The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is more budget-friendly, lighter, and offers moderate performance suitable for general use; however, it has lower storage capacity and is less powerful for demanding tasks like 3D rendering or engineering software. The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is pricier but provides significantly better performance for intensive gaming, 3D, machine learning, and engineering work due to its higher storage, more RAM, and a superior graphics card. It also has a larger screen but is heavier and less portable. Choose the Dell for everyday tasks at a lower cost, or the Gigabyte for high-end performance and specialized applications, at the expense of portability and cost. 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 Aorus 17
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very 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 speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9/10
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with lower RAM and a less powerful Intel i3 CPU, offers fair performance for general use, and its lighter weight and smaller screen make it more portable, but it has shorter battery life. Meanwhile, the Gigabyte Aorus 17, although heavier and less portable, offers good performance for general use due to its higher RAM and more capable Intel i7 CPU, alongside a better battery life and higher quality screen.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
8.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with an Intel UHD Graphics GPU and a moderately high screen refresh rate, offers a fair gaming experience that can be suitable for casual gaming, whereas the Gigabyte Aorus 17, with its high-performance Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a much higher screen refresh rate, provides a more immersive and smoother gaming experience, apt for more serious gamers and demanding 3D tasks. Both laptops have quality IPS screens, but the superior CPU in the Aorus also contributes to its better capability for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.3/10
8.4/10
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 Aorus 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is equipped with an Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics, which may handle basic engineering tasks but struggles with demanding design software, reflected in its fair performance for engineering and design use. In contrast, the Gigabyte Aorus 17 boasts a more powerful Intel i7 processor and a high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card, making it very good for such tasks due to superior computing and rendering capabilities.
Content Creation
7.0/10
8.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 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
6.7/10
7.5/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 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
6.8/10
8.0/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with its fair screen quality, offers acceptable resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing, but it lacks the wide color gamuts necessary for accurate color work in engineering and design. The Gigabyte Aorus 17 provides a good combination of resolution and color accuracy, making it a strong contender for professionals who require precise color representation for engineering and design. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications due to their poor refresh rates, which are key for smooth motion and a responsive experience.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
7.4/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 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
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $335 and the Gigabyte Aorus 17 costs $1,700.
"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."
"The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is a powerful high-end gaming machine. The Aorus 17 is a potent gaming notebook in a 17.3-inch format designed for FHD gaming at maximum settings. A Core i7-12700H processor and GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU make this possible. A lightning-fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the necessary storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Aorus 17 XE4, Gigabyte delivers a well-rounded, high-performance gaming notebook."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the Gigabyte Aorus 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 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.
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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