ASUS Vivobook 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$679
$722
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has a price of $679 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 costs $722.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Vivobook 16 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 compare to other laptops
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, Yannick Khong | May 2023
"The ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023) is a budget Windows laptop. It's available with various AMD Ryzen 5000 and 7000 U-series CPUs and integrated graphics. You can only get 8GB of RAM; however, there's an empty SO-DIMM slot if you want to upgrade it. It has an FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 16:10 IPS display, a full-size keyboard with a Numpad, a 720p webcam, and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity. Ports include three USB-As, one USB-C, an HDMI, and a headphone jack. The USB-C supports charging but no video output."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 16 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
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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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.
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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.
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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.