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Updated January 12, 2024·
When deciding between the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and the Lenovo Legion 5 17", consider that the Inspiron is a budget-friendly option good for everyday tasks like web browsing, office work, and streaming media. It offers decent battery life and is more portable. On the other hand, the Legion 5 is designed for gaming and more intensive applications, including 3D work, machine learning, or engineering software. It delivers better performance but typically at the cost of shorter battery life and less portability due to its size and weight. If your primary needs are performance and you're okay with spending more, the Lenovo Legion 5 could be the better choice. However, for general use and if you prioritize value and portability, the Dell Inspiron may suit you well. 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
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.4
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is better equipped for gaming and 3D because it carries a robust Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, which outperforms the integrated Intel i5-1335U Iris Xe graphics found in the Dell Inspiron 15 3530. Also, the Legion's higher screen refresh rate enhances the smoothness of gaming visuals compared to the Inspiron.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530, with its adequate CPU, ample RAM, and an integrated GPU, offers sufficient capabilities for various engineering and design tasks, further complemented by its quality screen and reasonable portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" steps up performance with a more powerful CPU and a superior dedicated GPU, delivering an enhanced experience for more graphically demanding engineering work, at the expense of being less portable due to its larger size and weight.
Screen Quality
6.6
7.3
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron's display provides adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, while the Lenovo Legion offers a sharper and brighter experience, making it more suitable for prolonged use and content consumption. In engineering and design, the Legion's display supports wider color gamuts for more accurate color reproduction, which is essential for precise visual work, unlike the Inspiron, which may not represent colors as faithfully. For 3D and gaming, however, both laptops fall short because they lack the high refresh rates needed for smooth motion, though their resolutions and types do support a decent static image quality.
Battery
6.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has 4.5 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
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.4
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a price of $722 and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 with its lighter weight and longer battery life is better suited for users who prioritize portability and all-day use, while its moderate screen size and processor make it ideal for everyday tasks. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" offers a larger screen, higher performance CPU and GPU for more demanding applications but compromises on battery life and portability, making it more suitable for stationary use where high performance is necessary, such as gaming or intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.3
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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 Legion 5 17" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3530 | Lenovo Legion 5 17" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$722 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | 15.7'' x 11.4'' x 1'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.64 lbs | 6.57 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 11.41" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8/10 | 5.8/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion 5 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | February 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 5 17 is a current-gen 17-inch gaming laptop and equipped with the latest AMD CPU and a powerful GPU, that manages to reach its full potential. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600H is a very good choice for this laptop and able to maintain its performance level for long periods of time. Our test model only falls behind consistently in a direct comparison with its competitors that are often equipped with eight cores and 16 threads. Despite this, the Legion 5 17 leaves an excellent impression and is almost able to keep up with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 mobile GPU in synthetic benchmarks."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 or the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
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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