Dell inspiron 15 3000 series laptop. Detailed Specifications
on AMD A6-6310 hybrid processor
If you look at the Dell website, it turns out that the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop simply does not exist. Moreover, again according to this site, Dell does not produce laptops based on AMD hybrid processors at all. However, the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop not only exists, but is also sold, and it is based on an AMD hybrid processor. Finding information about the Dell Inspiron 3541 model on the website is also quite problematic. And only by indirect link (via a search engine) you can find out that the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop belongs to the Inspiron 15 3000 series. At the same time, according to information, the entire Inspiron 15 3000 series of laptops is based on Intel processors. Well what can I say? Either the Russian representative office of Dell simply does not know about the existence of Inspiron 15 3000 series laptop models on AMD hybrid processors, or this information is not advertised so that Intel does not get upset.
Well, let’s try to lift the “veil of secrecy” and tell you about this budget laptop, which is sold on the Russian market.
Options and packaging
The Dell Inspiron 3541 comes in a very modest, compact cardboard box, which is decorated in the traditional style of Dell laptops.
The delivery set is minimal: only the laptop itself, a 65 W power adapter (19.5 V; 3.34 A) and a warranty card. In a word, the equipment fully corresponds to the concept of a “budget laptop”.
Laptop configuration
Let us immediately note that the configuration of Dell Inspiron 3541 laptops may be different. They can install either an AMD A6-6310 or an AMD E1-6010 hybrid processor (APU). In addition, there are models with discrete graphics AMD Radeon HD R5 M230, and there are models without.
We tested a model with the full name Dell Inspiron 3541-1802. Please note that we did not find laptops specifically with this number (3541-1802) for sale. But there are models with other numbers and a similar configuration.
Detailed specifications of the Dell Inspiron 3541-1802 laptop, which we tested, are given in the table.
| Dell Inspiron 3541-1802 | ||
| CPU | APU AMD A6-6310 (Beema) | |
| Chipset | SoC | |
| RAM | 4 GB DDR3L-1600 (SK Hynix HMT451S6BFR8A-PB module) |
|
| Video subsystem | AMD Radeon R5 M230 AMD Radeon R4 (integrated graphics) |
|
| Screen | 15.6 inches, 1366x768 (LG Philips LP156WHB (Dell DCR74)) |
|
| Sound subsystem | Realtek ALC255 | |
| Storage device | HDD Toshiba MQ01ABF050 (500 GB, 5400 rpm, SATA300) | |
| Optical drive | HL-DT-ST DVD±RW GU90N | |
| Card reader | SD | |
| Network interfaces | Wired network | Realtek Gigabit Ethernet |
| Wireless network | Dell Wireless 1705 (802.11b/g/n) | |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.0 | |
| Interfaces and ports | USB (2.0/3.0) | 2/1 |
| VGA (D-Sub) | No | |
| HDMI 1.4 | There is | |
| RJ-45 | There is | |
| Headphone output | yes (combined) | |
| Microphone input | yes (combined) | |
| Input Devices | Keyboard | with separate digital keypad, without backlight |
| Touchpad | clickpad | |
| IP telephony | Webcam | There is |
| Microphone | There is | |
| Battery | Lithium-ion, 4-cell (40 Wh) | |
| Dimensions | 381×267×26 mm | |
| Weight without power supply | 2.4 kg | |
| Power adapter | 65 W (19 V; 3.42 A) | |
| operating system | Windows 8.1 (64-bit) | |
| average price | T-10994344 | |
| Retail offers | L-10994344-10 | |
So, the basis of the Dell Inspiron 3541-1802 laptop is a 28-nm quad-core (two dual-core modules). This hybrid processor is an SoC, that is, it combines both a processor and a chipset.
The AMD A6-6310 APU runs at a clock speed of 1.8 GHz, which can increase to 2.4 GHz in Turbo Core mode. The L2 cache size is 2 MB and the power consumption is 15 W.
The AMD A6-6310 APU includes an AMD Radeon R4 graphics processor, which has two GCN units (dual graphics cores) containing a total of 128 stream processors (SP), operating at frequencies up to 800 MHz.
In addition to the graphics core integrated into the APU, the Dell Inspiron 3541-1802 laptop also has a discrete AMD Radeon R5 M230 video card with 2 GB of GDDR3 video memory.
To install memory modules, the laptop has only one slot, which allows you to install DDR3L-1600 memory with a maximum capacity of up to 8 GB. Let us recall that the memory controller in the AMD A6-6310 APU is single-channel. In our case, only a 4 GB DDR3L-1600 memory module (SK Hynix HMT451S6BFR8A-PB) was installed in the laptop.
Note that the laptop allows for a very simple self-installation of a memory module. To do this, just unscrew just one screw and remove the hatch on the back panel of the laptop case.
The storage subsystem of the Dell Inspiron 3541-1802 laptop is one Toshiba MQ01ABF050 HDD with a capacity of 500 GB. This is a 2.5-inch disk, 7 mm thick. This drive has a SATA II interface (3 Gbit/s). The spindle speed is 5400 RPM and the cache size is 8 MB.
The laptop also has an optical DVD drive HL-DT-ST GU90N.
The communication capabilities of the Dell Inspiron 3541-1802 laptop are determined by the presence of a Wi-Fi wireless network adapter labeled Dell Wireless 1705. This module complies with IEEE 802.11b/g/n specifications and also includes a Bluetooth 4.0 module.
The laptop also has a gigabit network interface based on a Realtek controller.
The laptop's audio subsystem is based on the Realtek ALC255 HDA codec, and a system consisting of two speakers is installed for sound reproduction.
We will talk in more detail about the audio subsystem of this laptop further, with the results of hardware testing, in the corresponding section.
The battery in this laptop is removable and has a capacity of 40 Wh.
It remains to add that the laptop is equipped with a built-in HD webcam (720p), located centrally above the screen.
