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Updated January 12, 2024·
If price is a major consideration and your activities mostly involve everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and video streaming, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 may offer all you need at a more affordable price. However, if you require a laptop for more demanding actions such as gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the MSI Katana 17, while more expensive, would provide better performance suitable for these purposes. Remember, the MSI will also generally have a larger display and possibly better build quality, but it may be less portable and have shorter battery life than the Dell. 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 MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for gaming and 3D because it has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, which provides smoother visuals in fast-paced games. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is considered fair for these purposes due to its less powerful Intel Iris Xe graphics and a lower screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, which may not handle demanding games and 3D applications as effectively.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.4
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
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.
Screen Quality
6.0
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
230.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 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 offers suitable brightness and resolution for everyday tasks, but its limited color gamut and lower refresh rate may not satisfy the precise color needs for engineering and design or provide the smooth visuals desired in gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Katana 17's higher-quality display supports better general viewing experiences with good brightness and clarity, though it may fall short in providing the wide color gamut professionals require for engineering and design work. Finally, for gaming and 3D scenarios where the fluid motion of high refresh rates is essential, both laptops may not offer the optimal experience due to their lower refresh rates, even though the MSI's superior panel quality provides a marginal advantage.
Battery
6.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 17 has 3 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
17.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.2
The MSI Katana 17 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
$580
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a price of $580 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
230.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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
7.8
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 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
7.5
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 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 MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3511 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 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 | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
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 | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 6.2/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
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 Katana 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"The MSI Katana 17 B13V laptop impressed us in its main area of competency - gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 ensures high-performance levels which can compete with the previous generation's RTX 3070 Ti. In addition to the speedy GPU, the MSI comes with a 144 Hz display as well as an RGB keyboard and provides a very good typing experience. Despite the power at hand, the laptop remains comparatively cool."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 or the MSI Katana 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 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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