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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you value storage capacity and a newer model, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 could be more attractive as it generally offers more storage and was released more recently. It's also slightly lighter and thinner, which contributes to portability. On the other hand, The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, while often being less expensive, provides less storage but has a longer battery life which is better for extended use without charging. However, it is slightly heavier and bulkier. Both models have similar screen sizes and resolutions, RAM, and are equipped with integrated graphics suited for general use and light tasks, but might struggle with more demanding 3D, machine learning, or gaming applications. If engineering tasks are a priority, neither of these models would be ideal, and you may want to consider investing in a device with a dedicated GPU and more power. 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 Slim 3.
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.8
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a sharp and clear display for everyday tasks like browsing the web or working with documents, both the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 offer adequate screen resolution and brightness. However, for color-intensive work such as engineering or design, neither laptop excels due to limited color gamut coverage, meaning they won't display colors as accurately as required for professional editing or CAD work. Gamers and those into 3D applications may find both laptops lacking, since neither has a high refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth motion, and while the resolution may be acceptable, the screen's panel quality doesn't support the most vivid or quick-paced visual experiences.
Battery
6.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has 10 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
$325
$400
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $325 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 costs $400.
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Key similarities
General Use
6.9
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 to be good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 both offer fair performance for general use with sufficient RAM and adequate CPUs for typical tasks, but neither excels in screen color quality or gaming capability. While both have similar screen size and resolution, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a slight edge with a touchscreen and better battery life, making it more versatile and portable, yet both models could improve in aspects like speaker and build quality.
Gaming and AI
6.0
5.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 15 3520 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
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
6.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both fair for engineering and design due to their moderate CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities, which can handle most tasks but may struggle with very demanding software. While both have similar screen sizes and resolutions, neither excels in color accuracy or contrast ratio, factors that are important for detailed design work; however, they offer a balance of decent keyboard quality, relatively quiet operating noise, and portability, making them versatile for various engineering tasks within affordable price ranges.
Content Creation
7.0
7.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 to be 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
6.5
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$325 | $400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 3.52 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | AMD Ryzen 3 7330U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 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 | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
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 IdeaPad Slim 3
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
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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