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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If performance is a priority, especially for intense tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Gigabyte Aero 5 with its higher-end processor and dedicated graphics card is a better choice; however, it is more expensive and heavier, which might affect portability. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is more budget-friendly, lighter, and may suffice for general use or less demanding engineering applications but may fall short for more graphics-intensive applications or multitasking with its more modest internals. 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 3520
- Good portability
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aero 5
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
446.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a less powerful CPU and lower quality graphics, which can limit performance, especially with multitasking and media-rich activities, compared to the Gigabyte Aero 5 which features a high-end CPU and dedicated graphics, making it more suitable for demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.0
7.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aero 5 delivers a top-notch gaming and 3D experience mainly due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and superb screen quality, including its OLED display. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers a fair performance with its integrated Intel UHD Graphics, which is less suitable for intense graphic tasks, and a standard IPS screen with a lower refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
6.3
8.7
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aero 5 excels in engineering and design use with a superior CPU and GPU, double the memory, and a higher-resolution OLED screen providing vivid colors and contrast compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3520's basic CPU, integrated graphics, standard RAM capacity, and lower screen quality. However, the Inspiron offers better portability and quieter operating noise, which might appeal to those valuing mobility and a less intrusive work environment.
Content Creation
7.0
8.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Gigabyte Aero 5 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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
6.7
7.9
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 is good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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
6.8
8.6
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
446.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 5 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Gigabyte Aero 5's high resolution and brightness provide a crisp and vivid display, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers a serviceable viewing experience but lacks the sharpness and illumination that enhance everyday tasks. In engineering and design work, color accuracy is paramount; the Aero 5 shines with a wide color gamut, ensuring precision for detailed projects, while the Inspiron's color range is more limited, potentially affecting color-sensitive tasks. However, in gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, neither laptop excels as both have subpar refresh rates, impacting the fluidity of fast-paced visuals.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.8
The Gigabyte Aero 5 has good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$335
$1,250
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $335 and the Gigabyte Aero 5 costs $1,250.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.5 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aero 5 has 7 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the Gigabyte Aero 5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | Gigabyte Aero 5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$335 | $1,250 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 14'' x 10'' x 1.08'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 5.07 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 10" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 446 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 6.7/10 | |
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 | 8.5/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
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 3520
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | January 2023
"Dell's Inspiron 15 (3525) is a peppy-enough and affordable-enough home or remote work machine, but it's not very ambitious; it does little to go beyond the basics. More the concern: It’s readily overshadowed by a number of machines that outperform and outclass it. Even if the Inspiron can get the job done today, its competition has the mettle to keep doing the job tomorrow in a way the Inspiron simply can’t promise. Plus, those alternatives are much more enjoyable after work."
Gigabyte Aero 5
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Dig into reviews and images
The Tech Revolutionist
Zhi Cheng | May 2022
"It is unfortunate that the Gigabyte AERO notebook series have seem to lost its charm, as it’s not exactly any much different from the AORUS series now. Regardless, content creators and designers will certainly still appreciate the features on the AERO 5 XE4, which are fundamental to their work. This largely revolved around the notebook’s display, which is colour calibrated and validated, high resolution (4K) and with great AMOLED colour representation. Now that the AERO 5 XE4 has improved its performance with the latest CPU and GPU, the professionals can also appreciate the improved productivity from the notebook."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the Gigabyte Aero 5
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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