Appearance and ergonomics of the case
The Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop looks very simple, without any flair, and one might even say nondescript. In a word, the design of the laptop does not attract attention to it and it will clearly get lost on the store shelf.
The laptop body is entirely made of cheap ABS plastic. Moreover, if on the lid of the laptop this plastic has a relief pattern, then all the other surfaces of the case do not even have a pattern - just the most ordinary plastic. It’s good that the plastic itself is matte and does not leave fingerprints on it.
There is a hatch in the bottom panel of the case, by removing which you can gain access to the drive, wireless communication module and memory module.
The screen frame features a webcam at the top center and a shiny Dell logo at the bottom of the screen.
Above the keyboard, in the upper right corner, there is a single power on/off button.
One single status indicator (battery charge) is located on the front edge of the case.
The system for attaching the laptop screen to the case consists of two hinges at the bottom of the screen. This mounting system allows you to tilt the screen itself relative to the plane of the keyboard at an angle of approximately 120°.
The hinge has a fairly tight movement, which allows you to fix the screen in any position.
On the left side of the laptop body there is a combined audio jack, one USB 2.0 port connector and one USB 3.0 port connector, HDMI connectors, an RJ-45 connector, a hole for a Kensington lock and a connector for connecting the power adapter. The downside is that the USB port connectors are not color coded and it is not so easy to determine which port is which.
On the right side of the laptop body there is another USB 2.0 port connector, a pull-out optical drive tray, and a slot for SD memory cards.
Input Devices
Keyboard
The Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop uses an island-style keyboard with increased distance between the keys. There is also a separate digital pad (NumPad).
The keys themselves are plastic and painted black (they do not differ in color from the working surface). The surface under the keyboard is slightly recessed, so the working surface and the surface of the keys are in the same plane.
The quality of the keyboard in this laptop can be considered good. The base of the keyboard is quite rigid and it does not bend when typing. The keys are well spring-loaded, there is an easy press lock, and when typing the keys do not make an annoying clicking sound.
The location of the keys themselves is quite standard and does not cause any complaints. The letters on the black keys are bright white (both English and Russian) and are clearly visible even in dim lighting.
The top row of keys has two functions as standard: either traditional F1-F12 or laptop control functions; one set works directly, the second - in combination with the Fn function key.
Touchpad
The Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop uses a clickpad with simulated key presses. The dimensions of the working area of this clickpad are 105×60 mm. In principle, the size is quite normal in width (105 mm), but in depth (60 mm) I would like it to be larger.
The touch surface is slightly recessed and does not differ in color from the rest of the body surface.
This clickpad supports the MultiTouch function and, of course, supports multi-touch gestures for controlling Windows 8.
However, there are also complaints about this touchpad. The fact is that it is very inconveniently placed. If it were placed closer to the edge of the work surface, it would be much more convenient. The fact is that the bottom edge of the clickpad is located at a distance of 33 mm from the edge of the working surface. This is very inconvenient and when working you constantly miss the buttons, pressing instead on the work surface. In a word, an ill-conceived decision.
Sound path
According to subjective feelings, the acoustics in this laptop are very mediocre. The sound is desaturated, with a characteristic predominance of metallic tones.
To evaluate the output audio path intended for connecting headphones or external speakers, we resorted to instrumental testing using an external Creative E-MU 0204 USB sound card and the RightMark Audio Analyzer 6.3.0 utility. Testing was carried out in stereo mode, 24-bit/44.1 kHz.
According to the test results, the audio path in the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop received a “Very Good” rating.
The full report with testing results in the RMAA 6.3.0 program is posted on a separate page, followed by a short report.
| Frequency response unevenness (in the range 40 Hz - 15 kHz), dB | 0,01, −0,07 | |
| Noise level, dB (A) | ||
| Dynamic range, dB (A) | ||
| Harmonic distortion,% | Very good |
|
| Harmonic distortion + noise, dB(A) | ||
| Intermodulation distortion + noise, % | Very good |
|
| Interpenetration of channels, dB | ||
| Intermodulation at 10 kHz, % | Very good |
|
| Overall rating | Very good |
|
Screen
The Dell Inspiron 3541 uses a 15-inch LG Philips LP156WHB TN panel with white LED backlighting. The screen is glossy and the resolution is 1366×768 pixels.
According to the stated characteristics, the maximum brightness value of this matrix is 200 cd/m², the contrast is 500:1, the response time is 16 ms, and the viewing angles (using the contrast change method CR>10) are 80° horizontally (40° left and 40° right ) and 45° vertically (30° below and 15° above). As you can see, we are talking about a cheap LCD matrix with very mediocre characteristics.
According to measurements, the maximum screen brightness on a white background is 200 cd/m². At maximum screen brightness, the gamma value is 2.39.
The minimum screen brightness on a white background is 8.6 cd/m².
The brightness adjustment in this laptop is hybrid. When the brightness level is less than 17%, PWM modulation is activated at a frequency of 200 Hz. Well, at a higher brightness value, the matrix no longer flickers and controls the brightness according to the voltage level. Well, considering that this laptop will not be used at a brightness level of less than 17%, we can assume that the matrix in it does not flicker at all.
The LCD color gamut on the Dell Inspiron 3541 covers 60.7% sRGB and 41.9% Adobe RGB, and the color gamut is 60.8% sRGB and 41.9% Adobe RGB. In principle, this is a quite typical result for a TN matrix.
The spectra of primary colors are quite typical. The spectrum of green contains a little blue, and the spectrum of red contains a little green.
The color temperature of a laptop LCD screen is unstable and increases when moving to dark tones on the gray scale. Only at 100% white the color temperature is approximately 6000 K, and at 10% white it increases to 14000 K.
Unstable color temperature is due to the fact that the primary colors are not very well balanced across the gray scale. When moving to dark tones, there is an increase in the proportion of blue and a slight decrease in green.
As for color rendering accuracy (delta E), its value across the entire gray scale does not exceed 9 (dark areas can be ignored). The result is quite typical and acceptable for this class of devices.
