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Updated January 12, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 comes down to your priorities. The Inspiron 14 5420 offers more power with a higher-end processor and dedicated graphics, making it suitable for intensive tasks and light gaming, but this comes with a higher price tag. Meanwhile, the larger Inspiron 15 3511 with its integrated graphics and lesser processing power is more budget-friendly and better for general use or for tasks that don't require as much computing power. The Inspiron 14 5420's smaller size and lower weight also make it more portable, whereas the Inspiron 15 3511's larger screen could be more comfortable for long work sessions or consuming media. Both models should provide a similar battery life experience. Consider your need for performance against your budget to make the right choice. 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 Inspiron 14 5420
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 5420.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
6.0
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
279.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and 15 3511 provide screens that are suitable in terms of resolution and brightness, but they may not stand out for clarity or vibrancy. In engineering and design tasks, while these laptops offer fair resolution, they likely fall short on delivering the wider color gamuts professionals need for accurate color work. When it comes to gaming and 3D, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may lead to less smooth visuals, which can be a drawback for fast-paced games and detailed 3D rendering.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
6.2
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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
$971
$580
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has a price of $971 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 costs $580.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.6
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
279.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is well-suited for general use due to its balance of a high-quality display, strong CPU performance, substantial RAM, and a decent GPU in a portable and lightweight design with good battery life. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, while also good for general use, offers a larger screen and more storage capacity, complemented by a considerable amount of RAM, but has a lower-tier CPU and integrated graphics, which may affect performance in more demanding tasks; however, it's slightly less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.2
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is equipped with an Nvidia MX570 graphics card and a 60Hz screen refresh rate which offers respectable gaming and 3D capabilities considering its class; however, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics card with the same screen refresh rate, suggesting that while it can handle gaming to an extent, its graphics performance is limited compared to dedicated GPUs like the MX570.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for engineering and design.
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.
Content Creation
7.5
7.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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
7.4
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 5420 | Dell Inspiron 15 3511 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$971 | $580 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 279 nits | 230 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 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 | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 14 5420
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Dig into reviews and images
Smarthouse
Nick Ross | March 2023
"If laptops were food, then the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is arguably a Big Mac. There are cheaper and more expensive options, but this arguably represents the baseline of quality and value in the world of mobile computing… something that’s underlined by the attractive $1,279 price tag."
Dell Inspiron 15 3511
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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 Inspiron 14 5420 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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