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Updated January 16, 2024·
If you need robust performance for gaming or engineering software, the Dell Alienware m15 R7, with its superior graphics card and powerful processor, is well-suited, yet it's less portable due to its weight and shorter battery life. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, while more affordable and lighter, making it easier to carry around, provides modest performance that suffices for general use cases but may struggle with more demanding tasks. The Inspiron also generally offers a longer battery life, which is convenient for on-the-go usage. 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 Dell Alienware m15 R7
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8
6.2
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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
7.0
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 excels in engineering and design uses due to its robust CPU and GPU, which contribute to superior performance in demanding tasks, as well as a high-quality screen that offers crisp images with excellent color coverage.
Screen Quality
8.2
6.0
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Alienware m15 R7 likely boasts higher resolution and brightness, making images and text sharper and easier to view for general use and detailed engineering tasks, while also offering a wider color range for precision in design work. The Inspiron 15 3511, with fair screen quality, may have a lower resolution and reduced brightness, which is acceptable for everyday tasks and less complex engineering designs but less optimal for color-critical work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the Alienware's screen falls short due to a lower refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth motion, while the resolution and panel type only partially compensate for this drawback.
Battery
5.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 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.
Portability
Fair
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
6.2
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
$2,200
$580
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a price of $2,200 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 costs $580.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.6
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is well-suited for general use due to its high-quality screen, powerful CPU, and considerable amount of RAM, although it is less portable and has fair battery life, which may not be ideal for on-the-go usage. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, while not as high-performing, offers a balanced blend of good screen quality, adequate CPU performance, and battery life, combined with excellent portability, making it a versatile option for everyday tasks.
Content Creation
7.5
7.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
7.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
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How the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m15 R7 | Dell Inspiron 15 3511 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,200 | $580 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.73" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 230 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m15 R7
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | October 2022
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
Dell Inspiron 15 3511
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Zachary Cuevas | November 2021
"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 Dell Alienware m15 R7 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
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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