If we talk about the viewing angles of the screen, they are very mediocre and fully correspond to the declared angles. When looking at an image from an angle, the color is greatly distorted. As a result, you have to adjust the angle of the screen every time you open it.
In general, we can say that the screen in the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop is quite mediocre. Small color gamut, poor viewing angles, and even a glossy finish.
Work under load and in idle mode
Unfortunately, it turned out to be impossible to analyze the operation of the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop using the AIDA64 Extreme Edition utility (we used AIDA64 Extreme Edition 4.70.3200). However, we have already encountered a similar problem (for example, in the HP Pavilion 13-a020nr x360 laptop), so this is not surprising.
Actually, the problem is that when running the system stability test from the AIDA64 package, the laptop freezes and starts to reboot. We also note that it is impossible to create a report in the AIDA64 package, since at the stage of initializing the sensors the laptop begins to reboot.
Moreover, the laptop is also incompatible with the HWiNFO64 v.4.46 diagnostic utility. And the traditional LinX 0.6.5 test crashes with a notification about insufficient memory.
Therefore, the only thing we can state is that in idle mode the processor frequency in the laptop is 1.0 GHz.
Well, in order to determine the frequency of the APU cores in their loading mode, we used a video transcoding test using the MediaCoder x64 0.8.25.5560 application from our iXBT Notebook Benchmark v.1.0 package. It turned out that with such a load the frequency of the APU cores is 2.0 GHz.
Memory subsystem and drive performance
According to the AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark utility, the memory write speed is 3718 MB/s, and the read speed is 9040 MB/s. For DDR3-1600 memory (peak bandwidth 12800 MB/s) in single-channel operating mode this is very little (especially in write mode). But this is a feature of all hybrid processors.
As already noted, the storage subsystem in the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop is one Toshiba MQ01ABF050 HDD with a capacity of 500 GB.
The ATTO Disk Benchmark utility determines the maximum sequential read and write speed at 100 MB/s, which is typical for laptop HDDs.
CrystalDiskMark also puts sequential read and write speeds at just under 100 MB/s.
Well, we will also present the results of testing the HD Tune Pro 5.5 utility.
Noise level
According to our measurements, the noise level emitted by the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop during idle mode is quite difficult to distinguish from the background level. It is only 20.5 dBA. The noise level was measured in a special sound-absorbing chamber, and the sensitive microphone was positioned relative to the laptop so as to simulate the typical position of the user's head.
As already noted, the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop turned out to be incompatible with various utilities that can create a stressful load on the hybrid processor. Therefore, to load the APU, we took advantage of a real video transcoding task using the MediaCoder x64 0.8.25.5560 application (from our iXBT Battery Benchmark v.1.0 package).
When the laptop is loaded under stress, the noise level increases to 33.5 dBA. In principle, this is also quite quiet and you can “hear” the laptop in this boot mode only in a very quiet room. Overall we can say that this is a fairly quiet laptop.
| Load scenario | Noise level |
| Idle mode | 20.5 dBA | 33.5 dBA |
Battery life
We measured the laptop's battery life using our new method using the iXBT Battery Benchmark v.1.0 script. Let us remind you that we measure battery life at a screen brightness of 100 cd/m².
So, the test results are as follows:
| Load scenario | Working hours |
| Watch video | 6 hours 42 minutes |
| Working with text and viewing photos | 7 hours 28 minutes |
It must be stated that the battery life of this laptop is very good. In fact, it will last a full working day.
Performance Research
To evaluate the performance of the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop, we used our methodology for measuring laptop performance using the iXBT Notebook Benchmark v.1.0 and iXBT Game Benchmark v.1.0 benchmarks. In addition, for clarity, we also added to the table the test results of the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14D laptop based on the AMD A4-5000 APU (Kabini) and the HP Pavilion 13-a020nr x360 laptop based on the AMD A8-6410 APU (Beema).
The test results in the iXBT Notebook Benchmark v.1.0 are shown in the table.
| Logical test group | Reference system | Dell Inspiron 3541 (A6-6310) | Acer Aspire E5-551G-83ED (A8-7100) | Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14D (A4-5000) | HP Pavilion 13-a020nr x360 (A8-6410) |
| Video conversion, points | 100 | 73,1 | 75,2 | 58,2 | 79,2 |
| MediaCoder x64 0.8.25.5560, seconds | 408,1 | 558,3 | 543,0 | 700,7 | 515,4 |
| Video content creation, points | 100 | 62,2 | 60,1 | 49,4 | 67,2 |
| Adobe Premiere Pro CC, seconds | 1115,7 | 1805,9 | 1655,5 | 2207,5 | 1643,7 |
| Adobe After Effects CC, seconds | 1975,4 | 2953,3 | 3247,2 | 3720,0 | 2678,0 |
| Photodex ProShow Gold 5.0.3276, seconds | 913,6 | 1579,2 | 1728,3 | 2027,9 | 1508,0 |
| Digital photo processing, points | 100 | 53,5 | 45,5 | 42,2 | 55,5 |
| Adobe Photoshop CC, seconds | 1834,0 | 3426,7 | 4030,9 | 4354,2 | 3305,1 |
| Audio processing, points | 100 | 60,5 | 50,0 | 44,7 | 67,0 |
| Adobe Audition CC, seconds | 880 | 1456,6 | 1758,8 | 1970,8 | 1312,7 |
| Text recognition, points | 100 | 55,9 | 64,0 | 52,1 | 65,1 |
| ABBYY FineReader 11, seconds | 115,3 | 206,4 | 180,1 | 221,4 | 177,2 |
| Archiving and unarchiving data, points | 100 | 55,5 | 60,1 | 46,9 | 56,8 |
| WinRAR 5.0 archiving, seconds | 313,8 | 526,6 | 493,7 | 620,8 | 540,0 |
| WinRAR 5.0 unzipping, seconds | 12,6 | 24,4 | 22,2 | 28,9 | 22,7 |
| Application and content loading speed, points | 100 | 28,3 | 30,1 | 29,6 | 38,3 |
| Application and content loading speed, seconds | 157,4 | 555,5 | 523,4 | 531,2 | 410,5 |
| Integral performance result, points | 100 | 53,7 | 53,1 | 45,3 | 60,0 |
So, the test results are as follows. In terms of integrated performance in non-gaming applications, the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop lags behind our reference system based on the Intel Core i5-3317U processor by almost 46%. That is, it is approximately two times slower than an ultrabook based on an Intel Core i5-3317U processor.
