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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option for general use like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is an excellent choice, as it is significantly less expensive than the MSI Pulse GL66 and offers ample performance for everyday tasks. However, if you need higher performance for tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, or engineering software, the MSI Pulse GL66 with its powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics is better equipped to handle these demands, although it comes at a higher price and is heavier to carry around. You should also consider battery life, where the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 comes out ahead, offering more hours between charges compared to the MSI Pulse GL66, which might be crucial for those needing to work on the go. The MSI Pulse GL66 also features a higher refresh rate display, which is particularly appealing for gaming. 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 battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is less suitable for gaming and 3D applications than the MSI Pulse GL66 primarily because it has an integrated GPU (Intel i5-1335U Iris Xe) and a lower screen refresh rate (120 Hz), while the MSI Pulse GL66 is equipped with a more powerful dedicated GPU (Nvidia RTX 3070) and a higher screen refresh rate (144 Hz), greatly enhancing game performance and visual smoothness. Additionally, the MSI's superior CPU (Intel i7-11800H) and better screen quality complement its ability to handle more demanding tasks and provide a more immersive gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is suitable for engineering and design due to its competent CPU and integrated GPU, ample RAM for multitasking, very good screen quality, and excellent keyboard – though it's less portable and has a fair speaker quality. The MSI Pulse GL66, on the other hand, boasts a more powerful CPU and dedicated GPU, which are ideal for demanding engineering tasks and better screen quality, but it also comes with increased operating noise and weight impacting portability.
Screen Quality
6.6
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for software development, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has a better screen for general use, and gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and MSI Pulse GL66 both offer screens that provide enough clarity and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, but they may lack the higher resolution that enhances the viewing experience. In terms of engineering and design, while suitable for basic tasks, their displays don't cover a wide range of colors, which can be crucial for accurate visual work where precise color representation is needed. For 3D and gaming, the screens on these laptops don't refresh as quickly as gaming-optimized models, leading to less fluid motion during fast-paced scenes and potentially detracting from the immersive experience.
Battery
6.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Pulse GL66 has 4 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good portability, though the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.4
The MSI Pulse GL66 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
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a price of $722 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is praised for its battery life and heat management, making it suitable for general use without the need for frequent charging or concerns about overheating. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66, with a higher-performing CPU and dedicated graphics, is more suited for demanding applications but has a shorter battery life and is heavier, thus less portable.
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 MSI Pulse GL66 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
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and MSI Pulse GL66 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 MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3530 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$722 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.64 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 10.2" | |
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 | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
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 | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8/10 | 7.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
MSI Pulse GL66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | April 2022
"The MSI Pulse GL66 has a lot of potential for improvement. Although the RTX 3060 is only able to use 105 watts, we still liked the gaming performance, particularly since this also makes the Pulse comfortably efficient but not slow by any means. Neither the dark display with its lame response times, nor USB 2.0 or the lack of Thunderbolt will please real gamers. The use of a sticker factory seal, which is at least questionable, also won't inspire any enthusiasm. It is obvious that the laptop is really designed for price-conscious gamers."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 or the MSI Pulse GL66
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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