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Updated January 10, 2024·
If your primary focus is on affordability and decent everyday performance for tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is a budget-friendly option. However, if you need a laptop for more intensive purposes such as gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, while more expensive, offers significantly better performance with a high-end processor and powerful graphics card. The Legion 5 Pro also has a larger, higher-resolution display and longer battery life, but it's heavier and less portable than the Dell. The choice essentially comes down to balancing cost against the need for advanced capabilities and better display quality. 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 Pro 5
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
340.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.6/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is fair for general use because it has a more basic processor and less RAM, which may slow down with multiple applications running, and its screen has lower brightness and color coverage, making it less ideal for high-quality visual tasks. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is good for general use with a more powerful processor, double the RAM for better multitasking, and a higher resolution and color-accurate display, although it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, which could impact its convenience for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
6.0
8.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
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
8.5
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is equipped with a basic Intel i3 processor, modest RAM, and integrated graphics, which are sufficient for lighter engineering tasks but may struggle with heavy design work, and it has a full HD display that's fine for general use. The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, on the other hand, boasts a high-performance AMD Ryzen 7 processor, double the RAM, a powerful Nvidia RTX GPU suitable for demanding software and better screen resolution that's ideal for detailed engineering and design tasks, although it's heavier and less portable.
Content Creation
7.0
7.8
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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
7.6
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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
8.0
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
340.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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 you use your laptop primarily for browsing, watching videos, or document work, both the Dell Inspiron and Lenovo Legion offer screens that are more than adequate; however, the Lenovo stands out with its higher resolution and brighter display, making it particularly vivid and sharp for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, where precise colors are crucial, Lenovo again has the advantage because it covers a wider color spectrum, ensuring more accurate color representation for tasks like photo editing or CAD work. In the realm of gaming and 3D applications, despite having good resolution and screen types, both laptops fall short as they don't offer the high refresh rates desired by gamers for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals.
Battery
6.5 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has 3.5 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
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.4
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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
$1,320
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $329 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 costs $1,320.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | Lenovo Legion Pro 5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$329 | $1,320 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 14.3'' x 10.3'' x 0.97'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 5.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 10.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 3.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 80 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 | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 340 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 6.6/10 | |
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 | 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 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
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 Legion Pro 5
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | July 2023
"It doesn't quite match its Legion Pro 7i sibling as an Editors' Choice winner, but Lenovo's AMD-powered Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 is a stylish, well-built gaming laptop with solid performance at both 1080p and its sharper native resolution. It's cheaper than some comparably equipped machines and better than some similarly priced ones. That's a recipe for success, even without its frequent availability of discounts or sales. A brighter screen and longer battery life would be nice, but even as is the Legion Pro 5 earns a solid recommendation."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the Lenovo Legion Pro 5
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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