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Updated January 10, 2024·
If performance and premium features are a priority and you’re okay with a higher price, the HP Spectre x360 is a strong option with a more powerful processor, higher RAM, and better display resolution. However, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is significantly less expensive and still suitable for general use, although it offers less power and a lower resolution screen. The Spectre’s larger battery suggests longer use between charges, and its touch screen with higher color accuracy is beneficial for creative tasks. For portability, both models are similar in size and weight, but consider that the HP might be a bit heavier. If gaming or engineering software is not a concern, the Dell may be a more economical option for everyday tasks. 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
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has no clear advantages over the HP Spectre x360.
Advantages of the HP Spectre x360
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
8.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
406.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The HP Spectre x360 offers higher performance for general use with a more advanced CPU, greater RAM, and higher resolution touchscreen, contributing to better multitasking, faster operations, and a sharper display compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, which has a basic CPU and less RAM, making it less suitable for demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Spectre x360 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the HP Spectre x360 is somewhat better.
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
8.0
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The HP Spectre x360 excels in engineering and design uses due to its higher-end CPU, more RAM, and superior integrated GPU, which are critical for handling complex tasks and running demanding software, and it boasts a higher resolution screen that ensures sharper images and better color accuracy.
Content Creation
7.0
8.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Spectre x360 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
8.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Spectre x360 is very 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
7.6
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
406.0 nits
The HP Spectre x360 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the HP Spectre x360's superior panel type, resolution, and brightness make it more comfortable for everyday tasks such as browsing and watching videos compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, which offers adequate but less impressive visuals. The HP Spectre x360's very good color accuracy encompassing wide color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB makes it ideal for professionals in engineering and design who rely on precise color representation, whereas the Dell's fair screen still allows for acceptable detail and clarity for less color-critical work. However, both laptops have screens with lower refresh rates, making them less suited for gaming and 3D applications that benefit from high refresh rates for smoother motion; they could disappoint enthusiasts looking for more fluid visuals in fast-paced scenes.
Battery
6.5 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The HP Spectre x360 has 11 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.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The HP Spectre x360 has very 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
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $335 and the HP Spectre x360 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and HP Spectre x360 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the HP Spectre x360 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | HP Spectre x360 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$335 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 4.74 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 9.66" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3072 x 1920 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 406 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
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 | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 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 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 Spectre x360
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | August 2022
"As we said, Lenovo's Yoga 9i is a tough competitor to the Spectre with an equally admirable OLED display. We're sad that neither of them has an HDMI port nor a niche or slot to hold the stylus, though the HP wins points for its bundled mini docking station and magnetically attached pen. Your choice will come down to screen shape—and in our eyes, just as seeing an OLED screen spoils you for an IPS panel, enjoying a tall 3:2 display spoils you for a more conventional view. The HP Spectre x360 13.5 is our new favorite 2-in-1."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the HP Spectre x360
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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