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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If your priority is affordability, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is less expensive and offers basic computing needs with moderate storage and speed. The Dell is lighter, enhancing portability, while the Lenovo has a larger battery and a higher resolution screen, which is better for long work sessions and sharper visuals but adds extra weight. 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 IdeaPad Pro 5i.
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has an Intel i3 processor and 8GB of RAM, making it suitable for basic tasks, while its 15.6-inch screen with lower screen resolution and moderate battery life provide a fair user experience for general use. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a more powerful Intel i7 processor, double the RAM at 16GB, and a higher-resolution 16-inch screen, along with a significantly longer battery life, making it better for more demanding tasks and offering a sharper display and longer unplugged usage, which contributes to its good classification for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.0
7.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i outperforms the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for gaming and 3D tasks primarily due to its superior Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, compared to the Dell's integrated Intel UHD Graphics. While both laptops feature similar screen refresh rates, the Lenovo's higher-quality GPU and better screen resolution contribute to its enhanced suitability for intensive visual tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.3
8.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with its Intel i3 processor, integrated graphics, and standard screen resolution, provides just fair performance for engineering and design tasks, which may be less suitable for demanding software. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i stands out as very good for such use, thanks to its more powerful Intel i7 processor, dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics, and a higher-resolution screen, which collectively enhance the execution and visualization of intensive applications.
Content Creation
7.0
7.7
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 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
7.7
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 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
7.8
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If your priority is everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, or watching videos, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i with its very good screen offers higher resolution and brighter display that enhances the viewing experience. For engineering and design, where precise colors matter, the Dell Inspiron may not match the Lenovo's ability to display a wider range of colors more accurately, making the IdeaPad Pro 5i a better choice for professional color work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, despite neither laptop having a high refresh rate screen, which is crucial for a smooth gaming experience, the Lenovo still holds a slight edge in screen quality due to its better resolution and panel type.
Build Quality
6.2
7.6
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 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
$329
$950
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $329 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i costs $950.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has 6 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$329 | $950 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 4.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 9.88" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 409 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | January 2024
"Lenovo’s IdeaPad Pro 5i represents an impressive opening salvo for Meteor Lake in the ultraportable space against familiar foes from AMD and Apple. Not only does the Core Ultra 5 125H processor provide good performance across the board, but battery life remains a strong point against the Acer Swift Edge 16 with its AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor. It can’t quite match the endurance of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, but the gap is shrinking."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
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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