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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is a more budget-friendly option with respectable performance for typical tasks and everyday use, offering lightweight software needs and reasonable portability. Conversely, the Lenovo Legion 5 15" is tailored for those with a higher budget seeking substantial performance for activities such as gaming, 3D work, and engineering software, thanks to its powerful graphics capabilities and high-refresh display, at the expense of increased weight and possibly reduced battery life due to its performance-oriented hardware. Choose the Dell if cost and portability are key, and the Lenovo if performance for advanced tasks and gaming is a priority. 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 portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 5 15"
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate which is ideal for smoother gaming and 3D rendering, compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 which has an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard refresh rate, making it less optimal for demanding graphical tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.2
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a solid CPU and ample RAM for engineering tasks, along with greater storage, but its integrated GPU and less vibrant display limit its design capabilities. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5 15" boasts a stronger CPU, superior GPU for graphic-intensive applications, and a higher-quality screen, although it is heavier and less portable.
Screen Quality
6.0
8.0
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
230.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" 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's screen offers a decent visual experience due to its adequate resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing. Engineering and design professionals may find the Dell's screen lacking, as its color accuracy doesn't fully cover the higher-end color gamuts, which are crucial for detailed and color-critical work. Gamers and those into 3D should note that the Lenovo Legion's superior refresh rate, resolution, and panel type provide smoother and more immersive visuals, although the color gamut is less of a focus here than in professional design applications.
Battery
6.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 15" has 4 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
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.6
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" 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
$999
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a price of $560 and the Lenovo Legion 5 15" costs $999.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
230.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Lenovo Legion 5 15" are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.5
7.4
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Lenovo Legion 5 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
7.3
7.3
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Lenovo Legion 5 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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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and the Lenovo Legion 5 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3511 | Lenovo Legion 5 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$560 | $999 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 10.3'' x 0.95'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 5.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 10.33" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 60 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 230 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
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."
Lenovo Legion 5 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | September 2021
"The Lenovo Legion 5 15 is an affordable gaming laptop with a lot of power. The new AMD processor Ryzen 7 5800H offers plenty of performance and it is also very efficient. The combination with the fast 130W version of the GeForce RTX 3060 ensures high gaming performance. We also like the fast 165 Hz display with the 1080p resolution. The automatic graphics switching causes some problems with stutters, which are very annoying. If you do not need long battery runtimes, you should definitely deactivate the hybrid graphics mode in Lenovo's Vantage app. The Legion 5 15 is never silent."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 or the Lenovo Legion 5 15"
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.
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