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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize saving money and are content with moderate performance for everyday tasks, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, being significantly less expensive, might be the better choice. However, the MSI Prestige 15, despite being more expensive, offers better performance with a stronger graphics card suitable for creative work, light gaming, and some engineering applications. The Dell's battery life is lower compared to the MSI, which means you'll need to charge it more often. Both have similar display qualities and sizes, but the MSI also has a better array of ports, making it more versatile for connecting various devices. 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
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has no clear advantages over the MSI Prestige 15.
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
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
60Hz
230.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 15 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has fair screen quality for general use due to a decent resolution and adequate brightness, but might lack impressive color accuracy and vibrancy needed for engineering and design tasks. The MSI Prestige 15 provides sharper visuals and a wider color gamut essential for professional design work, ensuring colors are represented accurately. However, both laptops have lower refresh rates, which is less ideal for 3D applications and gaming where smoother motion and rapid screen updates are crucial for the best experience.
Build Quality
6.2
7.4
The MSI Prestige 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
$1,044
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a price of $560 and the MSI Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
230.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and MSI Prestige 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.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.3
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
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
7.0/10
The MSI Prestige 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511, with its Intel Iris Xe graphics, can handle gaming and 3D tasks but is less powerful than the MSI Prestige 15's Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU, making the MSI better suited for these purposes despite both having the same screen refresh rate. While both have Full HD IPS displays, users should favor the MSI for screen quality due to its better color coverage, which enhances the visual experience in gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.2
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 are both good for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is equipped with a substantial amount of RAM, which is beneficial for heavy multitasking and demanding engineering applications, but falls short in GPU power compared to the MSI Prestige 15 which comes with a dedicated graphics card, better suiting tasks requiring advanced graphics processing like 3D rendering.
Content Creation
7.5
7.5
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and MSI Prestige 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
7.2
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and MSI Prestige 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.
Battery
6.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 15 has 7.5 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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 Prestige 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3511 | MSI Prestige 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$560 | $1,044 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 3.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 9.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 82 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 230 nits | 298 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 Prestige 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | December 2022
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 or the MSI Prestige 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 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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