If budget is a key factor for you, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 offers decent performance for everyday use at a much lower price than the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro. However, for more demanding tasks such as gaming, 3D rendering or engineering software, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro would be more suitable due to its more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, but it's also more expensive and heavier, making it less portable. The Dell's longer battery life will benefit you if you're frequently on-the-go, while the Lenovo's higher resolution and refresh rate display may be preferable for high-quality media consumption and smoother visuals in fast-paced games. 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 Pro 5i
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
8.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i, with its superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, offers a smoother and more immersive gaming and 3D experience compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3530. While both have capable CPUs and good screen quality, the Legion's emphasized hardware is what makes it stand out for gaming and graphic-intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.9/10
8.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.6/10
8.1/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a display that is adequate for everyday tasks due to its resolution and brightness, but it lacks the wide color gamuts necessary for precise engineering and design work and falls short in refresh rate for smooth 3D rendering. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i shines in both general use and professional applications with its vibrant colors and sharp image, thanks to superior color coverage and higher resolution. However, despite its advanced characteristics, the Legion Pro 5i doesn't meet the demands of 3D applications and gaming where fast refresh rates are crucial to ensure fluid motion and responsiveness.
Battery
6.5 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 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
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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
$999
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a price of $722 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i costs $999.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530, with its lighter weight and longer battery life, is suitable for general use due to its balance of portable design and capable performance through its Intel i5 CPU and Iris Xe graphics, which are satisfactory for everyday tasks.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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
7.2/10
7.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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 Legion Pro 5i compare to other laptops
"The midpriced Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 8 follows some of our favorite gaming machines, including last year's model and the higher-end Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 tested earlier this year. But pedigree doesn't count for much in the computer world, and gaming laptops require a certain level of power and graphics performance to justify their prices. The Pro 5i Gen 8 just doesn't do that, offering middling CPU and GPU performance rather than the sort of muscle that would make it a great value."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 or the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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