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Updated January 12, 2024·
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is a budget-friendly option with an adequate processor and sufficient memory for everyday tasks. It offers a balance between cost and functionality, making it an economical choice. If you prioritize a sharper display and better overall performance, the HP Pavilion 15 may be worth the higher price, offering more storage space and improved memory, which can handle more demanding applications smoothly. The HP also has a slightly better battery life, which could be important if you often use your laptop on the go. However, the Dell's lower cost could be a deciding factor if budget is a primary concern and you're satisfied with a moderate level of performance for daily activities like browsing and document editing. 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 battery life
Advantages of the HP Pavilion 15
- Good for general use
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.8
5.3
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers decent screen features that suffice for routine tasks but the limited color range and lower brightness may not satisfy engineers or designers who need vivid, accurate colors for their work. In comparison, the HP Pavilion 15's screen, which is also not very bright and has a limited color palette, falls short even for general browsing or document editing, which can make for a less enjoyable everyday experience. For gaming or 3D applications where visuals are vital, both models are less ideal due to their lacking refresh rates, meaning they may not provide the smooth and responsive visuals that fast-paced or high-detail content requires.
Battery
6.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The HP Pavilion 15 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.
Cost
$335
$600
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $335 and the HP Pavilion 15 costs $600.
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Key similarities
General Use
6.9
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Pavilion 15 to be good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
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
6.0
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The HP Pavilion 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
6.3
6.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and HP Pavilion 15 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers a full HD IPS screen which is beneficial for design clarity, but it is equipped with a less powerful i3 CPU and only 8GB of RAM, making it less ideal for demanding engineering applications compared to the HP Pavilion 15, which has a larger amount of storage space and double the RAM for multitasking and complex projects, albeit with a lower-resolution TN screen that may not render colors as accurately. Both laptops have integrated graphics and are similarly portable with reasonable keyboards and speakers, but neither are best suited for highly intensive tasks due to modest CPUs and integrated GPUs.
Content Creation
7.0
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The HP Pavilion 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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
6.7
6.6
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and HP Pavilion 15 are both only fair 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Pavilion 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
6.2
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and HP Pavilion 15 both have only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the HP Pavilion 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | HP Pavilion 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$335 | $600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | August 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 14.1'' x 9.5'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 9.53" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
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 | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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."
HP Pavilion 15
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Alex Cox | August 2022
"The HP Pavilion 15 carries a fair amount of power and a sharp display in its handsome slimline shell. It's not perfect, but it's a hard worker. This is wonderfully designed and totes a heck of a lot of desktop power, with the added benefit of a decent webcam and a full-sized keyboard. If you're getting down to business on a budget, it's a great fit."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the HP Pavilion 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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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