Choosing between the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" depends on your preferences for screen size, performance, and portability. The Dell Inspiron has a smaller 15.6-inch screen, making it more portable, while the Lenovo has a larger 17.3-inch display for more comfortable viewing and multitasking. The Inspiron is equipped with an Intel processor and integrated graphics, suitable for general use and light productivity tasks. The Lenovo has an AMD Ryzen processor with Vega graphics, which may offer better performance for more demanding applications and multimedia use. The Lenovo also has a slightly larger battery, potentially offering longer usage times away from power outlets, but it's also heavier than the Dell. Both come with Windows 11 and are similarly priced, so consider whether a larger screen and potential performance boost outweigh the need for easier portability when making your decision. 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
Good for engineering and design
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 15 3511.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.0/10
6.7/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
230.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
If you prioritize a quality display for everyday tasks and engineering work, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 with its higher resolution and brightness provides a more pleasant visual experience and more accurate colors for design purposes. However, for gaming and 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal due to their screens' lower refresh rates, which can result in less fluid motion and responsiveness. Between the two, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 might fall short in display quality across all uses, offering a basic experience suitable for undemanding tasks but not for color-critical work or immersive gaming.
Battery
6.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 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
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" both have good portability, though the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$784
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a price of $580 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" costs $784.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good for general use due to its ample RAM that enhances multitasking, solid-state drive offering quicker data access, and a decent processor; it's lighter and has a reasonably bright screen, but its battery life is moderate.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
6.6/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 15 3511 to be good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 offers higher performance suited for engineering and design work, with more RAM and a powerful CPU and integrated GPU, coupled with a high-quality display. Whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a larger screen that may benefit design work, but it has less RAM and a less potent CPU and integrated GPU, which may limit performance for engineering applications.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.4/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
7.3/10
7.2/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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.
Build Quality
6.2/10
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 both have only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" defies expectations. Indeed, it is just a minor upgrade over last year. However, this doesn’t make the laptop any less terrific. It’s got a great performance, courtesy of the Ryzen 5x25U processors. In addition, you get a pretty good battery life. Perhaps, the 2-hour decrease in video playback, compared to last year is not great, but still, 10 hours of Web browsing and 7 hours of video playback is okay for 17-inch notebooks."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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.
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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