The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is less expensive and offers good general use performance with adequate battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks and light workloads. It's also more portable with a lower weight. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P, while more expensive, has significantly better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks due to its powerful processor and graphics card. It also boasts a higher resolution display with better color accuracy, vital for creative professionals. However, this model is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel. 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 MSI Creator Z16P
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very 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
394.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both good for general use, though the MSI Creator Z16P is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a mid-range CPU and adequate RAM for everyday tasks but may struggle with more demanding applications, whereas the MSI Creator Z16P offers a high-end CPU and double the RAM, providing greater performance for intensive use. The MSI also boasts a higher-resolution display and superior screen quality, enhancing visual experiences, although it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable than the Dell.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a less powerful integrated GPU with a lower screen refresh rate, making it only fair for gaming and 3D tasks, whereas the MSI Creator Z16P comes with a superior dedicated graphics card and a higher refresh rate display, greatly enhancing gaming and 3D rendering experiences.
Engineering and Design
6.4/10
8.3/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 offers a mid-range AMD Ryzen CPU, standard RAM, and integrated graphics, making it suitable for basic engineering and design tasks but may struggle with more demanding applications. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P comes with a high-end Intel CPU, double the RAM, and a powerful Nvidia dedicated GPU, enabling smoother performance in intensive engineering and design applications, along with a higher-resolution screen to enhance visual detail.
Content Creation
7.1/10
7.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Creator Z16P 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
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P 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
8.3/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
259.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P 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 15 3525 offers adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks but falls short for professional design work, where accurate color representation found in the higher color gamut of the MSI Creator Z16P is crucial. Despite its decent specs for general and engineering use, the Dell's screen cannot match the MSI's superior resolution and panel type needed for sharp and vivid imagery in design applications. When it comes to gaming and 3D work, both laptops may not satisfy due to lackluster refresh rates, meaning neither is ideal for activities that require smooth motion graphics.
Battery
6.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and MSI Creator Z16P both have good portability, though the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P has very 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
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a price of $400 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
"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."
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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