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Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, consider what you'll use the laptop for and how much value you place on certain features. The Dell Inspiron is generally more expensive and may offer a more robust build or brand reliability, but if it's not specifically geared for gaming, the Lenovo could provide better graphics and processing power for gaming-specific tasks. If you anticipate needing the laptop for high-performance games or tasks that require more graphical capabilities, the Lenovo might be the better choice despite its lower price, given its gaming orientation. However, if gaming isn't a priority, and you're looking for a device that fulfills general computing needs with a potential edge in build quality or customer support, the additional investment in the Dell could be worthwhile. Consider battery life and portability too; gaming laptops often have shorter battery life and are heavier, so if you need your laptop to be portable and last a long time on a single charge, the Dell might be the better option. 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 IdeaPad Gaming 3.
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.6
7.2
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a screen sufficient for everyday tasks due to respectable resolution and brightness, but it lacks the wide color gamut necessary for accurate color work in engineering and design, and its lower refresh rate hinders the smooth visuals crucial for gaming and 3D applications. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers a good balance of resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use, and its better color reproduction benefits engineering and design work, yet it still falls short for gaming and 3D due to a less than ideal refresh rate. Therefore, while both laptops can handle general activities and basic design tasks, neither is optimal for high-end gaming or 3D rendering where high refresh rates are crucial for the best experience.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 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
15.6in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.2
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
$549
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a price of $722 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 costs $549.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is well-suited for general use with its balanced CPU and RAM, decent battery life, and relatively low weight making it more portable. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers better screen quality and audio with a more powerful CPU and GPU combo but is heavier and less portable, which along with its gaming-oriented build, might make it overkill for just general use while offering the extra capability for gaming or heavy tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.5
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530's gaming and 3D capabilities are limited due to its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which are less powerful than dedicated GPUs, although it offers a 120Hz screen refresh rate that is favorable for gaming. In comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is better equipped for such tasks with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 2050 GPU and similar 120Hz refresh rate, providing higher graphical performance and better handling of 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is suitable for engineering and design due to its capable Intel i5 processor, ample 16GB of RAM, and reliable Iris Xe graphics which are sufficient for less graphically intense design tasks, paired with a decent quality IPS screen. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 stands out for similar uses with a more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor and superior Nvidia RTX 2050 graphics, making it more suited for demanding engineering software and design work that requires more robust graphics processing; though heavier and less portable, it compensates with a better screen and additional features like a backlit keyboard and Ethernet connectivity.
Content Creation
7.3
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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 IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3530 | Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$722 | $549 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.64 lbs | 5.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 10.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 60 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
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 Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
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NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | October 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the most powerful RTX 3050 Ti laptops. If you disregard the mediocre quality of the case in terms of the material and workmanship, Lenovo has created a successful budget gaming laptop with the IdeaPad Gaming. Thanks to high TDPs and constant performance development, the Core i5-12500H and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti are able to show their full power, while in contrast, the (mostly slower) competitors deliver a better battery life. However, hardly any of the alternative laptops are able to reach the image quality of the Gaming 3. Most of the competitors are left behind in terms of the color space and brightness."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
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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