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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a high-performance machine for gaming or intense work like 3D rendering and engineering simulations, Lenovo Legion 5 17" is better equipped with a faster processor and superior graphics card. However, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel. The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is more budget-friendly, offers good general performance for everyday tasks, and is more portable due to its lighter weight and longer battery life, yet it isn't suitable for heavy gaming or demanding professional 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
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
- Good for general use
- 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
Gaming and AI
6.0
7.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is better suited for gaming and 3D because it has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics chip and a higher screen refresh rate than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, which only has integrated UHD Graphics and a lower refresh rate. Additionally, the Legion's CPU is a higher-tier Intel i7 compared to the Dell's i3, and its screen is larger with better overall quality, providing a more immersive gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
6.3
7.6
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is better suited for engineering and design than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, due to the Lenovo's more powerful i7 processor, double the RAM, and superior Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, which are vital for demanding software used in these fields. Additionally, the Legion offers a larger, brighter screen with better color coverage, which enhances visual work, but it is heavier and less portable compared to the lighter Dell Inspiron, which may make the latter a more convenient option for on-the-go tasks.
Screen Quality
6.8
7.3
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with its fair screen resolution and brightness, provides a decent display for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, but its limited color gamut and lower refresh rate aren't ideal for color-sensitive engineering work or fluid motion in fast-paced games. The Lenovo Legion 5 17", on the other hand, offers a brighter and sharper display that enhances the visual experience for both general users and professionals working with design and engineering software, although its screen still falls short for gaming because it doesn't have the high refresh rate needed for smooth gameplay. Both laptops are equipped with displays that adequately serve general and professional purposes, but neither is optimized for the high refresh rates demanded by gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
6.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has 4.5 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
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.4
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
$300
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $300 and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
6.9
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion 5 17" to be good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with its more basic processor, less RAM, and smaller screen, is less suited for intensive tasks but offers greater portability and longer battery life compared to the Lenovo Legion 5 17", which has a powerful processor, more RAM, and high-quality graphics suitable for demanding applications but is heavier and has a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.0
7.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
7.0
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | Lenovo Legion 5 17" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$300 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 15.7'' x 11.4'' x 1'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 6.57 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 11.41" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 4 | |
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 Legion 5 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | February 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 5 17 is a current-gen 17-inch gaming laptop and equipped with the latest AMD CPU and a powerful GPU, that manages to reach its full potential. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600H is a very good choice for this laptop and able to maintain its performance level for long periods of time. Our test model only falls behind consistently in a direct comparison with its competitors that are often equipped with eight cores and 16 threads. Despite this, the Legion 5 17 leaves an excellent impression and is almost able to keep up with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 mobile GPU in synthetic benchmarks."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
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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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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