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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming or graphics-intensive tasks and don't mind spending more, the MSI GF65 Thin with its superior graphics capabilities is your best bet, but keep in mind it's heavier and might not have as much battery life as more energy-efficient models. On the other hand, for everyday use like browsing, office work, or if you're budget-conscious, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 offers a balance of adequate performance and value, with added advantages of longer battery life and better portability due to its lighter weight. However, it won't handle intensive tasks as well as the MSI. 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 general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6
6.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
230.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 excels in general use due to its ample RAM and solid CPU suited for everyday tasks, coupled with a good screen quality suitable for typical use, long battery life, and a lightweight design for easy portability. In comparison, the MSI GF65 Thin, while also featuring a capable CPU for general tasks, is held back by its lower RAM, which may impede multitasking, and has a less impressive battery life and portability, which could be limiting factors for users needing mobility or long hours away from power sources.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GF65 Thin and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI GF65 Thin is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has an integrated Intel graphics card which is less suited for high-end gaming and 3D tasks compared to the MSI GF65 Thin's Nvidia RTX 3060 which excels at these tasks, and despite having a quality display, the Inspiron's 60Hz refresh rate is notably lower than the GF65’s 144Hz, considerably affecting gaming smoothness and responsiveness.
Content Creation
7.5
6.8
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.3
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin 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
6.0
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
230.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for software development, and content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and MSI GF65 Thin have screens that are adequate due to acceptable resolution and brightness, but they may not stand out against higher-end laptops with sharper displays or brighter panels. When it comes to engineering and design, the same laptops may fall short since professionals often require a broader color range to ensure precise color work, which these laptops do not prioritize. Gamers and those engaged with 3D applications will find the refresh rates on these laptops lacking, which can affect the smoothness of fast-paced visuals, even though their resolutions and panel types are serviceable for moderate use.
Battery
6.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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.
Build Quality
6.2
6.7
The MSI GF65 Thin and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 both have only fair build quality, though the MSI GF65 Thin has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$560
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a price of $560 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
7.0
6.7
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
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 MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is tailored for engineering and design due to its ample RAM and solid CPU which accommodate multitasking and complex applications, but the GPU is less suited for demanding graphics tasks compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, which boasts a powerful GPU suitable for high-end design work but comes with less RAM, potentially limiting multitasking performance.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and MSI GF65 Thin 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 MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3511 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$560 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 230 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
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."
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 or the MSI GF65 Thin
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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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