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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is a more budget-friendly option and would suffice for everyday tasks and moderate use. If you prioritize saving money and mainly engage in activities like web browsing, document editing, and other common tasks, this laptop would be suitable. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is more expensive but offers a significant boost in performance with better graphics. It's designed for more demanding tasks such as video editing, 3D modeling, and gaming. Additionally, its flexible display hinge allows it to be used as a drawing tablet, complementing creative work. If these advanced capabilities align with your needs and you're comfortable with the higher cost, the Surface Laptop Studio would better serve you. Keep in mind that with the increased capabilities of the Surface Laptop Studio, you also get improved graphics and a higher resolution screen, making for a better multimedia experience. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio.
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.6
8.0
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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 sufficiently satisfies everyday needs with its adequate resolution and brightness, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a significantly sharper and brighter display, enhancing the overall visual experience. In terms of engineering and design work, the Surface stands out with its superior color accuracy and range, making it ideal for professionals who require precise color representation for their projects. However, when it comes to gaming and 3D applications, both the Dell and the Surface may fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which could result in less fluid motion compared to laptops designed specifically for gaming.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Build Quality
6.2
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very 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
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a price of $722 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530, with a competent Intel i5 processor and 16GB of RAM, offers reliable performance and is suitable for general use with a reasonable battery life. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is also geared for general use but steps up with a higher-end Intel i7 processor, superior screen quality, and longer battery life, also doubling as a drawing tablet with its flexible hinge, thus enhancing its portability despite being slightly heavier. Both have ample storage, and while Dell maintains a balance of good performance and portability, the Surface provides extra versatility and power, which may justify a higher price.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530, with its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, may not deliver the same performance in gaming and 3D applications as the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, which is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU. Both laptops have similar refresh rates, which is good for gaming smoothness, but the Surface Laptop Studio's superior screen quality and higher-end CPU also contribute to a better overall experience in demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530, with a decent processor and integrated graphics, provides suitable performance and screen quality for engineering and design, while being more affordable and lightweight for better portability. However, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers superior processing power and a dedicated graphics unit, higher screen resolution with a flexible hinge for tablet use, making it an excellent choice for more demanding engineering simulations and creative design work but with a higher price and slightly less portability.
Content Creation
7.3
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3530 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$722 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.64 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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