The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is a budget-friendly option with modest performance suited for general use and everyday tasks, featuring a touchscreen and decent portability. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is a higher-priced laptop with powerful performance capabilities for 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, and engineering applications, but with heavier weight and shorter battery life. Choose the Dell for cost efficiency and basic needs or the Lenovo if you require advanced capabilities for intensive tasks and are willing to invest more. 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 portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Pro 5
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0/10
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
340.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.6/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both good for general use, though the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525's moderate CPU and RAM make it suitable for everyday tasks, with decent battery life and good portability; however, its screen and speaker quality leave room for improvement, as reflected in its lower screen color and speaker ratings.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
8.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 surpasses the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 in gaming and 3D applications primarily because of its significantly more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, enhancing visual fluidity and detail. While the Dell model houses an integrated AMD graphics and standard screen refresh rate sufficient for casual gaming, the Lenovo's superior graphics processing capability and faster refresh rate make it ideal for more demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.4/10
8.5/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 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
7.1/10
7.8/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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
6.9/10
7.6/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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
6.3/10
8.0/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
340.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron's screen offers sufficient clarity and brightness for everyday tasks and productivity software used in general use and engineering, but its limited color range and lower refresh rate reduce its effectiveness for color-critical engineering work and make it unsuitable for the fast-paced visuals required in gaming and 3D applications. The Lenovo Legion Pro, with a higher quality display, provides vibrant colors and better viewing angles which benefit both general use and professional engineering design work, where color accuracy is crucial; however, its poor refresh rate falls short for gaming and 3D work where smooth motion rendering is essential. Both laptops are less ideal for gaming and 3D pursuits due to their screen refresh limitations, prioritizing resolution and color over speed, which might hinder fast-paced visual experiences.
Battery
6.5 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has 3.5 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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
$1,320
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a price of $400 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 costs $1,320.
"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."
"It doesn't quite match its Legion Pro 7i sibling as an Editors' Choice winner, but Lenovo's AMD-powered Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 is a stylish, well-built gaming laptop with solid performance at both 1080p and its sharper native resolution. It's cheaper than some comparably equipped machines and better than some similarly priced ones. That's a recipe for success, even without its frequent availability of discounts or sales. A brighter screen and longer battery life would be nice, but even as is the Legion Pro 5 earns a solid recommendation."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 or the Lenovo Legion Pro 5
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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