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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" largely depends on your priorities in a laptop. The Dell offers more screen space with its 15.6-inch display, making it suitable for multitasking and media consumption but is slightly heavier, which could matter if you travel often. On the other hand, the Lenovo, with a 14-inch screen, is more portable due to its lighter weight. Both laptops have similar performance capabilities and are aimed at budget-conscious users, but note that the Lenovo has half the storage capacity of the Dell. Battery life is better on the Lenovo, which may be crucial if you're regularly mobile and away from power sources. Consider your need for screen size, portability, storage, and battery life when making your decision. 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 for general use
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
- Good for software development
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.3
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for content creation.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" both offer display qualities that suffice for general tasks; however, their resolutions and brightness levels may not provide the sharpest images or the most comfortable viewing in brightly lit environments. For engineering and design, while capable of handling basic tasks, their limited color gamuts mean they won't display the full spectrum of colors needed by professionals for precise work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the lack of high refresh rates can result in less fluid motion and responsiveness, which can detract from the immersive experience and performance sought by enthusiasts and professionals in these fields.
Battery
6.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 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
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$400
$490
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a price of $400 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $490.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
6.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 15 3525 to be good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.0
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
9.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are fair for gaming and 3D because both have integrated graphics (AMD Ryzen Vega 7), which can handle light gaming tasks but are not as powerful as dedicated gaming GPUs. They also share similar screen refresh rates of 60Hz, which is adequate for casual gaming but not optimal for high-frame-rate gaming experiences.
Engineering and Design
6.4
6.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are fair for engineering and design use due to adequate CPU and GPU with the AMD Ryzen 5 5625U and AMD Ryzen 5 5500U respectively; both have sufficient RAM for moderate workloads but may struggle with intensive tasks. The Dell offers a larger screen with touch capability, influencing screen quality, whereas the Lenovo offers superior portability, keyboard, and lower operating noise, but with less screen and speaker quality compared to the Dell.
Content Creation
7.1
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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.
Build Quality
6.2
6.5
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3525 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$400 | $490 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.75'' | 12.8'' x 8.5'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.71 lbs | 3.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 8.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 45 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
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 | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 8.3/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marvin Gollor | February 2023
"The low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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