If you require a laptop with high performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15's higher price reflects its more powerful hardware, which will handle such tasks with more ease. However, if your usage is more oriented toward general tasks, such as browsing the web, using office applications, or streaming video, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 will likely be sufficient and more cost-effective. You also need to consider portability and battery life. A more powerful laptop like the ASUS will often be heavier and may have shorter battery life compared to a more basic model like the Dell, which could be lighter and last longer on a single charge. Consider what's more important for your daily needs: if power and performance take priority and budget is not a major concern, the ASUS is a strong choice; if you prefer a balance of decent performance, cost savings, and better portability, the Dell might be the better option for you. 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 Zenbook Pro 15
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15.
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
7.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for engineering and design, though the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
6.0/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
346.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 offers a high-resolution display with excellent brightness and a variety of colors, enhancing the experience for general use and professional tasks requiring precise color representation, like engineering and design. However, its lower refresh rate doesn't suit fast-paced gaming or 3D applications where smooth motion is critical. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, while providing sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and casual design work, lacks the color range and higher refresh rate necessary for specialized engineering software and immersive gaming experiences.
Battery
12.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has 12.5 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.
Build Quality
7.6/10
6.2/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has 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
$1,109
$580
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has a price of $1,109 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 costs $580.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 stands out for general use with its OLED screen providing vibrant colors and high contrast, coupled with a strong CPU and dedicated GPU that handle diverse tasks and enable light gaming. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 offers more storage and RAM for heavy multitasking, but with an IPS screen and integrated graphics, it sacrifices some display quality and gaming capability for a generally lower cost and lighter form, which contributes to its portability.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.2/10
4.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti graphics card and the screen refresh rate is standard at 60Hz. Both offer fair performance for gaming and 3D applications, with the ASUS having a more powerful dedicated GPU, which is very important for these tasks, and the Dell leveraging its integrated graphics, balancing cost and performance.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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
7.5/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 compare to other laptops
"The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 offers a strong CPU, chassis, and display. One of the most popular 15.6-inch prosumer or multimedia laptops out there is the Dell XPS 15. Thus, comparisons between it and the Asus Zenbook Pro 15 are inevitable. Asus has a couple of tricks up its sleeve that XPS users are still missing out on including 1080p OLED and an AMD Ryzen CPU which help separate the Zenbook Pro 15 from the XPS 15. It also integrates a numpad and a few more port options albeit at the cost of a larger chassis size."
"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 Zenbook Pro 15 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
97,995
Recommendations made
21,233
Consumer hours saved
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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
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.
Craig Russell
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.