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Inspiron 15 3520
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Stream 14"
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What we think

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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·

When choosing between the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the HP Stream 14", consider your needs. If you prefer a larger screen with better resolution and viewing angles, the Dell with its 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display is superior to the HP's 14-inch standard HD TN display. For performance, the Dell's Intel i3 processor is more robust than the HP's Intel Celeron, making the Dell a better fit for more demanding tasks and multitasking. However, if weight is a concern for you, the HP is slightly lighter and may be more portable. Both laptops have Windows 11 Home and similar battery specs, so expect comparable usage time between charges. Ultimately, if price is not a deciding factor since both are similarly priced, choose the Dell for better performance and display or the HP for a bit more portability and a compact size. 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 for content creation
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
  • Very good portability

Key differences

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Engineering and Design

6.3
Inspiron 15 3520
Stream 14"
5.7
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.

Screen Quality

6.8
Inspiron 15 3520
Stream 14"
5.2
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
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 Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.

Portability

Good
Inspiron 15 3520
Stream 14"
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 14" has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

6.2
Inspiron 15 3520
Stream 14"
5.5
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has only fair build quality, while the HP Stream 14" has poor build quality.

Cost

$315
Inspiron 15 3520
Stream 14"
$299
Product image
Product image

$150

$200

$250

$300

$350

$400

$450

The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $315 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
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Key similarities

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General Use

6.9
Inspiron 15 3520
Stream 14"
6.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and HP Stream 14" are both only fair for general use.

Gaming and AI

6.0
Inspiron 15 3520
Stream 14"
5.7
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
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
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 15 3520 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.

Content Creation

7.0
Inspiron 15 3520
Stream 14"
6.7
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 15 3520 to be good for content creation, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.

Software Development

6.7
Inspiron 15 3520
Stream 14"
6.5
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and HP Stream 14" are both only fair for software development.

Battery

6.5 Hours
Inspiron 15 3520
Stream 14"
7.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 hours of battery life.

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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the HP Stream 14" compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Dell Inspiron 15 3520HP Stream 14"
Dell Inspiron 15 3520HP Stream 14"

GENERAL

Price
$315
$299
Release Date
May 1, 2022January 1, 2022
Overall Dimensions
14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83''12.8'' x 8.9'' x 0.7''
Weight
3.65 lbs3.5 lbs
Width
14.11"12.76"
Depth
9.27"8.86"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i3-1215UIntel Celeron N4120
RAM
8 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
44
RAM Slots
22
Storage
256 GB320 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
6.5 Hours7.5 Hours
Battery Capacity
41 Wh41 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
15.6"14"
Display Technology
IPSTN
Resolution
1920 x 10801366 x 768
Refresh Rate
120Hz60Hz
Display Brightness
259 nits220 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
6.3/105.6/10
Portability Score
7.7/108.2/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoNo
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
7.5/108.8/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
6.5/106/10
Speaker Quality Score
6.5/106.5/10
Webcam
720p720p
Fingerprint Reader
NoNo
Backlit Keyboard
NoNo
Number Pad
YesNo

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
22
USB-C ports
11
USB-C Charging
NoNo
Display Outputs
11
Thunderbolt Ports
00

Shopping

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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 Stream 14"

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Dig into reviews and images

PCMag

Zachary Cuevas | November 2021
"With half of the main system memory and a fraction of the storage that we recommend in any budget Windows laptop, the HP Stream 14 does not impress. Perhaps it doesn't need to, depending on your reference point. For the price, you're getting a functional laptop with Windows 10, which already places the HP Stream 14 above most Chromebooks on that merit alone. Still, in this price range, you can't do much worse, but you can do better. In fact, for just $100 more, you can grab the much superior budget option, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14."

Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the HP Stream 14"

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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Why trust us

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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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Laptops evaluated
48,640
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125,295
Recommendations made
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About the laptop team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Craig Russell

Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.

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