A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming or intensive tasks such as 3D modeling and prefer stronger performance despite a higher price, the Dell G15 with its more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card is suitable, but it's heavier and not as portable. On the other hand, if you're looking for a more affordable and lightweight option for general use, like web browsing and office applications, with longer battery life and a touchscreen, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 would suffice, though it has less storage, a less powerful processor and graphics, and is not suited for intensive gaming or demanding software applications. 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 G15 5520
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
251.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Dell G15 5520 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for general use, though the Dell G15 5520 is somewhat better.
The Dell G15 5520 excels in general use due to its superior CPU and RAM, which ensure swift and smooth performance, along with a higher quality screen for a better viewing experience; it also offers ample storage and effective heat management. In comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is rated as fair for general use mainly because it lags in CPU and RAM, resulting in adequate but slower performance, and while it’s more portable due to lighter weight, the battery life and screen quality don’t match the Dell, impacting the overall experience.
Gaming and AI
7.7
5.9
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Dell G15 5520 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
The Dell G15 5520 is equipped with a higher-end Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which are more conducive to smoother gaming and 3D rendering experiences, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a more modest AMD Ryzen 3 7330U Vega 6 integrated graphics and a standard 60 Hz screen refresh rate, making it less suited for intensive graphics tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell G15 5520 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is only fair.
The Dell G15 5520 is better for engineering and design use because it has a more powerful CPU and GPU, and double the RAM of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, which is crucial for demanding tasks like engineering simulations and 3D modeling. The Dell's premium internals are suited for intensive workloads but at the cost of heavier weight and less portability compared to the lighter Lenovo, which offers sufficient performance for less demanding engineering tasks.
Content Creation
7.9
7.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell G15 5520 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for content creation, though the Dell G15 5520 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.
Screen Quality
7.1
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
251.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Dell G15 5520 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering general use, the Dell G15 5520's higher resolution and brightness offer clearer and more vivid visuals, which are less prominent on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3. For engineering and design, the Dell G15 5520 provides wider color gamuts ensuring more accurate color representation, an area where the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 falls short. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate of the Dell G15 5520's screen can result in less fluid motion compared to displays designed for these purposes, despite the lower capabilities of the Lenovo in this regard as well.
Battery
6.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell G15 5520 has 6 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has 10 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
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has good portability, while the Dell G15 5520 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.5
The Dell G15 5520 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$390
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell G15 5520 has a price of $1,000 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 costs $390.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.5
7.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell G15 5520 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell G15 5520 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell G15 5520 | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $390 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.7'' x 1.06'' | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.55 lbs | 3.52 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.06" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.74" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | AMD Ryzen 3 7330U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 47 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 | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 251 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell G15 5520
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | April 2023
"The Dell G15 (2022) is a 15.6-inch budget gaming laptop, and is great for gaming. You can configure the laptop with powerful Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and various NVIDIA dedicated GPUs, all of which deliver a smooth gaming experience at 1080p. There's also a QHD 240Hz display option if you want better visuals, though you'll have to pair it with the top-end NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti to get good frame rates. It doesn't get overly hot or loud under load, and there's no noticeable throttling on the CPU or GPU. Unfortunately, the 120Hz panel has a slow response time, causing noticeable ghosting, and it doesn't support variable refresh rate."
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Get a great deal on the Dell G15 5520 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
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.
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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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About the laptop team
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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
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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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.
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