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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is less expensive and is sufficient for general use with a larger screen size, which is ideal for tasks that benefit from a big display. However, the MSI Prestige 14 is more expensive but offers superior performance, making it a better option for 3D rendering, machine learning tasks, and engineering software. The Prestige also has a longer battery life and is lighter, which makes it more portable, but it has a smaller screen. If you prioritize performance and portability and can invest more, consider the MSI Prestige 14; for budget-friendliness and a larger display, the Dell Inspiron may suffice. 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 14.
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 14
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The MSI Prestige 14 is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with its Intel i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and average screen quality, offers satisfactory performance for general tasks, but is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the MSI Prestige 14. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 14 comes with a more powerful Intel i5 processor, double the RAM, and superior screen quality, making it better for general use, and it boasts greater portability and longer battery life, although it comes with a higher price tag.
Engineering and Design
6.3
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
While the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has an Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics, which are suitable for lighter engineering tasks, the MSI Prestige 14 comes with a more powerful Intel i5 processor and superior integrated graphics, enhancing its capability for more demanding engineering and design applications.
Software Development
6.7
7.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 14 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
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 14 for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 14 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering general use, the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers a decent screen resolution and satisfactory brightness but falls short in offering the vibrant display that the MSI Prestige 14 does, due to the latter's better panel type and higher resolution. For engineering and design, the MSI Prestige 14 is preferred as it provides wider color gamuts ensuring more accurate color reproduction, whereas the Dell Inspiron lacks in this aspect. However, for 3D and gaming, both laptops aren't ideal since they don't have high refresh rates, though the MSI at least offers better resolution and panel quality, which can partially compensate for the immersive experience.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 14 has 8.5 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
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 14 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 14 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
$1,040
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $329 and the MSI Prestige 14 costs $1,040.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the MSI Prestige 14 are both fair for gaming and 3D because they feature integrated graphics, which are less powerful compared to dedicated GPUs, hence limiting their gaming and 3D performance. The Dell has a higher screen refresh rate which could make games smoother, while the MSI has a higher-quality screen and better CPU, offering improved visuals and multitasking capabilities.
Content Creation
7.0
7.5
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 14 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the MSI Prestige 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | MSI Prestige 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$329 | $1,040 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 12.6'' x 8.6'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 2.84 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 12.56" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 8.62" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 8.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 53.8 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
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 | 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 | 720p | |
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 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Prestige 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Tech Radar
Collin Probst | September 2022
"The MSI Prestige 14” is excellent for productivity and business use cases, but it is not ideal for creators or visual content editors. The Prestige was able to power through days of email, spreadsheets, and text documents without breaking a sweat and was a joy to use. The additional ports were a breath of fresh air, as most laptops seem to be moving towards just Thunderbolt ports. The security options made signing in effortless, with two quick, more secure, and faster options than even the most complex alphanumeric passcode."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the MSI Prestige 14
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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