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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is less expensive and might be sufficient for general use, with a solid build and basic performance suitable for everyday tasks. However, if you require more power for tasks such as engineering applications, higher-end gaming, or more demanding software, the Lenovo V15 is better equipped due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen processor and larger storage capacity. It's important to consider that although the Lenovo is costlier, it also provides additional value with better performance, which could be a worthwhile investment if you need the laptop for more intensive uses. Keep in mind, the V15 may offer less impressive battery life and display quality, which are important for portability and multimedia use. Consider what you'll mainly use the laptop for when making your decision. 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 V15.
Advantages of the Lenovo V15
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.8
5.4
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
231.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a better screen than the Lenovo V15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo V15 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a decent combination of resolution and brightness, providing clearer visuals and more comfortable viewing than the Lenovo V15, which falls short in these aspects. When it comes to engineering and design, the Inspiron offers a more accurate color representation, essential for precise work, whereas the V15's limited color gamut can lead to less accurate color rendition. For gaming and 3D applications, the Inspiron's screen is less ideal due to a lower refresh rate, which could lead to motion blur and less smooth visuals, a weakness the Lenovo V15 also shares.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo V15 has 8 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
6.7
The Lenovo V15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 both have only fair build quality, though the Lenovo V15 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$335
$579
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $335 and the Lenovo V15 costs $579.
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Key similarities
General Use
6.9
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
231.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo V15 to be good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is deemed fair for general use due to its modest processor, the Intel i3, and a moderate amount of memory, whereas the Lenovo V15 is considered good for general use as it has a more capable AMD Ryzen 5 processor and double the memory, offering better performance. Screen quality and battery life are comparable, but the Lenovo V15 stands out with its larger storage capacity and slightly better portability, despite its lower screen color performance and build quality, making it a more well-rounded choice for general tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.1
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
8.7/10
The Lenovo V15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is fair for gaming and 3D because it has a mid-range integrated GPU suitable for light gaming and offers a higher screen refresh rate of 120hz, which can provide smoother visuals in games that support it. The Lenovo V15, with its integrated GPU from the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor, is also fair for gaming and can handle similar tasks, but it comes with a lower screen refresh rate of 60hz, meaning it won't be as smooth in fast-paced games compared to the Dell.
Engineering and Design
6.3
6.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and Lenovo V15 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with an Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics, offers moderate performance suitable for light engineering tasks but may struggle with more intensive designs, while its IPS screen offers better color and viewing angles.
Content Creation
7.0
7.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Lenovo V15 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
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 V15 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
3.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo V15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 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 V15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | Lenovo V15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$335 | $579 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 9.3" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 38 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 231 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.7/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 4.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 480p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
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 | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
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 V15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marvin Gollor | April 2022
"The strengths of the Lenovo V15 G2 AMD lie in its expandability of the RAM and allowing you to use two SSDs, in its performance that goes beyond everyday applications thanks to AMD's hexa-core CPU and Vega-7 iGPU, in its good keyboard, and its relatively robust case. In addition, the battery life of the office laptop is also acceptable, and the device stays cool and relatively quiet."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the Lenovo V15
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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