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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerDell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U vs Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
If you are torn between Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U and Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H, this breakdown is for you. We compare specs, pros, and cons so you can decide confidently.
Ratings: 4.5★ vs 5★
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U
★4.5
(2,701)•Best Buy
Processor:Intel Core i5-1235U (Alder Lake-U, 10 cores, up to 4.4 GHz)
Graphics:Intel Iris Xe Graphics (Integrated; requires dual-channel RAM, otherwise UHD)
AI Engine:No (Not supported)
Cooling:Air (Single fan)
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Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
★5
(1)•Amazon
Processor:Intel Core i5-13420H (8-core: 4P + 4E), 2.10 GHz base, up to 4.60 GHz turbo
Graphics:NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (6 GB GDDR6; 75 W TGP)
AI Engine:No (Not supported)
Cooling:Dual-fan cooling system (2x intake, 4x exhaust)
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Comparison: Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U vs Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U
★4.5(2,701)Best Buy
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
★5(1)Amazon
| Criterion | Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U | Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.5(2,701)Best Buy | ★5(1)Amazon |
Processor | Intel Core i5-1235U (Alder Lake-U, 10 cores, up to 4.4 GHz) | Intel Core i5-13420H (8-core: 4P + 4E), 2.10 GHz base, up to 4.60 GHz turbo |
Graphics | Intel Iris Xe Graphics (Integrated; requires dual-channel RAM, otherwise UHD) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (6 GB GDDR6; 75 W TGP) |
AI Engine | No (Not supported) | No (Not supported) |
Cooling | Air (Single fan) | Dual-fan cooling system (2x intake, 4x exhaust) |
RAM | 8 GB or 16 GB DDR4-2666/3200 MHz | 16 GB DDR5 (5200 MT/s effective) |
RAM Upgrade | Yes (2x SODIMM slots, up to 16 GB officially, 32 GB unofficially) | Yes (2x SO-DIMM slots; user accessible) |
Storage | 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD | 512 GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD |
Storage Upgrade | Yes (1x M.2 2230/2280 slot) | Yes (2x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 slots) |
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; Matte; ComfyView) |
Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 144 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) with Numeric Keypad |
Keyboard Backlight | No (Optional/Configuration dependent; mostly No on retail units) | Yes (White backlight) |
Biometrics | No (Fingerprint reader is optional/configuration dependent) | No (Not supported) |
Webcam | 720p HD camera | 720p HD 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 / DisplayPort / Charging); 3x 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 6 (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.1; Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45) |
Battery | 41 Wh (3-cell Li-ion) or 54 Wh (4-cell; config dependent) | 4-cell Li-Ion (57 Wh) |
Charger | 65 W Barrel-pin AC adapter (4.5mm) | 135 W AC adapter (Barrel pin) |
Weight | 1,660 g (3.65 lbs) | 2.11 kg (4.66 lbs) |
Build Material | Plastic (Carbon Black) | Plastic chassis (Obsidian Black) |
Operating System | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. | Check Price on Amazon→ | Check Price on Amazon→ |
Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U
Rating:★4.5(2,701)Best Buy
Processor:Intel Core i5-1235U (Alder Lake-U, 10 cores, up to 4.4 GHz)
Graphics:Intel Iris Xe Graphics (Integrated; requires dual-channel RAM, otherwise UHD)
AI Engine:No (Not supported)
Cooling:Air (Single fan)
RAM:8 GB or 16 GB DDR4-2666/3200 MHz
RAM Upgrade:Yes (2x SODIMM slots, up to 16 GB officially, 32 GB unofficially)
Storage:512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
Storage Upgrade:Yes (1x M.2 2230/2280 slot)
Display Size:15.6"
Resolution:1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Aspect Ratio:16:9
Screen Type:IPS (Anti-glare; Wide Viewing Angle)
Refresh Rate:120 Hz
Brightness:250 nits (Typical)
Color Gamut:45% NTSC (approx. 60% sRGB)
Keyboard Layout:US English (ANSI) with NumPad
Keyboard Backlight:No (Optional/Configuration dependent; mostly No on retail units)
Biometrics:No (Fingerprint reader is optional/configuration dependent)
Webcam:720p HD camera
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)
Video Ports:1x HDMI 1.4 (Supports up to 1920x1080 @ 60Hz)
Audio Ports:1x 3.5mm Headphone/Mic combo jack
Connectivity:Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax 2x2); Bluetooth 5.1
Battery:41 Wh (3-cell Li-ion) or 54 Wh (4-cell; config dependent)
Charger:65 W Barrel-pin AC adapter (4.5mm)
Weight:1,660 g (3.65 lbs)
Build Material:Plastic (Carbon Black)
Operating System:Windows 11 Home
✓ 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
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Check Price on Amazon→
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
Rating:★5(1)Amazon
Processor:Intel Core i5-13420H (8-core: 4P + 4E), 2.10 GHz base, up to 4.60 GHz turbo
Graphics:NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (6 GB GDDR6; 75 W TGP)
AI Engine:No (Not supported)
Cooling:Dual-fan cooling system (2x intake, 4x exhaust)
RAM:16 GB DDR5 (5200 MT/s effective)
RAM Upgrade:Yes (2x SO-DIMM slots; user accessible)
Storage:512 GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD
Storage Upgrade:Yes (2x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 slots)
Display Size:15.6"
Resolution:1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Aspect Ratio:16:9
Screen Type:IPS (LCD; Matte; ComfyView)
Refresh Rate:144 Hz
Brightness:250 nits (Typical)
Color Gamut:45% NTSC (Typical)
Keyboard Layout:US Standard (QWERTY) with Numeric Keypad
Keyboard Backlight:Yes (White backlight)
Biometrics:No (Not supported)
Webcam:720p HD webcam with Temporal Noise Reduction (TNR)
USB Ports:1x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 / DisplayPort / Charging); 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (one with power-off charging)
Video Ports:1x HDMI 2.1
Audio Ports:1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Connectivity:Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.1; Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45)
Battery:4-cell Li-Ion (57 Wh)
Charger:135 W AC adapter (Barrel pin)
Weight:2.11 kg (4.66 lbs)
Build Material:Plastic chassis (Obsidian Black)
Operating System:Windows 11 Home
✓ Pros:
- • Thunderbolt 4 support (rare in budget gaming laptops)
- • Good 1080p gaming performance with RTX 4050 and DLSS 3
- • Excellent upgradeability (2x RAM slots, 2x M.2 slots)
- • Clean, understated design compared to typical gaming laptops
✗ Cons:
- • Display has poor color accuracy (45% NTSC) and low brightness
- • All-plastic build feels budget-oriented
- • Fans can get quite loud under heavy load
- • No SD card slot
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Check Price on Amazon→
Which one is better?
Based on ratings and feature balance, Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H has a slight edge for overall satisfaction. Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U remains a strong alternative if its strengths match your needs.
Who should buy each?
Expert take:
- Dell Inspiron 15 3520 — Intel Core i5-1235U suits buyers who need 120Hz refresh rate provides smoother scrolling than typical 60Hz budget laptops, Memory (RAM) is not soldered and can be upgraded via two SODIMM slots
- Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H suits buyers who want Thunderbolt 4 support (rare in budget gaming laptops), Good 1080p gaming performance with RTX 4050 and DLSS 3
Conclusion
We hope this comparison helps you buy with confidence. Both products are dependable; the right one depends on how you will use it.
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 Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H is better if you prioritize thunderbolt 4 support (rare in budget gaming laptops). 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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