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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024· Prices updated 24 hours ago
For general usage, the Dell G15 5520 and MSI Cyborg 15 both offer solid performance with adequate displays. If you need more storage out of the box and slightly better battery life for tasks that aren't too demanding, the Dell may be a better choice despite it being heavier, which impacts portability. On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15, while having less storage and RAM, comes with a more recent GPU which could be better for gaming, 3D rendering, and some engineering applications. It's also lighter, making it more portable, and has a slightly better battery life, making it more suitable for on-the-go use. The MSI might have an edge in the latest gaming titles or more intensive 3D tasks, but for many engineering applications or general use, the differences may not be significant, especially if you value having more initial storage space with the Dell. 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 overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
251.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Dell G15 5520 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for general use, though the Dell G15 5520 is somewhat better.
The Dell G15 5520 offers robust general use capabilities with a strong CPU, ample RAM for multitasking, and a high-quality IPS screen, although it's less portable with a shorter battery life compared to the MSI Cyborg 15, which also has a solid processor and a good screen but comes with less RAM and storage, while being lighter and offering a longer battery life for better on-the-go use. Both laptops provide quality keyboards and manage heat effectively, but the Dell has a slight edge in speaker quality, making it a better choice for multimedia tasks, whereas the MSI's superior portability and battery life may appeal more to users frequently working away from a power source.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell G15 5520 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The Dell G15 5520 is considered very good for engineering and design due to its high-performance CPU, ample RAM, powerful GPU, and good screen quality, making it an excellent choice for demanding tasks, although it is less portable and has a somewhat louder operating noise. In comparison, the MSI Cyborg 15 is also suitable for engineering and design with a strong CPU and GPU, but it has less RAM and storage which may limit multitasking and data-intensive work, though it benefits from greater portability and quieter operation.
Screen Quality
7.1
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
251.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Dell G15 5520 has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell G15 5520's display offers high resolution and brightness, making it sharp and easy to view for general use and detailed tasks like engineering, but its lower refresh rate limits its appeal for fast-paced 3D games. The MSI Cyborg 15 provides a decent visual experience for general purposes and engineering work, with acceptable resolution and adequate color representation, but its screen may not be as vibrant as needed for high-end design tasks. Both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D activities due to less emphasized refresh rates, which can impair the smoothness and responsiveness critical in these scenarios.
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell G15 5520 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 has 7.5 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
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Cyborg 15 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
6.7
The Dell G15 5520 has good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 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
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell G15 5520 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.7
7.2
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell G15 5520 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
It appears there are issues with the tool that prevent me from providing the specific reasons why the Dell G15 5520 and MSI Cyborg 15 are considered good for gaming and 3D. Normally, I would access detailed specifications and reviews about both laptops' GPUs, screen refresh rates, CPUs, and screen quality to give a precise explanation. Without this information, I recommend looking at reliable tech review websites or product specifications for accurate descriptions of their gaming and 3D capabilities.
Content Creation
7.9
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell G15 5520 and MSI Cyborg 15 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
7.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell G15 5520 and MSI Cyborg 15 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 MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell G15 5520 | MSI Cyborg 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.7'' x 1.06'' | 14.2'' x 9.9'' x 0.9'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.55 lbs | 4.37 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.06" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.74" | 9.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 53.5 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 251 nits | 234 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
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 | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell G15 5520
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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."
MSI Cyborg 15
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NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | April 2023
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Dell G15 5520 or the MSI Cyborg 15
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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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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