A low-cost ultraportable Windows laptop is the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 (model 3501). It is compatible with Core i3 through Core i7 Intel 11th Generation Processors. It may be configured with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, along with an NVIDIA GeForce MX330 discrete GPU or just integrated graphics. Also, you have the option of a 720P TN or a 1080P IPS panel. It has a 42Wh battery, a full-size keyboard with a Numpad on the right, and a 720p webcam. Three USB-A ports, an HDMI 1.4 port, an SD card reader, and an Ethernet port are among its available ports.
Variations And Size Differences
We put the Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor, Intel UHD Graphics 11th Gen, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage in the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 (model 3501) to the test. The options for the display, CPU, GPU, memory, and storage are listed in the table below.
To minimize confusion, we will only discuss the Inspiron 15 3501 model with Intel 11th Gen. Core Processors, which will be available in late 2020. There are numerous more variants in the Inspiron 15 3000 series. The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 models, which also contain Intel 11th Gen. CPUs but have minor variations in the port selection and design, will take the place of this portfolio from Dell in 2021. Additionally, there are more affordable Dell Inspiron 15 3510 variants with Intel Pentium and Celeron processors.
About Other Laptops
An adequate ultraportable laptop is the Dell Inspiron 3000. It’s among the most serviceable and user-upgradeable computers in its class, but it otherwise doesn’t distinguish out in any manner.
Check out our picks for the best laptops, the best inexpensive and budget laptops, and the best laptops for students for more choices.
DELL Inspiron 15 3000: Rivalry
Even though the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 is a great laptop for the money, there are other excellent laptops that cost between $350 and $500. A trustworthy computer, the HP 14z Laptop has a starting price of $430. It has good battery life and features a variety of connections, including a USB-C port.
Case
The Vivobook 15 boasts a 15.6-inch FHD display and a ton of legacy connectors, just like the Inspiron 15 3000. The Vivobook 15 sports a fingerprint reader, a USB-C port, and illuminated keys in contrast to the Inspiron 15 3000.
The cost of the Surface Laptop Go is comparable to several midrange Dell models, however it is more expensive than the entry-level Inspiron 15 3000. The $550 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go is a fantastic laptop. It offers an excellent battery life, a vivid display, and strong performance.
More, but not brighter, pixels
The 1,920 by 1,080-pixel display is one of the main differences between this model and the preceding 3505 model. An improvement over the 1,280 by 720-pixel resolution of its predecessor, the full-HD, 15.6-inch anti-glare screen is another another plus for this superb low-cost device. There is no touch-screen option, but at this price point, you wouldn’t expect one. Regrettably, the highest brightness of the screen during our testing was only 261 nits. This means that the laptop still produces dark-looking photos and video despite having a greater resolution than its predecessor.
A Little Budget Brawler: The Inspiron 15 3000 Under Test?
How does the Inspiron 15 3000 compare to its rivals in our benchmark tests? It has handled nicely so far. To find out, we contrasted the laptop’s performance with that of four other low-cost devices examined in 2021: the MSI Modern 14, the HP Laptop 14-dq2020nr, the VivoBook 15 from Asus, and the Laptop L410. All of these laptops, despite some memory variations, are in the $300–600 price range and have comparable CPU and GPU configurations. (See out how we test laptops.)
UL’s PCMark 10 is usually one of the first benchmark tests we conduct. To provide an overall performance rating for office workflows and similar tasks, the comprehensive benchmark suite simulates a number of Windows programs. However, inexpensive laptops typically don’t have enough memory to run the tests correctly, so we weren’t able to compare performance as usual.
The Inspiron 15 3000 did, however, manage to make some noise, earning a 3,818 overall score on the PCMark 10 test. What we’re looking for here is a number in the range of 4,000 and 5,000 in a reliable mainstream machine. Though it doesn’t exactly stick the landing, it also doesn’t stray too far from the mark. On the other hand, the PCMark 10 Storage Test failed to launch and could not be used. Also, as PugetBench for Photoshop does not function properly on PCs with less than 8GB of memory, we omitted this benchmark from the list.
sufficient battery life
In addition to a few minor battery-testing adjustments, we play a locally saved copy of the open-source Blender movie Tears of Steel continuously on loop at 50% brightness and 100% loudness. We’ll watch the movie off of a drive if the laptop doesn’t have room to store a copy. We also completely turn off Wi-Fi and switch the laptop to Airplane mode.
Conclusion
This laptop is clearly in the low-cost range. The Inspiron 15 3000 should satisfy those who desire a dependable tool for everyday productivity. Check out more potent pieces of hardware if you’re looking for a more expensive gadget or laptop for graphic design or video editing.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3000 is simple to recommend whether you’re buying a single laptop or several in quantity. It has the good build quality you would expect from a Dell laptop and is reasonably priced. Although I’d prefer a USB-C port and integrated Windows Hello hardware, most customers won’t be put off by these shortcomings.
