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Updated January 12, 2024· Prices updated 24 hours ago
If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 can save you some money while still offering reliable performance for general computing needs. However, the Dell Inspiron 16 5635, although often somewhat more expensive, provides a larger, higher resolution screen which can improve your viewing experience, particularly if you're into multimedia or require more screen real estate for multitasking. It also features a newer processor that could deliver better performance for more demanding tasks or casual gaming. The Inspiron 16 5635 also offers slightly better battery life. In terms of portability, the Inspiron 15 is lighter and may be easier to carry around. Consider the Inspiron 16 5635 if you prioritize screen size, better performance and longer battery life over cost savings and portability. 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 15 3511
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 16 5635.
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5635
- Very good for general use
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.0
6.6
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
230.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you're focused on everyday tasks like browsing, watching videos, or office work, both the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Inspiron 16 5635 should suffice with their modest resolution and brightness, but you'll find better options if top-notch display quality is a priority. For engineering and design, color accuracy and a wide color gamut are crucial; these laptops, providing just fair color coverage, are adequate for casual design work but professionals may seek out displays with more precise color representation. For gaming or 3D work, where smooth motion is key, neither model excels due to their lackluster refresh rates, meaning avid gamers or 3D developers should consider models with faster screens.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has 8 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.
Build Quality
6.2
7.0
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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
$560
$700
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a price of $560 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 costs $700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
230.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5635 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is very good for general use primarily because it features a more powerful CPU, which offers better overall performance, and it provides a higher-resolution screen with a larger battery, enhancing the user experience and longevity away from an outlet. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, while still good for general use, offers less power in terms of CPU performance, a lower screen resolution and smaller battery, but is lighter and thus slightly more portable.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.3
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 are both fair for gaming and 3D because they have GPUs that provide modest graphics performance, suitable for less demanding games and 3D applications; however, neither have high screen refresh rates, limiting their ability to deliver smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios. While the Inspiron 15 3511 has a screen with a lower pixel density, making it less sharp than the Inspiron 16 5635, both laptops have average CPU performance which somewhat impacts complex tasks and multitasking.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.3
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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
7.9
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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
7.7
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3511 | Dell Inspiron 16 5635 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$560 | $700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.72'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 4.19 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 9.92" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 230 nits | 265 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 15 3511
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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."
Dell Inspiron 16 5635
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UltrabookReview
Derek Sullivan | January 2023
"Compared to the previous year’s Inspiron, Dell upgraded the screen aspect ratio on this generation, but also transitioned to a more minimalistic centered keyboard flanked by up-firing speakers. The 16-inch screen is huge plus and I really appreciate the extra real estate without sacrificing the footprint much. This year’s model is a little larger than last, though, as the former model was already very small for a 15 incher."
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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.
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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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