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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 offers a larger screen and more storage than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 but is a less portable option with a higher weight. While the Inspiron might be more cost-effective, the Surface Laptop Go 3 boasts stronger screen colors and a higher resolution in a smaller and lighter form factor, making it easier to carry around. If battery life is essential, the Surface Laptop Go 3 also has a longer-lasting battery. The Inspiron is well-suited for general use, and its CPU and GPU are adequate for engineering tasks, but for tasks requiring high performance in 3D or machine learning, neither laptop is ideal. The Inspiron's larger size includes a number pad on the keyboard, which the Surface Laptop Go 3 lacks. Both systems should handle everyday tasks and light productivity work well, but if premium build quality or intensive gaming is a priority, you might want to consider other options. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Good for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.3
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is suitable for general tasks and engineering applications where its fair screen resolution and brightness provide adequate clarity, but the limited color range may not represent colors as accurately for professional design work, and its refresh rate is too low for smooth 3D rendering. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with its good screen resolution and brightness, offers sharp visuals for both everyday tasks and detail-oriented engineering or design projects, but like the Dell, it falls short for 3D due to a lower refresh rate. For gamers or those working with 3D applications, neither laptop's display is ideal, as the importance of high refresh rates and superior resolution for these activities is not thoroughly met by either model.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Portability
Good
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
$788
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a price of $400 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $788.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both good for general use.
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
6.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are fair for gaming and 3D tasks because they have integrated GPUs, which are less powerful than dedicated graphics cards, and standard screen refresh rates, which are suitable for casual gaming but not high-end gaming. Their CPUs are capable for general tasks and support the integrated graphics, while the screen quality and size differ, with the Inspiron's larger screen offering a traditional 16:9 aspect ratio and the Surface Laptop Go's smaller screen having a sharper 3:2 aspect ratio, both with sufficient resolution for everyday use.
Engineering and Design
6.4
6.8
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are rated as fair for engineering and design primarily because while they offer sufficient CPU performance, the RAM and GPU capabilities may not meet demanding engineering software needs, and their screen quality is just adequate. The Inspiron is less portable due to its size and weight, with an average keyboard, while the Surface offers better portability due to its smaller form factor and higher portability score, along with better keyboard quality.
Content Creation
7.1
7.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3525 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$400 | $788 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2022 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.75'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.71 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 259 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 9.3/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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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