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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is a budget-friendly laptop that is portable and has a touchscreen feature, which might be beneficial for hands-on interaction. Compared to the HP 17" Laptop, it offers a smaller screen, which could be a downside for users needing a larger display for work or entertainment. On the other hand, the HP 17" Laptop, although slightly heavier and less portable due to its larger size, provides a more powerful processor and double the amount of RAM, which greatly enhances performance for more demanding tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering programs. Both laptops have similar battery life and are priced comparably, yet the HP's larger screen and improved performance characteristics make it better suited for intensive work, while the Dell might be preferable for those prioritizing portability and touch capability. 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
- Good battery life
Advantages of the HP 17" Laptop
- Good for software development
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.3
6.6
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
The HP 17" Laptop has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
If you're using a laptop for general tasks like browsing or office work, a high-quality panel with good resolution and brightness can make the screen easier to read and less straining on your eyes; neither the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 nor the HP 17" Laptop offers exceptional clarity or brightness. Professionals in engineering and design need accurate color reproduction for their projects and while both laptops provide basic functionality, they lack the wider color gamuts necessary for precision work. Gamers and those into 3D applications prioritize fluid motion and sharp images which depend on high refresh rates and better resolution; these laptops may not provide the smoothest experience due to their lower refresh rates and modest resolutions.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and HP 17" Laptop both have good portability, though the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$400
$850
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a price of $400 and the HP 17" Laptop costs $850.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The HP 17" Laptop and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is rated fair for general use due to its combination of decent screen quality, moderate portability, and adequate performance with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and 8GB of RAM, balanced against a fair battery life and speaker quality.
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The HP 17" Laptop 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.
Engineering and Design
6.4
6.8
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 HP 17" Laptop and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The HP 17" Laptop boasts a more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor and superior Radeon Vega 8 graphics, along with more RAM, which significantly enhances engineering and design tasks compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3525, which has a less robust AMD Ryzen 5 processor and Radeon Vega 7 graphics, and less RAM. While the Dell model is more portable given its smaller size and weight, the HP's larger screen and higher screen quality, including color accuracy and resolution, make it a preferred choice for such specialized tasks despite being slightly bulkier and heavier.
Content Creation
7.1
7.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP 17" Laptop and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 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.
Software Development
6.9
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 17" Laptop to be 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.
Battery
6.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 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.
Build Quality
6.2
6.0
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and HP 17" Laptop both have only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and the HP 17" Laptop compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3525 | HP 17" Laptop |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$400 | $850 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2022 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.75'' | 15.8'' x 10.2'' x 0.81'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.71 lbs | 4.58 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 15.78" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 10.15" | |
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 | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 287 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
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 | 6/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
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."
HP 17" Laptop
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | November 2022
"As far as starter laptops go, the HP Laptop 17 is a sound investment. Sure, it might not be the lightest of options, but what you get for the price is a well-rounded machine that fits multiple niches. Whether it be office duties that require you to multi-task between multiple programs, or study tasks in which you’ll spend hours browsing online, this laptop does it all. Plus, when it's time to unwind, you can watch your favorite shows or movies on a super-wide display. What's best of all is that you can do all this for about half a day on a single charge."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 or the HP 17" Laptop
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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