A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Updated March 21, 2024·
If you're looking for a budget-friendly laptop for everyday tasks like browsing the internet, working on documents, and streaming content, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 will suit your needs without breaking the bank. On the other hand, if you need a high-performance machine for demanding applications like 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI Titan 18 HX offers significantly more power at a higher cost. The MSI will also be bulkier and heavier, making it less convenient for travel, while the Dell provides better portability and likely longer battery life for on-the-go usage. 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 Titan 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
230.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511, with adequate CPU and RAM, presents a cost-effective option for everyday tasks, offering reasonable screen quality and battery life, making it fairly portable and suitable for general use. The MSI Titan 18 HX, however, with its superior CPU and larger RAM, excels in handling more demanding applications and provides an enhanced screen experience, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life, making it ideal for power users who prioritize performance over convenience.
Gaming and AI
6.2
9.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511, with its moderate GPU and standard screen refresh rate, offers an entry-level experience suitable for casual gaming and basic 3D applications. In contrast, the MSI Titan 18 HX, equipped with a high-end GPU and a superior screen refresh rate, delivers a top-tier gaming and 3D performance, catering to enthusiasts and professionals who need exceptional speed and visual fidelity, albeit at a higher price and with less portability.
Engineering and Design
7.0
9.9
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511, while adequate for engineering tasks, may fall short in performance when compared to the MSI Titan 18 HX, which boasts a more robust CPU, RAM, and GPU, offering smoother and faster handling of demanding design software. However, the MSI's superior screen and power come at the cost of portability, and it may be bulkier and louder, whereas the Inspiron offers a more balanced experience with better portability and a quieter operation.
Content Creation
7.5
9.0
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent 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
8.9
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
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
9.2
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
230.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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 a screen with adequate resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks, but it may lack the color fidelity and vibrancy needed for professional design work. The MSI Titan 18 HX, with its superior display, showcases detailed and vibrant colors, meeting the critical needs of engineering and design professionals who require accurate color representation. However, both laptops’ screens fall short for gaming and 3D applications due to lower refresh rates, which could lead to less smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios where higher refresh rates are crucial.
Battery
6.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The MSI Titan 18 HX has very 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
$4,949
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has a price of $560 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,949.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and the MSI Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3511 | MSI Titan 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$560 | $4,949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 7.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 15.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 12.08" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 128 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 4096 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 230 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 5.1/10 | |
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 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 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 Titan 18 HX
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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