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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 have distinctions that will affect your experience based on your needs. If you are looking for a lighter and potentially more portable option, the Dell is less heavy than the Lenovo. However, the Lenovo has a better screen resolution, which could be a significant advantage if you value sharper and more detailed visuals. For performance, the Lenovo packs a punch with a higher-end processor, which can handle more demanding tasks more smoothly. The Dell, while still competent, may not keep up as efficiently with heavy workloads. If you’re using the laptop for creative tasks or prefer writing directly on the screen, consider the Lenovo for its 2-in-1 feature and higher battery life, which offers flexibility to use it as a tablet and for longer periods unplugged. On the other hand, the Dell is more straightforward but might not offer as much versatility. 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 Lenovo Flex 5 16.
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 16
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.6
7.3
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 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 has a screen that suits general activities and engineering well due to its adequate resolution and brightness, but falls short for gaming and 3D because it lacks high refresh rates which enable smoother visuals. The Lenovo Flex 5 16's display, offering a mix of sharpness and vibrant colors, makes it a strong choice for both daily tasks and color-sensitive engineering or design work but isn't ideal for gaming due to a lower refresh rate. Neither laptop's screen excels in gaming environments, making them more suitable for users whose priorities are productivity and creative work over high-end gaming.
Battery
6.5 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 both have good portability, though the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.0
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 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
$779
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a price of $722 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $779.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530's capable processor, sufficient memory, and 1080p screen make it a good fit for everyday tasks, and its lighter weight and decent battery life offer some portability, but it's not ideal for color-sensitive work due to lower screen color coverage.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 offers a high screen refresh rate, contributing to smoother visuals which is crucial for gaming and 3D applications, whereas the Lenovo Flex 5 16, despite its higher resolution and brighter screen, has a lower refresh rate which might not be as fluid for fast-paced gaming.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Flex 5 16 to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is equipped with an Intel i5 processor and Iris Xe graphics, suitable for engineering tasks, but the Lenovo Flex 5 16 steps up with a more powerful Intel i7 processor, also featuring Iris Xe graphics, providing extra muscle for demanding design applications. While both have high-quality IPS displays, the Lenovo Flex 5 offers a sharper and brighter screen with higher resolution, which can be crucial for intricate design details, but as a larger 2-in-1 convertible, it's less portable compared to the more traditional and slightly lighter Dell Inspiron design.
Content Creation
7.3
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 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.
Software Development
7.2
7.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both good for software development.
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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3530 | Lenovo Flex 5 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$722 | $779 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.64 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 11.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 52.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Flex 5 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | April 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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