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Updated March 13, 2024·
When choosing between the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, consider that the Dell may save you money and offer solid performance for everyday tasks, while the MSI, typically pricier, provides higher performance suitable for more demanding applications like 3D work, machine learning, and gaming. The MSI is also more portable due to its smaller size, which could be a plus if you travel frequently, but this can mean a smaller screen and potentially less comfortable long-term use. The Dell might offer a balance between cost and usability for general activities, whereas the MSI is aimed at professionals needing power on-the-go. 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 MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo.
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, while suitable for general tasks, may not provide the same level of speed and multitasking ease due to its CPU and RAM compared to the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, which boasts superior performance in these areas, contributing to a smoother experience. Additionally, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo offers a higher screen quality and greater portability with its lighter build and longer battery life, which are critical for on-the-go usage, although it typically comes at a higher price point.
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with its dedicated GPU, offers smoother gameplay and better 3D performance than typical laptops; its screen refresh rate enhances this experience but not to the level of high-end gaming machines. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, while offering good CPU performance and high screen quality, may not match the Inspiron in raw graphics capability due to its less powerful integrated graphics, making it suitable for casual gaming and basic 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.3
8.0
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, while adequate for engineering tasks, may fall short in demanding scenarios due to its slightly less powerful CPU and GPU compared to the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, which offers superior performance thanks to higher-end components, making it a better fit for intensive design work. Despite this, the Dell's larger screen could be a plus for multitasking, but the MSI Prestige's higher screen quality, coupled with its greater portability and quieter operation, makes it a strong contender for on-the-go professionals who also value a comfortable keyboard and decent speakers.
Content Creation
7.0
8.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
7.9
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
8.2
15.6in
SIZE
13.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the MSI Prestige's higher resolution and brighter display offer crisper and more vibrant images, making it superior to the Dell Inspiron. Engineering and design tasks benefit from the MSI Prestige's wider color gamuts, providing more accurate color reproduction which is essential for professional creative work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their poor refresh rates, which lead to less fluid motion and slower response times compared to laptops designed specifically for those purposes.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
13.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.4
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
$1,280
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $329 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo costs $1,280.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$329 | $1,280 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 11.8'' x 8.3'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 11.77" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 8.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 73 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 415 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 8.6/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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