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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is a budget-friendly option suitable for general use, with an average-sized screen and a decent battery life. It's heavier than the LG Gram 17, which might affect portability. On the other hand, the LG Gram 17, despite being a midrange-priced laptop, offers a larger, higher-resolution screen, longer battery life, more storage, and significantly more RAM, making it better for more intensive tasks such as engineering, 3D rendering, and machine learning. The LG Gram is also lighter, enhancing its portability, but it comes at a higher price compared to the Dell. Consider the Dell for basic tasks and budget constraints, or the LG Gram for higher performance and portability at a higher cost. 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 LG Gram 17.
Advantages of the LG Gram 17
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
353.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The LG Gram 17 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The LG Gram 17 outshines the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use largely because the LG has a more powerful CPU, significantly more RAM, superior screen quality with greater resolution and color coverage, and is lighter in weight which makes it more portable. Additionally, the LG Gram boasts an extensive battery life almost twice as long as the Dell's, augmenting its overall user convenience for daily activities.
Engineering and Design
6.3
8.0
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The LG Gram 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.0
8.4
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The LG Gram 17 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
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The LG Gram 17 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
7.4
15.6in
SIZE
17.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
353.0 nits
The LG Gram 17 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520's display may be sufficient for everyday tasks given its resolution and brightness, but its limited color gamut can hamper the experience for color-critical engineering and design work. LG Gram 17 offers a better visual experience for general use and professional design due to its higher resolution and wider color coverage, encompassing more of the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB spaces. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D modeling, primarily because their screens don't offer the high refresh rates preferred in these applications, which can lead to less fluid visuals.
Battery
6.5 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The LG Gram 17 has 11 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
7.0
The LG Gram 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
$329
$2,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $329 and the LG Gram 17 costs $2,100.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.5
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The LG Gram 17 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers a higher screen refresh rate, which is better for smooth gaming experiences, but its GPU is not as capable as the LG Gram 17's, making the latter a better option for graphics-intensive gaming and 3D applications. Additionally, the LG Gram's superior CPU and higher-quality screen contribute to its improved performance in these areas compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3520.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
17.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The LG Gram 17 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 LG Gram 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | LG Gram 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$329 | $2,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 14.9'' x 10.2'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 2.98 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.91" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 10.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 353 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
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."
LG Gram 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2022
"The LG Gram 17 is a light office laptop with a large display and great battery life. The newest incarnation of the Gram 17 can be classified as a model update. LG uses the predecessor's compact, light magnesium case along with an identical port configuration (including 2x Thunderbolt 4) and keyboard. Changes can be found in the hardware. With the Gram 17 (2022), LG offers a light (approx. 1,350 g), mobile work device - and finally with a matte display."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the LG Gram 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 LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, and are often on sale.
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