In short, the Dell Inspiron 3541 is an entry-level laptop. It is suitable for playing content, for working with simple office programs, as well as for Internet surfing and Internet communication. But for serious, resource-intensive tasks it is better not to use it.
Well, now let's look at the results of testing the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop in games.
| Game test | Maximum quality | Minimum quality | ||
| Average FPS | Minimum FPS value | Average FPS | Minimum FPS value | |
| Aliens vs Predator D3D11 Benchmark | 9,6 | - | 28,9 | - |
| Grid 2 | 13,1 | 12,5 | 36,4 | 29,3 |
| World of Tanks | 20,8 | 3,0 | 24,5 | 2,4 |
| Bioshock: Infinite | 11,5 | 5,1 | 37,9 | 5,6 |
| Metro:LL | 4,4 | 2,2 | 16,7 | 8,5 |
| Hitman: Absolution | 4,2 | 2,1 | 18,9 | 13,4 |
Let us remember that all games were launched at a resolution of 1366x768. As you can see, the presence of a discrete AMD Radeon R5 M230 graphics card does not turn this laptop into a gaming laptop. That is, if in the minimum quality setting mode you can still somehow play several games (although the magic 40 FPS is not achieved here), then in the maximum quality setting mode, none of the games we used for testing will allow you to play comfortably.
conclusions
So, in terms of performance, the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop can be classified as an entry-level solution. It is suitable for Internet surfing, communication via the Internet, as well as for working with office applications. Of course, it is also suitable for watching videos, viewing photos, etc. In short, this is a laptop for playing content, but not for creating it. This laptop is also not suitable for gaming. The disadvantages of this model include an inconvenient touchpad and a rather mediocre screen, and among the advantages is the fact that the laptop is quiet and has a long battery life.
As already noted, the Dell Inspiron 3541 is a budget laptop, the cost of which at the time of writing was less than 20 thousand rubles. If we talk about competing models, in the category of 15-inch laptops with a screen resolution of 1366x768 and with a similar price you can find solutions with an Intel Core i3 processor. For example, these could be Acer Extensa 2510G-365E (Core i3-4030U; Nvidia GeForce 820M), Acer Aspire E5-571G (Core i3-4005U; Nvidia GeForce 820M) or Acer Aspire E1-572G (Core i3-4010U; AMD Radeon R5 M240). All of these models are not inferior in performance to the Dell Inspiron 3541 laptop. If you focus on models with AMD hybrid processors, then in this category you can look at the Lenovo IdeaPad G5045 (APU A6-6310; AMD Radeon R5 M230), which has almost the same configuration and costs almost the same. Or it could be the Lenovo IdeaPad G505 (APU A8-4500; AMD Radeon R5 M230) or Acer Aspire E5-521G (APU A8-6410; AMD Radeon R5 M240). Well, if you raise the price bar a little, then you can already find laptop models based on the Intel Core i5 processor, which will provide a significantly higher level of performance. For example, this could be an Acer Aspire E5-571G model based on an Intel Core i5-4210U processor with Nvidia GeForce 820M discrete graphics (price at the time of writing - 23 thousand rubles).
Whatever you say, classics will always be in fashion, and Dell knows this. This is probably why the 3000 series from Dell continues to delight users with its models designed for a wide range of users.
In particular, we are talking about the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 (3541). This laptop does not amaze with its super capabilities, but it is quite suitable for everyday use. The device has a discreet, practical design and medium-level hardware, which is enough to perform basic tasks. Let's see what this gadget is capable of.
Specifications
| CPU: | AMD A6-6310 1800 MHz |
| RAM: | 4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz |
| Data storage: | 500 GB HDD 5400 rpm |
| Display: | 15.6" 1366x768 WXGA LED TFT, matte |
| Video card: | AMD Radeon R4, AMD Radeon R5 M230 2 GB GDDR3 |
| Drive unit: | DVD-RW |
| Wireless connection: | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Audio: | 2 speakers |
| Interfaces: | USB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, HDMI, RJ-45, SD card reader, headphone output |
| Additionally: | 1 MP webcam |
| Battery: | 4-cell Li-ion 2700 mAh |
| Dimensions, weight: | 380x268x26 mm, 2.4 kg |
| Operating system: | Windows 7 Ultimate |
| Equipment: | Dell Inspiron 3541(2594) |
Contents of delivery
A sample came to us for testing, so we were not able to evaluate the value of the package. Our box contained the laptop itself and the power supply, but the buyer will also receive a standard set of documentation.Design
The appearance of the device is very attractive. Usually budget laptops are made to be quite boring and monotonous, so in this regard the laptop is lucky. The finishing material is plastic, which is annoying from a beauty point of view, but from a practical point of view it is reasonable. Metal would certainly add sophistication, but also weight. By the way, about the latter: the weight of the device does not exceed 2.4 kg, which makes it quite mobile and transportable. As for the dimensions, the length of the laptop is 380 mm, width – 268 mm, and thickness – 26 mm. By the way, we couldn’t help but notice that the design of the gadget is very reminiscent of Lenovo’s ThinkPad line, aimed at business buyers: the same chopped lines and rectilinear shape on the outside, asceticism on the inside. This is quite an interesting move, because everyone is pleased to get a budget laptop with the “habits” of a more expensive laptop.But let's return to the design of the Dell Inspiron 3541. The cover is made in gray, but there is also an option in black. Its surface is not smooth, but textured, and this is visible both visually and tactilely. I'm glad that the lid is non-staining; if fingerprints remain on it, they are not particularly noticeable. In the middle you can see the glossy Dell logo.
