The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14.
Advantages of the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14
Very good for general use
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 is better for gaming and 3D applications because it comes with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card that outperforms the integrated graphics in the Dell Inspiron 15 3511. Additionally, the Lenovo has a higher screen refresh rate, which offers smoother visuals essential for gaming, compared to the Dell's standard refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
7.7/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for engineering and design, though the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511, with its ample RAM and integrated Iris Xe graphics, is suitable for engineering and design tasks that require multitasking and moderate graphics processing, but has a lower screen resolution and less color accuracy compared to the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14, which offers higher screen quality and a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU for more demanding design work. While both laptops provide substantial computing power, users needing more portability and superior screen features might prefer the Lenovo, although it comes with less RAM, which could affect performance when running multiple applications simultaneously.
Screen Quality
6.0/10
7.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
230.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
334.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511's screen may not offer the high resolution or the brightness that many users look for in a laptop for everyday tasks, while its limited color gamut can make it less suitable for precise engineering and design work. The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14, on the other hand, boasts a higher-quality display with better resolution and brightness, making it more comfortable for general use and capable of more accurate color reproduction for professional design tasks. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications due to their displays' lower refresh rates, which means they are not ideal for the smooth visuals typically desired in these scenarios.
Battery
6.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has 12 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
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.5in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
7.8/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 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
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a price of $560 and the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 costs $1,200.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is well-suited for general use with a capable CPU, plenty of RAM, and a standard screen, though it's heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less portable than the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14. The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 offers a superior screen with higher resolution and brightness, a powerful CPU, and excellent battery life, enhancing its portability and making it very good for varied tasks.
Content Creation
7.5/10
8.0/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
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
7.8/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 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 15 3511 and the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 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 Slim Pro 7 is an attractive, portable laptop that’s ideal if you need a combination of CPU and GPU performance. It also nails the fundamentals with solid connectivity, an enjoyable keyboard, a large touchpad, and top-notch webcam. Display quality is a weakness, but it’s an acceptable compromise for the laptop’s extremely competitive $1,199 MSRP. The Slim Pro 7 is a versatile, affordable laptop and hard to beat for the price."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 or the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14
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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Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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Laptops Expert
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