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Updated January 12, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and the MSI Prestige 15 depends on your priorities. The Dell offers a balance between performance and cost, making it a more budget-friendly option. However, the MSI Prestige 15 includes a dedicated Nvidia graphics card which is significantly better for 3D work, machine learning, and gaming. The MSI also has a larger battery for extended use on the go but tends to be pricier. If portability and battery life are vital to you and you do intensive tasks, the MSI is better suited, but if you're looking for general use at a lower cost, consider the Dell. 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 MSI Prestige 15.
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
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
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 15 for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 15 has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, where viewing documents and web browsing are common, both the Dell Inspiron 15 and MSI Prestige 15 offer displays with sufficient resolution and brightness, but the Prestige stands out with a more vibrant and crisp display. In engineering and design, the MSI Prestige 15's ability to display a wider range of colors makes it more suitable for tasks requiring color accuracy, like photo editing or CAD work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid on-screen motion, though resolution and panel quality also affect the visual experience.
Build Quality
6.2
7.4
The MSI Prestige 15 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
$1,044
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has a price of $722 and the MSI Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Prestige 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 offers balanced performance for everyday tasks with decent screen quality and battery life suitable for general use, and it's relatively lightweight for easier portability. Meanwhile, the MSI Prestige 15, with a superior CPU, dedicated graphics, brighter, higher-quality screen, and longer battery life, is also a compelling option for general use, especially for those requiring more power and better visuals.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.3
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
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
7.0/10
The MSI Prestige 15 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530, with an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, offers a fair gaming experience, making it suitable for less demanding games and 3D applications. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 15's dedicated Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU provides better graphics performance for gaming and 3D tasks, but its lower screen refresh rate might not be as smooth for high-speed gaming.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 15 to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530, equipped with a capable processor and integrated GPU, is suited for engineering and design with a focus on screen quality and a 120 Hz refresh rate, but may not offer the best GPU performance for the most intensive tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 15, featuring a similar processor but paired with a dedicated Nvidia GPU, offers better graphics performance, essential for demanding engineering software, has superior color coverage and a higher contrast screen for intricate design work, but has a lower refresh rate which may not be as smooth for certain applications.
Content Creation
7.3
7.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 15 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
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 15 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
7.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 15 has 7.5 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and MSI Prestige 15 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 MSI Prestige 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 3530 | MSI Prestige 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$722 | $1,044 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | 14.1'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.64 lbs | 3.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 9.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i5-1240P | |
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 | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 82 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 298 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
MSI Prestige 15
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | December 2022
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 or the MSI Prestige 15
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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