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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is less expensive, with decent performance for general use, a number pad on the keyboard, and a larger 15.6-inch screen, but without touchscreen capabilities and with a shorter battery life. On the other hand, the Lenovo Flex 5 14 costs more but offers a touchscreen, better performance for demanding tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning, longer battery life, and higher portability due to its lighter weight and smaller 14-inch screen. If general computing at a lower cost is your priority, consider the Dell; for higher performance in design or technical work, plus portability, the Lenovo is a better choice. 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 Lenovo Flex 5 14.
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 14
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
277.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14's overall better performance for general use can be attributed to its superior CPU and double the RAM of the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, offering quicker and smoother multitasking abilities. Additionally, the Lenovo's higher-resolution touchscreen and increased battery life enhance user experience and portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 offers the basics for general use tasks but may struggle with more demanding applications due to its less powerful processor and lower RAM.
Engineering and Design
6.3
7.0
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 with an Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics is fair for engineering due to adequate but not superior performance and a standard screen quality, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14's more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 chip and higher RAM make it good for such tasks, further benefited by a higher resolution, touch-enabled display.
Content Creation
7.0
7.6
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo Flex 5 14 is somewhat better.
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
7.4
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 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
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
277.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a better screen than the Lenovo Flex 5 14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and Lenovo Flex 5 14 offer screens that provide adequate resolution and brightness, with panel types suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, but they might not be exceptionally sharp or vivid. In engineering and design, both laptops' displays cover only a modest portion of professional color gamuts, which could limit the accuracy in color-critical work such as photo editing or CAD. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the lackluster refresh rates on both models may lead to less fluid visuals and could disadvantage users seeking immersive or competitive gaming experiences.
Battery
6.5 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has 11.5 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo Flex 5 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
7.0
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 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
$440
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $335 and the Lenovo Flex 5 14 costs $440.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a higher screen refresh rate, which may provide smoother visuals particularly useful in gaming, but its GPU is an integrated UHD Graphics from the Intel i3-1215U processor which may limit performance in gaming and 3D applications.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the Lenovo Flex 5 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | Lenovo Flex 5 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$335 | $440 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | December 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 12.3'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 3.42 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 12.32" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 8.85" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 11.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 52.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 277 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 8.3/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
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."
Lenovo Flex 5 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2021
"The highlight of the latest IdeaPad Flex 5 14 is clearly its AMD CPU. The octa-core Ryzen 7 5700U is insanely fast even when compared to the best Tiger Lake Ultrabooks in the market or even Core H CPUs in many gaming laptops. It's a lot of raw processing power for what is supposed to be a budget 14-inch convertible. If your daily workloads can benefit from extra multi-thread CPU performance, then look no further than the inexpensive AMD-powered Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14. For regular on-the-road browsing or video streaming, however, a slimmer and lighter 10th gen Core Yoga, Spectre, or XPS would be a more balanced option."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the Lenovo Flex 5 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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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