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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choose the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 if you prioritize a larger screen, more storage, and higher resolution which is beneficial for productivity and multimedia use. However, it is generally more expensive and less portable. Alternatively, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is more budget-friendly and offers better battery life which suits frequent travelers, but has less storage and a smaller screen. Both have similar performance for general use, with the Dell being slightly better suited for engineering tasks and the Lenovo for longer use without charging. Both are not ideal for intensive 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 16 5635
- Very good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
341.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is good.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 offers a larger, higher-resolution screen, more RAM, and a stronger contrast ratio than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15", which translates to a potentially better experience for general use due to smoother multitasking and clearer visuals.
Engineering and Design
7.3
6.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is equipped with more RAM, a higher resolution screen, and a processor with a higher model number, suggesting better overall performance for engineering and design tasks compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 5, which, despite having a good CPU, offers less RAM and a lower screen resolution.
Content Creation
7.9
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both good for content creation, though the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.6
6.5
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
341.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" for engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Dell Inspiron and the Lenovo IdeaPad offer screens with suitable resolution and brightness levels that ensure a decent viewing experience for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, although they may not stand out in terms of sharpness or color vibrancy. When it comes to engineering and design, these laptops may fall short for professionals seeking precise color representation, as their screens likely do not cover the wider color gamuts required for high-end visual work. For gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates of these screens could result in less fluid motion and responsiveness, which can detract from the immersive experience and performance that gamers and 3D designers seek.
Battery
8.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 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
7.0
7.6
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 both have good build quality, though the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" both have GPUs that can handle everyday gaming and 3D applications adequately, but may not provide the top-tier graphics performance needed for the most demanding games or professional 3D work. With their moderate refresh rates and CPUs, both laptops will offer a decent visual experience and multitasking capability, with the screen quality being satisfactory for general use, though not the highest on the market.
Software Development
7.7
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$700
$690
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a price of $700 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" costs $690.
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How the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 5635 | Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $690 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.72'' | 14'' x 9.2'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.05" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 9.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 57 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 265 nits | 341 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 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 | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 16 5635
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Dig into reviews and images
UltrabookReview
Derek Sullivan | January 2023
"Compared to the previous year’s Inspiron, Dell upgraded the screen aspect ratio on this generation, but also transitioned to a more minimalistic centered keyboard flanked by up-firing speakers. The 16-inch screen is huge plus and I really appreciate the extra real estate without sacrificing the footprint much. This year’s model is a little larger than last, though, as the former model was already very small for a 15 incher."
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | August 2021
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is convincing due to its long battery life. The device scores points especially with its large battery and long battery runtimes combined with its low consumption. The CPU and GPU perform in the test as one would expect, and in line with what was familiar from the somewhat smaller 14-inch sister model, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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 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.
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