The connecting element between the top and bottom of the laptop are two small plastic hinges. The lid opens easily; if desired, this can be done with one hand. In this case, there are no creaks or backlashes. The entire lower part of the laptop is made in black. The keyboard and palm surface are also completely non-staining and very pleasant to use. The touchpad pleases with its size, it is smooth, and it is convenient for your finger to slide over it.
There are four rubber feet on the bottom, which have the function of preventing slipping. There is also the possibility of an upgrade; by unscrewing a few screws and removing the cover, you can get to the RAM and hard drive.
Display, sound and webcam
The 15.6-inch laptop screen has a matte surface, very comfortable to read. The display resolution is 1366x768 pixels, which is not enough by modern standards, but is suitable for everyday work. Aspect ratio – 16:9, matrix type – TFT (screen ID – LGD0456). Viewing angles are acceptable for everyday work, distortion occurs only with strong deviation.
We took some measurements of the display using the Datacolor Spyder4Elite calibrator. This is how we measured the color rendition, brightness and contrast of the display, as well as the uniformity of the backlight. As a result, the following data were obtained: the maximum brightness value is 180.9 cd/m2, the maximum black value is 3.29 cd/m2, and the contrast is 60:1.
The backlight is also uneven, with the right side of the display significantly darker than the left, and the maximum discrepancy from the normal value is 27%.
Compared to the other laptop models we chose for comparison, the Dell Inspiron 15 (3541) was the weakest in terms of brightness. Unfortunately, the contrast was not far behind, so our laptop shared last place with the ASUS K56CB.
The next measurement to measure was color gamut. Just in case, we remind readers that the higher the percentage of agreement, the better; the ideal value is 100%. As you can see in the screenshot below, sRGB gamut compliance is 64%, while AdobeRGB is only 48%.
Two small grilles, under which the speakers are hidden, are located on the front bevel of the bottom. Usually such “home” laptops cause skepticism in terms of multimedia capabilities, but the Inspiron 3541 was a pleasant surprise. At maximum, the sound is not hoarse, there are problems with bass and mid frequencies, but, in general, the sound quality is at an acceptable level.
The webcam in this case received a modest resolution of 1 megapixel. But for its intended use, namely, video communication, it should be enough.
Keyboard and touchpad
As mentioned above, the island keyboard, like the entire palm surface, is made of black plastic. It is rough and quite pleasant to the touch. The keyboard has clearly defined borders, and it includes not only the main one, but also a number pad. The keys are square in shape and have white markings. All the buttons that are often used when typing are very comfortable. As an example, we can cite both buttons , , , which have, frankly speaking, a successful elongated shape.
Unfortunately, the keyboard is not backlit, so without external lighting, you will have to backlight the buttons with the display when typing. The travel of the keys is average, quite elastic, and when pressed you can hear a not too loud click. It is noteworthy that the keyboard does not flex even during intensive typing. The device power button is located in the upper right corner above the keyboard. It has a round shape and not too noticeable boundaries. When pressed, the button is not highlighted, so until the OS welcome picture appears on the screen, it is difficult to understand whether the key was pressed or not.
The touchpad located under the keyboard is quite large. Unlike the palmar surface, it is smooth and easy to feel in the dark. However, the touch pad still has to make a small note: it is quite noisy when pressed. Each click is heard quite loudly and clearly, although, by and large, you get used to it quite quickly. The touchpad does not have physical keys, but their conventional zone is marked with a vertical line.
Performance
We received the Dell Inspiron 3541(2594) for testing with Windows 7 Ultimate preinstalled. However, keep in mind that this is a sample, and therefore the OS version in a similar gadget on store shelves will most likely be completely different.
Under the hood of this device you can find a quad-core AMD A6-6310 processor operating at 1.8 GHz. It is made using a 28 nm process technology and is considered quite energy efficient, because the maximum power consumption level is only 15 W. You can get acquainted with the processor in more detail from the screenshots of the CPU-Z application.
The processor is complemented by an integrated AMD Radeon R4 graphics card. It has 128 shader cores, support for DirectX 11.2, Shader 5.0. Paired with a processor, this graphics can guarantee stable operation under everyday undemanding laptop load conditions. For more complex work, a discrete AMD Radeon R5 M230 video card with 2 GB of its own GDDR3 memory is provided. It was made using a 28 nm process technology. Of course, you shouldn’t expect miracles from this chip, however, its presence is pleasantly pleasing. You can see more detailed information about the features of video cards below, in the screenshots of the GPU-Z program.
As for the Dell Inspiron 3541 in action, we started with the 3DMark06, 3DMark 11 and 3DMark 2013 benchmarks from Futuremark. In 3DMark06, a laptop with a built-in video card received 4536 points (2706 points for processor test, 1501 points for SM2.0 and 1928 points for HDR/SM3.0). With a discrete video adapter, of course, the result is even better - 5538 points.
In 3DMark 11 with integrated graphics we have 1300 points, and with discrete graphics we have 1313 points. For more detailed information regarding this test, take a look at the screenshots below.
When we compare our laptop to competing models such as the Dell Latitude 3440 (an enterprise-class model, mind you), the ASUS K56CB, and the HP Pavilion 15-p054nd, we can see that the integrated AMD Radeon R4 graphics card found in the Dell Inspiron 3541 is noticeably ahead of the pack. , except that the Dell Latitude 3440 took the lead in 3DMark06.
The discrete chip showed less promising results and turned out to be an outsider. However, there is nothing surprising in this, because this video card is weaker than the discrete adapters of competing models.
In 3DMark 2013 we have the following data for integrated graphics: Fire Strike – 435 points, Sky Diver – 1756 points, Cloud Gate – 2831 points and Ice Storm – 30528 points. As for discrete, the figures here are expectedly higher: 718 points in Fire Strike, 1760 in Sky Diver, 3652 points in Cloud Gate and 38347 in Ice Storm.
