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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is less expensive and offers a solid balance for general use, with decent battery life and a moderate screen size, making it suitable for everyday tasks like web browsing, office work, and media consumption. However, if you need higher performance for engineering, 3D work, machine learning, or gaming, the Dell Precision 5470 is better. The Precision has a more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, but it has a smaller screen and storage capacity, and it's also more expensive. It is ideal for intensive tasks and professional applications, plus it's lighter and easier to carry around. Keep in mind the Precision also comes with Windows 11 Pro, which offers more features than Windows 11 Home found on the Inspiron. Consider your budget against your need for high performance and portability when choosing between the two. 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 3530
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has no clear advantages over the Dell Precision 5470.
Advantages of the Dell Precision 5470
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Precision 5470 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530, with moderate screen quality and an integrated GPU, is suitable for general engineering and design tasks, where affordability and portability are also considered; however, the Dell Precision 5470, despite being higher in cost, offers a more powerful CPU and dedicated GPU, superior screen quality for detailed work, and better portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, making it better suited for more intensive engineering and design tasks that require higher performance.
Software Development
7.2
7.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell Precision 5470 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both good for software development, though the Dell Precision 5470 is somewhat better.
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
6.6
7.3
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Dell Precision 5470 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530's screen may not offer the clarity and sharpness needed for detailed engineering work or the immersive experience desired in gaming due to its average resolution and brightness, but it's sufficient for everyday tasks like browsing and document editing. The Dell Precision 5470, with its higher-quality display, provides better color accuracy and a brighter, more vibrant screen, making it suitable for color-critical engineering and design work, though its lack of a high refresh rate might disappoint gamers used to smooth visuals. For users focused on 3D applications and gaming, neither laptop is ideal, as their screens don't have the high refresh rates needed for the most fluid visual experience.
Battery
6.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Precision 5470 has 9 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.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The Dell Precision 5470 has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$722
$1,669
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a price of $722 and the Dell Precision 5470 costs $1,669.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.4/10
The Dell Precision 5470 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530, with its adequate processor, substantial RAM, and full HD screen, serves as a reliable choice for general use, offering a balance between performance and affordability, while remaining fairly portable and lightweight. In contrast, the Dell Precision 5470 provides superior performance with a faster CPU and professional-grade GPU, higher screen resolution with better color coverage, and a more compact build, ideal for demanding tasks but at a higher cost and potential trade-offs in battery capacity and storage space.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.7
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Precision 5470 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a faster screen refresh rate which is beneficial for gaming and 3D applications, but it uses an integrated graphics unit that may not handle intensive gaming as well as the Dell Precision 5470, which has a more powerful dedicated Nvidia graphics card and a higher quality screen, despite its slower refresh rate.
Content Creation
7.3
7.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Precision 5470 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Precision 5470 to have very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and the Dell Precision 5470 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3530 | Dell Precision 5470 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$722 | $1,669 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | 12.2'' x 8.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.64 lbs | 3.26 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 12.22" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 8.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 500 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 4 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Precision 5470
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Brian Westover | August 2022
"The Dell Precision 5470 is a mobile workstation that's far more portable than most alternatives. Between its slim 14-inch design and top-quality MIL-STD 810H build, it's one of the best options around for taking professional-grade performance on the road or to the job site. There are tradeoffs for its portability, and users of the most demanding, graphics-intensive applications will need to carry something heavier. But the Dell's exceptional battery life underscores its desirability as the most portable workstation we've seen."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 or the Dell Precision 5470
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.
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