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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize more memory for multitasking, the MSI Modern 14 has twice the RAM of the Dell Inspiron 15 3525, which means smoother performance with multiple applications open. The MSI is also lighter and offers better portability, making it a better choice if you're always on the go. However, the Dell has a larger screen, which can be beneficial for productivity and entertainment, especially with its touchscreen functionality. Both have similar graphics capabilities, so either would work for general use and moderate performance tasks, but neither is suited for intensive gaming. Keep in mind the Dell may be a bit more expensive, so if budget is a constraint, the slightly less pricey MSI could be a good fit. 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 MSI Modern 14.
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
- Good for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
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
311.0 nits
The MSI Modern 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for general use, and content creation.
For general use, both Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and MSI Modern 14 offer screens with adequate resolution and brightness levels that ensure comfortable viewing, but may lack the premium panel technology that provides wider viewing angles and better color reproduction. When it comes to engineering and design work, these laptops meet the basic requirements, but professionals might find the color accuracy and range lacking as these laptops may not fully cover professional color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. For 3D and gaming, the lower refresh rates on both machines mean less fluid motion, which, along with just fair screen resolution and panel types, can hinder the full immersive experience often desired in these applications.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.0
The MSI Modern 14 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
$525
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a price of $400 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
259.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The MSI Modern 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a decent processor and ample RAM for routine tasks but is heavier and has lower screen quality and battery life, making it just fair for general use. The MSI Modern 14, on the other hand, boasts a superior processor, double the RAM, which significantly increases performance, and a higher-quality screen, all packaged in a lighter frame with better portability, accounting for its good suitability for general tasks.
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
8.7/10
The MSI Modern 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and the MSI Modern 14 both have similar integrated GPU capabilities, and their screens have a standard refresh rate, making them suitable for casual gaming and 3D tasks but not for high-end gaming performance or professional 3D rendering. While both laptops can handle general use and some gaming or 3D applications reasonably well, they lack the high-end graphics processing and rapid display response that serious gamers and 3D professionals typically require.
Engineering and Design
6.4
6.6
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Modern 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3525 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 offers a fair performance for engineering and design tasks with its mid-range CPU and GPU, suitable RAM for moderate workloads, and a decent quality touch-enabled screen, but it has average portability and a heavier weight. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14 also delivers fair performance with a more powerful CPU and more RAM for handling complex tasks, a non-touch IPS screen with better color accuracy, and excels in portability due to its lighter weight and compact size, yet it might fall short for tasks requiring extensive keyboard use given its lack of a numeric keypad.
Content Creation
7.1
7.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Modern 14 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
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Modern 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.
Battery
6.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 has 6 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3525 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$400 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.75'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.71 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.27" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 39 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 | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 8.7/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 15 3525
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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."
MSI Modern 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 or the MSI Modern 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 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.
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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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