In the comparative graph you can see that Intel HD Graphics is in the lead in the Dell Latitude 3440; our model is on par with the HP Pavilion 15-p054nd, which, again, is quite predictable, given their similar hardware. And finally, ASUS K56CB is significantly behind its competitors.
As for the graphics with discrete chips, the situation here is similar, but still different. In first place, again, is the Latitude 3440, with the other three models breathing in its back, alternately occupying the leadership position. By the way, unlike the previous graphics with an integrated video card, in which the ASUS K56CB is in last place, here it is on par with the Latitude 3440 in many categories, thanks to the powerful NVIDIA GeForce GT 740 video card, but the latter has a stronger processor. But the discrete video card of our laptop and the Pavilion 15-p054nd model have approximately the same performance, and therefore do not lag behind each other.
The next test we ran was Cinebench R11.5. The processor in it received 1.91 pts, the integrated graphics – 15.11 fps, and the discrete graphics – 18.74 fps.
Unfortunately, the hero of our review did not take the honorable position of leader. In both cases, the HP Pavilion 15-e033er and Dell Latitude 3440 took the lead, thanks to more powerful hardware.
In the updated version of this test - Cinebench R15, our processor earned 155 cb, the discrete video adapter - 20.53 fps, the built-in - 14.50 fps.
As for the rest of the hardware, the laptop has 4 GB of DDR3-1600 MHz RAM. It is represented by one Samsung M471B5173DB0-YK0 strip.
The Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142 hard drive with a capacity of 500 GB and a spindle speed of 5400 rpm is responsible for storing information. Of course, we couldn't help but run the HD Tune Pro 5.00 test on the hard drive, and here's what came out of it: the minimum read speed is 43.8 MB/s, the average is 83.8 MB/s, and the maximum is 113.3 MB/s. The hard drive access time is 19.3 ms.
As you can see from the graph, these are quite good indicators. The tested laptop is in the top three here, occupying either second or third position.
PCMark7 and PCMark8 complete the performance testing of our laptop. The result of the first was 1796 points: the Computation category received the maximum - 4006 points, the Creativity test slightly less - 3485 points.
In this test, unfortunately, the Dell Inspiron 3541 took last place, behind its rivals with stronger hardware.
In PCMark8, we gave preference to the Home test, which allows us to determine the level of capabilities of the gadget in everyday work, for which, in fact, it is designed. The result was 1725 points.
Games
Since this laptop has a discrete adapter installed, we couldn't help but test it in games. We are sure that every reader will be interested in how well the device performed in this aspect. We launched two games: Battlefield 4 and Grid 2. The first game with native resolution and low settings showed 23-27 frames per second, the second one ran at 30-35 fps at high settings. As you can see, the laptop we tested is capable of running even demanding games, so in your free time you can immerse yourself in the exciting world of gaming.
Ports and communications
On the right side of the Dell Inspiron 3541 you can see a USB 2.0 port, an SD card reader and a DVD-RW optical drive, which supports almost all CD and DVD formats, but does not read HD DVDs and BDs at all.
As for the left side, there is a USB 3.0 port, another USB 2.0, an HDMI video output, an RJ-45 network connector, a Kensington lock, a headphone jack and a charging socket.
There are no interfaces on the back, and on the front you can only see an elongated battery status indicator.
In terms of wireless communications, everything is standard: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n module and Bluetooth 4.0.
Heat and noise
Heat and noise, in most cases, are not the primary factors in choosing a laptop, but they, to one degree or another, determine the comfort of its use. The Dell Inspiron 3541 hardware cannot be called very productive, however, it can handle many games, which means the user needs to know whether the cooling system can handle the load. To determine the degree of heating of the hardware components of our laptop, we used the CPUID HW Monitor benchmark, running the AIDA and Furmark stress test. The results show that the temperature of the processor varies from 47 to 62 degrees Celsius, the hard drive – 31-33 degrees, and the maximum for the video card is 64 degrees Celsius. With such results, the gadget is not in danger of throttling.
It would seem that the cost of laptops has already reached a certain threshold, and it is unlikely that good devices will become even cheaper. All budget solutions often seem to be failures and uninteresting. If you feel the same way, think twice. The conclusion is certainly obvious, but wrong, and Dell managed to prove it by releasing the Dell Inspiron 15 3552 - a classic laptop at an extremely low price. Yes, you won’t be able to find advanced hardware here or any unique solutions like rotating and detachable displays. Nevertheless, the device under review will more than cover all the requirements of most users. The power of the quad-core chip is enough for office work and web surfing. The presence of an HDMI port will allow you to easily broadcast HD video to a large display, and the built-in graphics chip will handle simple games, so there will be no problems with entertainment. An almost perfect device for 20,000 rubles. Now let's take a closer look at all aspects of the Dell Inspiron 15. Device characteristics, main features and look at the results of synthetic tests.
Packaging and equipment
The laptop comes in standard Dell packaging. In the box we were able to find: a user manual, a warranty card, a charger and the Dell Inspiron 15 itself. Drivers and additional software are available online (when working with the Ubuntu operating system, standard Linux drivers are used).
Case design
- Dimensions: 38x26x2.7 centimeters.
- Weight: 2.4 kilograms.
Typically, manufacturers do not pay enough attention to such a component as the appearance of the computer. Dell values high-quality exteriors and does not skimp on designers. Like many other devices of the company, the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 series (3552) laptop looks ascetic and strict, thereby hinting at the positioning of the gadget. Such a laptop will look great both on a student’s desk and on the desk of a promising businessman. The body elements are straight, beveled, without unnecessary bends, except for what is observed at the bottom of the device. The laptop lid flexes slightly around the perimeter and in the center, but this drawback is quite common in “machines” in this price category. The body is made of inexpensive plastic, but the coating differs in different parts. In the work area it is smoother and easier on the brushes. Naturally, plastic collects fingerprints and dust, and in large quantities. The owner of the gadget will often have to use a napkin or soft cloth to keep the laptop presentable. The case fastenings are very tight and reliable; it is not possible to open the laptop with one hand, which means that it will not open by accident. There are feet on the bottom that allow air to circulate freely under the laptop. Thanks to its dimensions and weight, the computer can compete on equal terms with alternative compact solutions, such as the Lenovo IdeaPad 100, for example.
