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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is more expensive and offers better performance with more storage and RAM, suitable for intensive tasks like engineering and 3D/machine learning. It also has better battery life and portability due to its smaller size and is equipped with a touchscreen. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is less expensive with a larger screen but lower refresh rate, and less power for demanding tasks due to less RAM and a lower-tier processor. It lacks a touchscreen and has a shorter battery life, but it's more budget-friendly and suitable for general use. 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 7425
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 7425.
Key differences
General Use
7.5
6.9
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
260.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 performs better generally due to its higher-end CPU, ample RAM ensuring smoother multitasking, a superior screen with higher pixel density and brightness, and better portability with a longer battery life. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, while affordable, compromises on CPU performance, has half the RAM which may limit multitasking, and features a lower battery capacity, although it has a larger screen which could be preferable for some users but does not offer the same level of portability or screen quality.
Engineering and Design
6.9
6.3
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for engineering and design, though the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is better suited for engineering and design tasks due to its stronger AMD Ryzen CPU, double the RAM for multitasking, and a superior GPU for rendering tasks, alongside a higher resolution and better screen quality for detailed work.
Software Development
7.3
6.7
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
260.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for software development, and content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and 15 3520 offer fair screen quality because their resolution and brightness levels are adequate for daily tasks like web browsing and document editing, but the panel type may not provide the most vivid colors or wide viewing angles. In the context of engineering and design, both may fall short due to less than ideal color coverage of industry standards like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, affecting the accuracy of color-sensitive work. When it comes to gaming and 3D, their screens are likely less appropriate due to lower refresh rates which can lead to less smooth visuals in fast-paced scenes.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.2
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$800
$325
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has a price of $800 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 costs $325.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Content Creation
7.3
7.0
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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.
Battery
7.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 7425 | Dell Inspiron 15 3520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$800 | $325 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.61 lbs | 3.65 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i3-1215U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 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 | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 260 nits | 259 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 14 7425
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Jared Newman | December 2021
"Overall, this Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 offers a lot to like, especially at its oft-discounted price of $800. It’s a sturdy laptop with strong performance, a convertible touchscreen, loud speakers, and a convenient fingerprint reader. But the trade-offs you’ll make in pursuit of that lower price—most notably the dim display and stiff trackpad—might just keep you from outright loving it."
Dell Inspiron 15 3520
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | January 2023
"Dell's Inspiron 15 (3525) is a peppy-enough and affordable-enough home or remote work machine, but it's not very ambitious; it does little to go beyond the basics. More the concern: It’s readily overshadowed by a number of machines that outperform and outclass it. Even if the Inspiron can get the job done today, its competition has the mettle to keep doing the job tomorrow in a way the Inspiron simply can’t promise. Plus, those alternatives are much more enjoyable after work."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3520
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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