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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is a budget-friendly option that is less expensive and offers modest performance suitable for general use with a reasonable battery life, but it may struggle with intensive tasks. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro is a high-performance laptop with powerful specifications, including a superior processor and graphics card suitable for gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks. However, it is considerably more expensive and heavier, making it less portable. The Legion also includes a higher quality display, more ports, and additional features like a customizable RGB keyboard and hardware ray tracing capabilities. 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 7i
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
469.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 7i Pro is rated higher for general use as it has a significantly more powerful CPU and more RAM, improving performance, and it features a higher quality screen with better resolution and colors, enhancing the visual experience. However, its increased weight and lower battery life may affect portability compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, which offers adequate performance for general tasks, thanks to its decent processor and RAM combination, but falls short in screen quality and battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.0
9.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i offers superior gaming and 3D performance largely because it has a high-end Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics card and a screen with a refresh rate of 240 Hz, compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 which comes with integrated Intel UHD Graphics and a lower refresh rate of 120 Hz. Higher-end graphics cards and faster screen refresh rates significantly improve the visual experience and responsiveness, which are crucial for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.3
9.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a low-tier CPU, minimal RAM, and integrated graphics, which may struggle with demanding engineering software and multitasking, although its screen is adequate and it's lighter, making it more portable. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro boasts a high-end CPU, abundant RAM, and a powerful GPU, ensuring smooth performance and detailed visuals on its superior display, at the expense of being heavier and less portable.
Content Creation
7.0
8.5
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is good.
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
8.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is very 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
8.7
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
469.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers a screen that is fine for daily tasks and productivity due to its adequate resolution and brightness, but it lacks the wide color gamut needed for precise engineering and design work, and its lower refresh rate isn't ideal for the smooth visuals required in gaming and 3D applications. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, with its superior resolution and brightness, provides a sharp and vibrant display that's beneficial for both general use and professional design, but like the Dell, it underperforms for gaming and 3D because of its lower refresh rate. Therefore, while both laptops suffice for general work and specialty tasks like engineering, neither is optimized for the high refresh rates gamers and 3D designers crave.
Battery
6.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has 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
6.1 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has very 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
$2,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $329 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i costs $2,000.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | Lenovo Legion Pro 7i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$329 | $2,000 | ||
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 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 10.32" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i9-13900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 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 | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 99.9 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 | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 469 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.8/10 | |
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 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 Pro 7i
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | February 2023
"Passionate gamers who want to play demanding modern titles with maximum details and don't mind spending the moolah will find the Lenovo Legion 7 Pro to be the right choice. The bright, sharp, and color-accurate 16:10 QHD 240 Hz display makes for an immersive viewing experience. The hardware is housed in a stylish chassis that feels premium and scores well in terms of workmanship and stability. Other aspects such as sound quality, input devices, and connectivity also seem to be near-perfect."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i
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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