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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize long battery life and stronger performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Lenovo Slim 7 16 is a better choice despite being more expensive. It also has a higher resolution touchscreen display that might be useful for creative tasks or multitasking. However, it's heavier and less portable than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520, which is more budget-friendly and offers decent performance for general use and lighter engineering tasks. The Dell also tends to run cooler and quieter. Ultimately, the tradeoff is between Lenovo's higher performance and Dell’s affordability and portability. 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 Slim 7 16.
Advantages of the Lenovo Slim 7 16
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 outperforms the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 with a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, a higher resolution screen, and substantially longer battery life, which are all very important for general use. Additionally, the Lenovo has a more portable design with better screen quality, and it manages heat more effectively, which are factors somewhat important to users.
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo Slim 7 16 is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with an integrated Intel UHD Graphics GPU and a 120Hz refresh rate screen, offers limited gaming and 3D capacities compared to dedicated gaming machines, while the Lenovo Slim 7 16 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a higher 165Hz refresh rate screen, providing better performance for gaming and 3D applications, yet might be less affordable.
Engineering and Design
6.3
7.5
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is fair for engineering and design use with an Intel i3 processor, integrated UHD graphics, 8GB of RAM, and a 15.6-inch 1080p screen, while the Lenovo Slim 7 16, considered good for the same use, offers a more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor, dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a larger 16-inch screen with a higher 1600p resolution. The Lenovo also has a considerable edge in screen quality and overall performance for tasks like 3D modeling and simulation due to its superior GPU and CPU, but it's less portable and potentially more expensive than the Dell.
Content Creation
7.0
7.6
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo Slim 7 16 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
7.2/10
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 Slim 7 16 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
8.3
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 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, with its fair screen, offers decent resolution and brightness for everyday tasks but lacks the wide color gamut and high refresh rates that are crucial for detailed engineering work and smooth 3D visuals. On the other hand, the Lenovo Slim 7 16's very good screen quality stems from higher resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use and detailed work in engineering and design due to better color accuracy. However, gaming and 3D applications may suffer on both laptops since neither delivers the high refresh rates required for optimal motion clarity and responsiveness.
Battery
6.5 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim 7 16 has 9.5 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.
Build Quality
6.2
7.8
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 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
$1,440
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $329 and the Lenovo Slim 7 16 costs $1,440.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and Lenovo Slim 7 16 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 Slim 7 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | Lenovo Slim 7 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$329 | $1,440 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 14'' x 9.7'' x 0.69'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 4.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 9.68" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS | |
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 | 9.5 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 | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 500 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 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 Slim 7 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | March 2022
"At $1,011, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Pro is a real bargain among full-sized laptops, with a handsome 16-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio touch screen, a speedy CPU, a comfortable keyboard, ample memory, and a roomy solid-state drive. It's not a blazing gaming rig or mobile workstation, but it doesn't pretend to be. Its biggest negative is that it may be hard to find—during our review, it sold out and was marked "Temporarily Unavailable" on Lenovo's site."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the Lenovo Slim 7 16
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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