If you prioritize performance for intensive tasks and do not mind carrying a heavier laptop, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 with its Intel CPU and larger screen could be beneficial. However, if portability and longer battery life are more important to you, and you're willing to have less storage and a slightly older CPU, the LG Ultra 13 may suit you better due to its lighter weight and compact size. Keep in mind, the Dell's higher cost might reflect its newer technology and slightly better build, but this comes with the tradeoff of less portability compared to the LG. 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 LG Ultra 13.
Advantages of the LG Ultra 13
Good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Very good battery life
Good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.6/10
6.9/10
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a better screen than the LG Ultra 13 for gaming and AI, while the LG Ultra 13 has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530, with its fair screen quality, offers a balance between resolution and brightness suitable for general tasks, but may lack the wide color gamut that professionals require for precise engineering and design work. The LG Ultra 13, with its good screen quality, provides a crisper display and greater brightness, supporting more accurate color representation for creative professionals, but both laptops have lower refresh rates, which diminish the experience for gaming and 3D applications where smoother motion is crucial. Neither model is ideal for gaming or 3D work due to the poor screen refresh rates, despite their differing strengths in resolution and color accuracy for other tasks.
Battery
6.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The LG Ultra 13 has 10 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
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The LG Ultra 13 has excellent portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
7.4/10
The LG Ultra 13 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
$529
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a price of $722 and the LG Ultra 13 costs $529.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and LG Ultra 13 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is favored for general use due to its ample storage and RAM, a high-definition screen, and reasonable portability, but it has a shorter battery life. In contrast, the LG Ultra 13, with its sharper screen, lighter weight, and longer battery life, makes for an excellent choice for carrying around, although it has less storage space than the Dell.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
6.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and LG Ultra 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a faster screen refresh rate which is beneficial for smooth gaming visuals, while the LG Ultra 13, despite having a less favorable refresh rate, offers better screen quality overall, which can enhance the gaming experience with more vibrant colors and sharper detail. Both laptops use integrated graphics rather than dedicated gaming GPUs and have mid-range CPUs, meaning they can handle gaming and 3D applications adequately but are not optimized for high-end performance in these areas.
Engineering and Design
6.9/10
6.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.7/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and LG Ultra 13 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is equipped with a newer Intel CPU and high-performing integrated graphics, which are crucial for engineering and design tasks requiring more processing power, but it's relatively heavier, affecting portability. Conversely, the LG Ultra 13 has an older AMD CPU and less powerful integrated graphics, offering less processing performance for demanding tasks, although it's lighter and more portable, with a higher battery capacity for longer use on-the-go.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and LG Ultra 13 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
7.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The LG Ultra 13 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 LG Ultra 13 compare to other laptops
"The 13.3-inch LG Gram is a fine fit if you need to travel as light as possible for as long as possible without spending a fortune to do it. It might not be particularly sturdy or have an eye-catching design and its webcam is less than ideal, but with its sharp touch display, comfortable backlit keyboard, responsive touchpad and a fingerprint reader for extra security, the Gram makes a respectible everyday laptop for business or school work."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 or the LG Ultra 13
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 LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, 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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