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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is a budget-friendly option, making it suitable for general use and light tasks. It has a moderate battery life, is relatively portable, and comes with a number pad, but it is not designed for intensive gaming or demanding tasks like engineering or 3D rendering. The MSI Titan GT77, on the other hand, is a high-end laptop that offers powerful performance for engineering, 3D rendering, and gaming, with a top-tier processor, and high RAM and storage capacity. However, it's heavier and less portable, has a shorter battery life, and comes with a significantly higher price tag. 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
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Titan GT77
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Excellent for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
8.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
602.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Titan GT77 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520, with its modest Intel i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and standard IPS screen, offers basic performance suitable for light tasks and some multitasking, but its portability and battery life are better suited for users on the go. The MSI Titan GT77, on the other hand, outshines with its top-tier Intel i9 processor, significant 64GB of RAM, and a superior Mini LED display, resulting in excellent performance and screen quality for demanding applications, but this comes at the cost of reduced portability and shorter battery life due to its larger size and powerful components.
Gaming and AI
6.0
10.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The MSI Titan GT77 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The MSI Titan GT77 outperforms the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 in gaming and 3D tasks primarily because it has a much more powerful Nvidia RTX graphics card and a screen with a higher refresh rate, which translates to smoother gameplay and more detailed visuals. While the Dell offers fair gaming capabilities with its Intel integrated graphics, it falls short compared to the MSI's dedicated GPU and the superior screen quality that enhances the overall gaming and 3D experience.
Engineering and Design
6.3
10.0
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Titan GT77 is best in class for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is fair for engineering and design because it has basic CPU, GPU, and sufficient RAM and screen quality for lightweight tasks, while being more portable and having a quieter operating noise. In contrast, the MSI Titan GT77 excels with its top-tier CPU, GPU, and abundant RAM, superior screen quality suitable for the most intensive tasks, but is much less portable and has louder operating noise.
Content Creation
7.0
9.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan GT77 is excellent 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
9.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan GT77 is excellent 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
9.7
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
602.0 nits
The MSI Titan GT77 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 offers a standard display that is suitable for everyday tasks and some professional work, but its resolution and brightness may not stand out, while its color accuracy is not top-tier for precision tasks like engineering. MSI Titan, on the other hand, boasts a high-resolution, bright display with excellent color reproduction that designers and engineers will appreciate for the accurate visualization of their work. However, despite their strengths for general and professional use, both laptops fall short for 3D applications as they do not prioritize high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth rendering of fast-moving images.
Battery
6.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan GT77 has 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
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
7.2 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability, while the MSI Titan GT77 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The MSI Titan GT77 has very 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
$6,975
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $329 and the MSI Titan GT77 costs $6,975.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the MSI Titan GT77 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | MSI Titan GT77 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$329 | $6,975 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 15.6'' x 13'' x 0.91'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 7.28 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 15.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 12.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 602 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
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 Titan GT77
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"The MSI Titan GT77 HX 13V is the utimate gaming laptop with RTX 4090 & Core i9-13950HX. The new MSI Titan GT77 will most likely only reach a very small group of users due to the high price, but it is still an impressive showcase of what is possible. The high-end gamer combines the best components you can currently get in almost every regard and it is a very good overall package, which does not have to hide behind full-fledged desktop systems."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the MSI Titan GT77
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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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