The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 may save you money and offers a fanless operation which means it runs silently, but it has a lower performing graphics unit compared to the Lenovo Legion Slim 5. If you require higher graphics performance, as for gaming or graphic design, the Lenovo, with its dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics card, will serve you much better despite being slightly more expensive. However, the Dell has a higher resolution screen, which may be preferable for tasks like video editing or if you prefer crisp visuals. Keep in mind that the Lenovo may offer better overall performance due to its dedicated graphics card. If battery life and portability are important to you, consider that the Lenovo has a larger battery but also is heavier, which may affect how easy it is to carry around. Additionally, the Dell's silent, fanless operation could be an advantage if you need to work in quiet environments. 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 portability
Very good speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Slim 5
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good overall display quality
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
7.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.0/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 stands out for engineering and design use due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX graphics card which is better for demanding tasks compared to the integrated Vega 8 GPU in the Dell Inspiron 16 5635. While the Dell Inspiron has a high-quality display and is lighter for portability, the Lenovo's superior display brightness, higher color coverage which indicates better screen quality, and a stronger contrast ratio make it more suitable for detailed visual work.
Screen Quality
6.6/10
7.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 for software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635, with its adequate resolution and brightness, provides a satisfactory visual experience for everyday tasks but may lack the color accuracy and wider color gamuts that are crucial for detailed engineering and design work. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5, offering better color reproduction and higher brightness, meets the needs of professionals in engineering and design but falls short for gaming and 3D applications due to its lower refresh rate, which is key for smooth motion. Neither laptop is optimized for gaming or 3D rendering, as both exhibit lower refresh rates that fail to provide the seamless visuals expected in those domains.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has 7 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
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$700
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a price of $700 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 costs $1,000.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5635 to be very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is very good for general use due to its ample high-speed CPU and RAM, superior screen quality with higher resolution and color coverage, and lighter weight enhancing its portability, despite having a shorter battery life than the Lenovo. While the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is also good for general use, with a powerful CPU and ample RAM, its gaming-focused hardware, heavier build, and louder operating noise may not appeal to those seeking a quieter and more transportable daily work laptop.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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
7.7/10
7.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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.
Build Quality
7.0/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 acknowledges that a gaming laptop doesn’t have to be as thick as possible and can still ensure adequate cooling when the muscles need flexing. To this end, in the Slim 5 Gen 8, it finds a neat balance of refined, trimmed-down design that still lets its internals cruise (even above their max power ratings). Lenovo then added in some high-end build quality with an altogether excellent keyboard that’s useful for both work and play."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 or the Lenovo Legion Slim 5
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.
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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