Dell Inspiron 15 3530 vs Dell Inspiron 16 5635

The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 stands out for general use with a higher resolution and brighter screen, more storage capacity, and a longer battery life compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, while also boasting better heat management and a quieter operating noise. However, these enhancements come with a slight increase in weight and physical size, which might affect portability for some users.

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.

For general use, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and 16 5635 provide adequate resolution and brightness, but they don't stand out in terms of panel quality, meaning the image may not be as sharp or vivid as on higher-end displays. In engineering and design, while both laptops manage fair screen quality, they lack the wide color gamuts professionals need for precise color work, so colors may not be as accurate or vibrant. Meanwhile, for 3D and gaming, their screens' lower refresh rates lead to less fluid motion, and although they have decent resolutions and panel types, they won't deliver the smooth visuals that dedicated gaming laptops offer.

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

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

The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a higher screen refresh rate and integrated Iris Xe graphics which may provide smoother visuals in gaming and 3D tasks but is outperformed by the Dell Inspiron 16 5635's more powerful Ryzen 7 7730U Vega 8 graphics despite its lower screen refresh rate. Both have IPS panels for good screen quality, but the Inspiron 16 5635 offers a higher screen resolution for sharper images, complemented by its larger screen size and longer battery life, making it a preferable choice for both gaming and 3D applications.

The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 with an Intel i5 CPU, Iris Xe graphics, and a 1080p screen is suitable for engineering and design due to its decent CPU and GPU for computing tasks and a full HD display for clarity in design work, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635, boasting a more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, Vega 8 graphics, and a higher-resolution 2560 x 1600 screen offers enhanced performance for more demanding engineering software and finer detail for design tasks; however, it's slightly heavier and thicker, affecting its portability compared to the Inspiron 15 3530.