Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U vs Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop (A515-58M-7570, i7-1355U)
Time to compare Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U with Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop (A515-58M-7570, i7-1355U). We will cover the essentials so you can buy with confidence.
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Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U
Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop (A515-58M-7570, i7-1355U)
Comparison: Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U vs Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop (A515-58M-7570, i7-1355U)
Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U
Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop (A515-58M-7570, i7-1355U)
| Criterion | Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U | Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop (A515-58M-7570, i7-1355U) |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.5(2,701)Best Buy | ★4.3(107)Amazon |
Processor | Intel Core i5-1235U (Alder Lake-U, 10 cores, up to 4.4 GHz) | Intel Core i7-1355U (10-core: 2P + 8E), 1.70 GHz base, up to 5.0 GHz turbo |
Graphics | Intel Iris Xe Graphics (Integrated; requires dual-channel RAM, otherwise UHD) | Intel Iris Xe Graphics (integrated; shared memory) |
AI Engine | No (Not supported) | No (Not supported) |
Cooling | Air (Single fan) | TwinAir Cooling (dual copper thermal pipes, dual fans, air inlet keyboard) |
RAM | 8 GB or 16 GB DDR4-2666/3200 MHz | 16 GB LPDDR5 (Onboard) |
RAM Upgrade | Yes (2x SODIMM slots, up to 16 GB officially, 32 GB unofficially) | No (Soldered) |
Storage | 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD | 512 GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD |
Storage Upgrade | Yes (1x M.2 2230/2280 slot) | Yes (1x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 slot) |
Display Size | 15.6" | 15.6" |
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 (FHD) | 1920 x 1080 (FHD) |
Aspect Ratio | 16:9 | 16:9 |
Screen Type | IPS (Anti-glare; Wide Viewing Angle) | IPS (LCD; LED-backlit; ComfyView; Anti-glare) |
Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 60 Hz |
Brightness | 250 nits (Typical) | 250 nits (Typical) |
Color Gamut | 45% NTSC (approx. 60% sRGB) | 45% NTSC (Typical) |
Keyboard Layout | US English (ANSI) with NumPad | US Standard (QWERTY) |
Keyboard Backlight | No (Optional/Configuration dependent; mostly No on retail units) | Yes |
Biometrics | No (Fingerprint reader is optional/configuration dependent) | Fingerprint reader (Touchpad integrated) |
Webcam | 720p HD camera | 1080p FHD webcam with Temporal Noise Reduction (TNR) |
USB Ports | 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1; 1x USB-A 2.0; (Note: USB-C is often ABSENT on i5-1235U US retail units) | 1x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 / Power Delivery / DisplayPort); 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (one with power-off charging) |
Video Ports | 1x HDMI 1.4 (Supports up to 1920x1080 @ 60Hz) | 1x HDMI 2.1 |
Audio Ports | 1x 3.5mm Headphone/Mic combo jack | 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax 2x2); Bluetooth 5.1 | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.1 |
Battery | 41 Wh (3-cell Li-ion) or 54 Wh (4-cell; config dependent) | 3-cell Li-Ion (50 Wh) |
Charger | 65 W Barrel-pin AC adapter (4.5mm) | 65 W AC adapter (Barrel pin) |
Weight | 1,660 g (3.65 lbs) | 1.78 kg (3.92 lbs) |
Build Material | Plastic (Carbon Black) | Aluminum top cover; Plastic chassis (Steel Gray) |
Operating System | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
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Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U
✓ Pros:
- • 120Hz refresh rate provides smoother scrolling than typical 60Hz budget laptops
- • Memory (RAM) is not soldered and can be upgraded via two SODIMM slots
- • Includes a full-size SD card slot (rare in modern laptops)
- • Decent port selection with three USB-A ports and HDMI
- • Lift hinge design improves airflow and typing angle
✗ Cons:
- • Most high-volume US retail configurations (e.g., Best Buy) LACK a USB-C port
- • HDMI 1.4 port cannot output 4K at 60Hz (limited to 1080p)
- • No keyboard backlight on many standard configurations
- • Plastic chassis feels budget-oriented and attracts fingerprints
- • Display colors are washed out (45% NTSC) and not suitable for photo editing
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Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop (A515-58M-7570, i7-1355U)
✓ Pros:
- • Thunderbolt 4 support (rare in this price bracket)
- • 1080p webcam with noise reduction
- • Decent port selection including HDMI 2.1
- • TwinAir cooling system improves thermal management over previous generations
✗ Cons:
- • RAM is soldered and cannot be upgraded
- • Display has limited color gamut (45% NTSC) and average brightness
- • No SD card slot
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Which one is better?
Looking at user satisfaction (Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U: 4.5★ vs Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop (A515-58M-7570, i7-1355U): 4.3★), Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U pulls ahead. The gap is small—choose based on the priorities below.
Who should buy each?
Choose Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U if:
- You want 120Hz refresh rate provides smoother scrolling than typical 60Hz budget laptops, Memory (RAM) is not soldered and can be upgraded via two SODIMM slots
- Rating: 4.5★ (2701 reviews)
Choose Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop (A515-58M-7570, i7-1355U) if:
- You prefer Thunderbolt 4 support (rare in this price bracket), 1080p webcam with noise reduction
- Rating: 4.3★ (107 reviews)
Conclusion
Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U and Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop (A515-58M-7570, i7-1355U) are both solid choices. Match the strengths above to your budget and workflow to make the best call.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U excels if you value 120hz refresh rate provides smoother scrolling than typical 60hz budget laptops. Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop (A515-58M-7570, i7-1355U) is better if you prioritize thunderbolt 4 support (rare in this price bracket). Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
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