Camera and acoustics
At the base of the laptop lid there is a low-resolution 1 megapixel camera peephole. The image quality is not impressive. Even in a static state, the picture turns out cloudy, grainy, too dark, not to mention moving objects. The lens cannot handle dynamic scenes, so any movement caught in its view turns into a mess. The camera also cannot cope with images in the dark. In low light there is noticeable noise and the display backlight is not enough to correct the situation. There are no additional mechanisms for controlling the camera, as well as specialized software.
The device is equipped with a proprietary acoustic system from the manufacturer. Despite the fact that the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 series (3552) laptop is a budget device, its sound quality is more than passable. The computer handles high frequencies without any problems, producing clear and rich sound. Due to the lack of a subwoofer, the lows and mids sags a little, but this can be tolerated in a device cheaper than 20,000 rubles.
Communications
The computer is equipped with a wide range of ports and wireless interfaces.
On the right side of the “machine” are located:
- Standard universal audio port (3.5 mm jack).
- Two USB-A Gen 2 ports.
On the left side are located:
- Socket for connecting a power adapter.
- Radiator grille.
- "Card reader" (with SDHC support).
- HDMI port.
- One USB-A Gen 3 port.
The only port missing is a standard jack for connecting a network cable, which is very atypical for a “machine” of this size. Also missing is the once popular Kensington lock, a mechanism similar to a bicycle lock that prevents laptop theft.
Wireless interfaces include Wi-Fi, which supports 802.11 b/n/g frequencies and Bluetooth 4.0 for connecting wireless speakers or exchanging data.
Keyboard and touchpad
Speaking of input methods, the place to start is with the keyboard. The laptop under review uses a technology that combines a rubber membrane and a scissor key mechanism. This ensures maximum balance and high response speed. Individual keys do not move and are pressed completely. The keyboard is mounted on a separate platform, but no serious flex was detected. Island-type keys are used, straight, without an obvious recess in the working area. There is a noticeable void between the keys, which significantly reduces the likelihood of typos and facilitates fast blind typing. The engraving on the keys is white, making it clearly visible even in the dark. The letters are scattered in the corners. There are a number of function keys combined with F1-F12; they only work if you have specialized software for the Dell Inspiron 15 3000. Drivers can be found on the manufacturer’s official website.
The touchpad is made of a material similar to that used for the lid. The response speed is high, the cursor does not twitch and does not confuse the position of the finger. Accidental touches are not recognized, the finger gets stuck when scrolling and dragging objects. It is possible to adjust the speed of the sensor to improve the accuracy of the cursor. There are no separate mouse buttons, but there is a visual divider that indicates the approximate position of the left and right buttons.
Specifications
For ease of perception, the information is presented in table form.
CPU | Intel Pentium N3700 (4 cores, 1600 to 2400 megahertz), 2 megabytes cache |
Display | 15.6 inches, glossy finish, resolution 1366 by 768 pixels |
RAM | 4 gigabytes, DDR2 |
HDD | 500 gigabytes, 5400 rpm |
Graphic arts | Intel HD Graphics Braswell |
Battery | 4 sections, 40 watt*hour |
Dell Inspiron 15 Operating System | Windows 7/Windows 10/Ubuntu (depending on configuration) |
Display
The Dell Inspiron 15 3552 uses a standard TN matrix with HD resolution (1366 by 768 pixels) in a display panel with a diagonal of 15.6 inches, which means the number of pixels per inch is 100 units. The picture is “grainy”; in everyday work, individual pixels are noticeable. This display resolution can correspond to the concept of Retina (when individual pixels merge into a single image and become invisible to the human eye), when viewed from a distance of 86 centimeters. Low resolution negatively affects the convenience of working in ambiguity mode. It is very difficult to place two windows next to each other and work with them at the same time. Small text turns into mush, and large-scale pages take longer to scroll through. The viewing angles of the screen are not maximum; when tilted horizontally, a “negative” appears; when tilted vertically, the colors are inverted.
The maximum brightness of the display is 257 cd/m2, which is enough for comfortable work in any, even the brightest room lighting. The average brightness is slightly lower, which, coupled with the absence of a polarizing layer, leads to a large number of reflections when exposed to sunlight. Thanks to the glossy finish, colors are rich and vibrant, although the screen only covers 54% of the entire sRGB color gamut, and only after calibration. In some parts of the display, where the brightness sags greatly, the color quality also decreases, but this is barely noticeable, and not too important in such a cheap laptop. An interesting indicator is the pixel update speed, only 20 milliseconds. This sets this computer apart from its competitors as a solution for gamers. Many display characteristics can be improved programmatically using specialized settings profiles that can be found on the Internet.
In general, the display panel is nothing interesting, which is logical given its price. The basic parameters are optimal for everyday work, but professionals working with photography and video will have to think about buying another device.
Performance and memory
The model under review is equipped with an Intel Pentium N3700 chip. The processor has 4 cores on board, the frequency of each of them reaches 1600 megahertz in basic mode and 2400 megahertz when using Turbo Boost technology. This is a mobile processor that is often installed in ultraportable solutions like Chromebooks. Nevertheless, the Dell Inspiron N3700 shows excellent performance both in solving everyday tasks such as web surfing and office work, and in running games with complex 3D graphics. In the Cinebench synthetic test, the computer scored 1.72 points, which is 44% more than the Dell Inspiron 15 5000 series (5551), the previous model. The closest competitor, the Acer Aspire E15, scored 24% more points, with a score of 2.14 points.
