Dell Inspiron 15 3525 vs MSI Stealth 17

The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a decent screen, manageable weight, and a respectable battery life which are positive for general use, yet its CPU and RAM are on the modest side which could limit multitasking and more demanding applications. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 17, although heavier and with shorter battery life, is equipped with a superior CPU, considerably more RAM, and a higher quality screen, making it more capable of handling complex tasks smoothly and offering a better visual experience.

The MSI Stealth 17 outperforms the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 in gaming and 3D tasks primarily because it has a high-end Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 240Hz, compared to the Inspiron's integrated Vega 7 graphics and a 60Hz screen. While the Stealth 17 provides a smoother and more immersive gaming experience, bear in mind that it would be heavier and likely more expensive than the Inspiron, which offers modest gaming capabilities at a lower cost and weight.

The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 offers modest capabilities for engineering and design with its mid-tier AMD chip and integrated graphics, which suit less demanding tasks, while the MSI Stealth 17 excels with a high-end Intel i9 processor and powerful Nvidia graphics, ideal for intensive applications and rendering work. Furthermore, the MSI has a higher-quality screen with superior resolution and color accuracy, but it's larger and heavier, making the Dell more portable, although with trade-offs in performance and display quality.

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.

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.

The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has an adequate display that supports basic tasks and applications well, with sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday use, but it lacks the wide color gamut desired for precise engineering and design work, and its refresh rate isn't high enough to provide the smooth visuals needed for immersive gaming and fluid 3D modelling. The MSI Stealth 17, on the other hand, boasts a high-quality display with vibrant color accuracy and sharpness that benefits professional work in engineering and design due to its wider color gamut, yet it falls short for gaming and 3D purposes because of a refresh rate that doesn't match the preference for ultra-smooth motion. Therefore, the Dell might suffice for general use at a lower cost, while the MSI offers superior visual experience for creative professionals but may disappoint hardcore gamers who prioritize fast-paced visuals.

PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.

Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.