When deciding between the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and the Lenovo LOQ 16, consider the tradeoffs in performance, battery life, and portability. The Dell is often cheaper, lighter, and has a longer battery life, making it suitable for general use and better for carrying around. The Lenovo, while somewhat more expensive and heavier, offers better performance with a higher-end graphics card and processor, which would be better for gaming, 3D tasks, or engineering software. It also has a higher screen resolution and refresh rate, which could enhance your viewing experience for media and detailed work. 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
Advantages of the Lenovo LOQ 16
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
7.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo LOQ 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Lenovo LOQ 16 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card and its screen's higher refresh rate of 144Hz compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3530's Intel Iris Xe graphics and 120Hz refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
6.9/10
7.9/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo LOQ 16 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Lenovo LOQ 16 stands out for engineering and design due to its superior AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, offering robust performance for intensive tasks and rendering, coupled with a higher resolution and brighter screen that benefits design work; however, it's heavier, affecting portability compared to the lighter Dell Inspiron 15 3530, which has a capable but less powerful Intel i5 CPU and integrated graphics, suitable for less demanding engineering applications and better for on-the-go use.
Screen Quality
6.6/10
7.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Lenovo LOQ 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530's screen may not be as vibrant or sharp due to lower resolution and brightness, while the Lenovo LOQ 16 offers a clearer and brighter display making it more pleasant for everyday tasks. The Lenovo's display includes wider color gamuts, providing richer and more accurate colors essential for engineering and design work, outclassing the Dell in visual fidelity for professional tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short as their screens lack the high refresh rates that contribute to smoother visuals and improved responsiveness, a key factor for these activities.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has good portability, while the Lenovo LOQ 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo LOQ 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.
The Lenovo LOQ 16 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is suitable for general use due to its decent processor, ample RAM, and satisfactory screen quality, offering a balance of performance and portability with reasonable battery life. The Lenovo LOQ 16 offers similar RAM and a stronger processor for potentially faster performance, with a higher screen quality and resolution, which may come at the cost of slightly reduced portability due to increased weight and size.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.6/10
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 Lenovo LOQ 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
7.2/10
7.5/10
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
8.0/10
The Lenovo LOQ 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.
Battery
6.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo LOQ 16 has 6 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.
Cost
$722
$740
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a price of $722 and the Lenovo LOQ 16 costs $740.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and the Lenovo LOQ 16 compare to other laptops
"Gaming laptops with an RTX 4060 are available starting from about 1,000 Euros (~$1,060), even in 16-inch format. For the supposedly affordable Lenovo LOQ 16 (1,500 Euros, ~$1,591), the manufacturer particularly saves in the equipment and materials compared to the more expensive Legion series. In addition, the LOQ is slightly heavier and more bulky. What remains is anything but a laptop full of difficult compromises. Instead, this is a more than solid gaming laptop that focusses on the 3D performance.Q is slightly heavier and more bulky."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 or the Lenovo LOQ 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.
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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