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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is often significantly less expensive and features a larger screen size which might be preferable for those needing a budget-friendly option with a comfortable viewing experience, although the integrated graphics and processor are at a basic level suitable for general use. The more expensive Razer Book 13, with a higher performing processor and better integrated graphics, is a better fit for engineering and intensive tasks, and its smaller screen size and lighter build offer greater portability. Plus, the Razer has a longer battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go usage, and superior build quality, which could be a deciding factor for durability and premium feel. 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 Razer Book 13.
Advantages of the Razer Book 13
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Excellent battery life
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
14.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Book 13 is good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers fair general use capabilities, limited by average screen quality, battery life, and keyboard, albeit at a lower weight for better portability; contrasts with the higher performing Razer Book 13 which has an excellent screen, longer battery life, and a very good keyboard but is less portable due to its denser build, indicative of its premium build quality.
Engineering and Design
6.3
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Razer Book 13 is 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
7.6
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Book 13 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both good for content creation, though the Razer Book 13 is somewhat better.
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
7.5
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Razer Book 13 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
7.3
15.6in
SIZE
13.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
The Razer Book 13 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 screen offers enough clarity and brightness for everyday tasks like web browsing and video streaming but lacks the wide color gamut and higher resolution that professionals in engineering and design would need for precise color work. While the Razer Book 13 delivers both sharp resolution and vibrant colors that cater well to detailed engineering and creative work, its refresh rate isn't high enough to provide the smooth visuals serious gamers look for in fast-paced games. Neither laptop's display is optimized for high-refresh-rate gaming, but for general and professional use, the Razer Book 13 pulls ahead with better overall screen quality.
Battery
6.5 Hours
14.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Book 13 has 14 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
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
13.4in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Razer Book 13 has excellent portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The Razer Book 13 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
$1,389
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a price of $329 and the Razer Book 13 costs $1,389.
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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 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Razer Book 13 and Dell Inspiron 15 3520 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 offers modest gaming and 3D capabilities due to its integrated Intel UHD Graphics and a decent screen refresh rate which is relatively smooth for gaming, whereas the Razer Book 13, despite having a higher-end Intel Iris Xe Graphics, is limited by its lower screen refresh rate, which is less optimal for fast-paced games. Both laptops may manage games and 3D applications to some extent; however, neither includes a dedicated GPU, which is very important for these tasks, and the screen quality factors suggest compromises in visual fidelity compared to higher-tier gaming laptops.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and the Razer Book 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3520 | Razer Book 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$329 | $1,389 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | April 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | 3.09 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 11.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 7.81" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i7-1165G7 | |
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 | 14 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 55 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 507 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 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."
Razer Book 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | December 2020
"The Razer Book is like an XPS 13, but faster. The Book 13 combines the design philosophy and performance of a Blade Stealth with the 16:10 display of a Dell XPS 13 for an impressive piece of hardware. Office users who want something more stylish than the typical Dell, HP or Lenovo will certainly find themselves drawn to this Razer subnotebook. If your priorities are to have the best-looking and fastest 13-inch laptop in the office over auxiliary features, however, then the Book 13 proudly fulfills that niche."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 or the Razer Book 13
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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