Dell Inspiron 15 3520
Dell Inspiron 15 3520
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GENERAL USE: Fair—6.6/10
GAMING/AI: Fair—6.0/10
ENG/DESIGN: Fair—6.2/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Fair—6.5/10
CONTENT CREATION: Fair—6.8/10
PORTABILITY: Good—7.6/10
BATTERY: Good—7.1/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Fair—6.7/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Fair—6.2/10
SIZE: 15.6"
Evaluation
Pros
- Decent portability and weight
- Good general performance
- Backlit keyboard, number pad included
- Excellent heat management
- Multiple USB-C ports
Cons
- Average battery life
- Limited screen color range
- No hardware ray tracing or DLSS
- No fingerprint or facial recognition
Ratings by Category
Portability:4.3
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
Operating Noise:4.2
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Battery Life:4.1
PerfectRec’s Battery Life rating is based on hours of battery life in typical usage scenarios.
Content Creation:3.9
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, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
General Use Screen Quality:3.9
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
General Use:3.6
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 has a capable CPU and sufficient RAM for common tasks, but its screen quality and battery life are modest, and while portable, it is not the lightest option available. The display and battery may not satisfy users needing extended use or superior visual quality, but overall, it offers a good balance for everyday computing.
Software Development:3.6
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Keyboard Quality:3.5
The Keyboard Quality score is based on the PerfectRec experts’ assessment of tactile feedback, typing comfort, keyboard reliability and typing noise.
Build Quality:3.3
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, chassis rigidity, and overall reliability.
Our assessment of build quality includes many details that are difficult to quantify.
Our laptop experts use their best judgment to produce the final score.
Engineering & Design:3.2
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is equipped with an Intel i5-1135G7 Iris Xe processor and 8GB of RAM, which are solid for engineering tasks but may not handle the most demanding applications smoothly. Its IPS screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution offers good image quality, but professionals may seek higher RAM and a more powerful GPU for complex design work.
Gaming & AI:3.0
The Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is equipped with an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU, which provides moderate performance for gaming and 3D applications but falls short for more demanding graphics tasks compared with dedicated gaming GPUs. Additionally, while its screen offers a refresh rate that can contribute to smoother visuals, it may not fully match the performance of displays specifically designed for gaming, which often have higher refresh rates and superior screen quality.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $330 | ||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.83'' | ||
Weight | 3.65 lbs | ||
Width | 14.11" | ||
Depth | 9.27" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | ||
RAM | 8 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | ||
RAM Slots | 2 | ||
Storage | 256 GB | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | ||
Display Technology | IPS | ||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | ||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 6.3/10 | ||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | ||
Premium Business Laptop | No | ||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | ||
Webcam | 720p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | No | ||
Backlit Keyboard | No | ||
Number Pad | Yes | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 2 | ||
USB-C ports | 1 | ||
USB-C Charging | No | ||
Display Outputs | 1 | ||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | ||
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."
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