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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 offers more storage, a larger screen with a higher resolution, and a more powerful processor, which is ideal for demanding tasks and engineering work, but it is heavier and slightly less portable compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3525, which is lighter, more affordable, and has a touch screen. If budget and portability are priorities with standard use, the Inspiron 15 may suit you well, whereas the Inspiron 16 is better for more intensive tasks and offers a higher quality display, despite being a bit more expensive and less portable. 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 3525
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 16 5635.
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5635
- Very good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 outperforms the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 in general use primarily because it has a more powerful CPU, double the RAM for better multitasking, and a higher resolution, larger screen which provides better image quality. Additionally, the Inspiron 16 5635 offers silent operation due to better heat management and it has a longer battery life, although it is slightly less portable and heavier than the 15 3525.
Engineering and Design
6.4
7.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525, with its AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and Vega 7 GPU, offers modest power and a full HD screen, which is serviceable for engineering tasks but may fall short for intensive design work, while the newer and more powerful Dell Inspiron 16 5635, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Vega 8 GPU, provides superior performance and a higher resolution screen, better suited to the demands of both engineering and design. Additionally, the Inspiron 16 model's larger screen and higher resolution can help when working on complex projects but it's also heavier, making it less portable than the Inspiron 15.
Content Creation
7.1
7.9
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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
6.9
7.7
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 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
6.3
6.6
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Inspiron 16 5635 offer screens with adequate resolution and brightness, ensuring comfortable everyday tasks like browsing and document editing. In engineering and design, however, the same screens may not support wide color gamuts, limiting their ability to display colors accurately, which is crucial for professional editing work. For gaming and 3D applications, the lack of a high refresh rate can lead to less smooth visuals, detracting from fast-paced action and rendering detailed 3D environments.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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.
Build Quality
6.2
7.0
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$400
$700
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a price of $400 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 costs $700.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.3
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3525 | Dell Inspiron 16 5635 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$400 | $700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2022 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.75'' | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.72'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.71 lbs | 4.19 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 9.92" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 265 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 15 3525
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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. Many of its slightly higher-end rivals have to be on sale (and frequently are) to match it on price, but the Inspiron 15 (3525) is outclassed even by some similarly priced options, making it a difficult recommendation."
Dell Inspiron 16 5635
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Dig into reviews and images
UltrabookReview
Derek Sullivan | January 2023
"Compared to the previous year’s Inspiron, Dell upgraded the screen aspect ratio on this generation, but also transitioned to a more minimalistic centered keyboard flanked by up-firing speakers. The 16-inch screen is huge plus and I really appreciate the extra real estate without sacrificing the footprint much. This year’s model is a little larger than last, though, as the former model was already very small for a 15 incher."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 or the Dell Inspiron 16 5635
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.
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