The computer does not have discrete graphics; it uses the built-in video subsystem from Intel. Despite the small amount of video memory, the graphics support DirectX 12, which means you can count on running modern gaming projects. Intel HD Graphics is capable of running three 4K displays simultaneously. In the 3D Mark Sky Diver test, the laptop scored 1271 points, while its closest competitor, the Acer Aspire 15 E15, scored 1544 points.
The processor is complemented by 4 gigabytes of DDR2 RAM. This volume is enough to install a 64-bit version of the operating system, which has a positive effect on overall performance, application launch speed and system loading. Despite the "gluttony" nature of modern applications, the system can easily handle the work of several programs simultaneously. The device has quite a lot of permanent memory - 500 gigabytes. A classic HDD hard drive with a speed of 5400 rpm is used. I would like to see a modern SSD drive in a compact laptop, but due to their high cost, they are rarely found in budget computers.
Autonomy and heating
The laptop uses a custom battery with four sections. The battery capacity is 40 watt*hour. The battery is not very capacious, but the weak processor and low-resolution display significantly reduce the load on it, thereby extending the operating time on a single charge. To test the battery, a specialized script was used, which from time to time reloaded a number of web pages, simulating the real situation of using a computer. In this case, the computer lived for 7 hours 40 minutes (brightness was set to 40%). Another typical situation is watching a film on a computer. When playing HD video, the computer lived for 6 hours and 36 minutes. Working with professional software and playing games reduces this time to 3 hours. In all three tests, the laptop showed excellent and completely unexpected results.
The heating test that the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 was subjected to does not show the most realistic results, since the processor is under maximum load during testing. In any case, a basic understanding of how hot a computer gets and how the cooling system copes with it has emerged. When the load was 100%, the laptop did not drop the processor frequency for quite a long time and worked at full capacity, without “throttling” (an artificial decrease in performance when overheated). The processor temperature was at 83 degrees. The laptop body heated up to no more than 32 degrees, which is quite tolerable for most users; hands do not sweat much, and you won’t get burned.
The scope of application of touch screens is increasing every day. Laptops were not left out either. However, today, the use of such a screen immediately removes the device from the budget category. You have to either significantly raise the price tag, or shamelessly cut down the characteristics. Today's offer from Dell seems almost unreal - the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Series boasts quite decent characteristics at a very affordable price of $430. It's worth noting that this is a 38% discount from the regular price.
This model has a 4th generation Core i3-4030U processor. It is commendable that the manufacturer managed to abandon the very budget models of Celeron or Pentium processors and, at the same time, keep the price at a low level. The performance power of the Core i3 processor is quite enough for office and multimedia tasks, and the integrated Intel HD 4400 graphics core is able to cope with not very demanding games. The 15.6-inch touch screen with a resolution of 1366x768 supports up to 10 touch points, which will allow you to take full advantage of all the functionality that was built in by the developers in Windows 8.1.
As standard, the laptop comes with one 4GB RAM module and a 500GB hard drive. This is quite enough for most people during everyday use. For more demanding users, as well as those who are thinking about the future, there is the possibility of an upgrade if and when they wish. In fact, it is a very smart decision to buy exactly what you need today, rather than paying extra for something you may need in the future.
This model, of course, is equipped with everything necessary for work. On the right and left sides there are 3 USB ports (one of them supports USB 3.0), an HDMI connector, a memory card reader and a DVD-RW drive. Wireless technologies have not been forgotten - the familiar Wireless-N Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. There are no connectors on the back, so you don't have to reach there.
Many will be surprised that a device with such characteristics, functionality and price could fit into a case that is only about 25 mm thick and weighs just over 2 kg. Plus, as a bonus, customers will receive a free one-year subscription to McAfee LiveSafe antivirus suite!
Screen resolution 1366x768 Number of processor cores 2 Hard drive type HDD Weight 2.4 kg
Type
Type laptop Ultrabook no Operating system details DOS / Linux / Windows 10 Home / Windows 8 / Windows 8 64 / No OSCPU
CPU Celeron / Core i3 / Core i5 / Core i7 / Pentium Processor code 2957U / 3558U / 4005U / 4210U / 4510U / N3050 Braswell/Haswell CPU core CPU frequency 1400...2000 MHz Number of processor cores 2 L2 cache size 2 MB / 512 KB L3 cache size 2 MB / 3 MB / 4 MBMemory
RAM capacity 2...8 GB Memory type DDR3L Memory frequency 1600 MHz Maximum memory capacity 8 GB Number of memory slots 1Screen
Screen diagonal 15.6 " Screen resolution 1366x768 Widescreen There is LED screen backlight yes 3D support noVideo
Video card type embedded / discrete / discrete and embedded Video card Intel GMA HD / Intel HD Graphics 4400 / NVIDIA GeForce 820M / NVIDIA GeForce 840M No two video cards Video memory capacity 2048 MB Video memory type SMAStorage devices
Optical drive placement interior Optical drive DVD-RW Hard disk capacity 500...1000 GB Hard drive type HDD Hard drive interface Serial ATA Rotational speed 5400 rpm First disk capacity 500...1000 GBExpansion slots
ExpressCard slot noMemory cards
Flash card reader yes SD support yes SDHC support yes SDXC support yesWireless connection
Wi-Fi yes Wi-Fi 802.11n standard Bluetooth yes Bluetooth version 4.0 4G LTE no WiMAX no GPRS support no 3G no EDGE support no HSDPA support noConnection
Built-in network card There is Built-in fax modem No Number of USB 2.0 interfaces 2 Number of USB 3.0 Type A interfaces 1 FireWire interface no FireWire 800 interface no eSATA interface no Infrared port (IRDA) no LPT interface no COM port no PS/2 interface no VGA output (D-Sub) no mini VGA output no DVI output no HDMI output yes micro HDMI output no DisplayPort output no Mini DisplayPort output no TV-in input no TV-out out no Connecting to a docking station no Audio input no Microphone input No Audio/headphone output No Microphone input/headphone output Combo There is Digital audio output (S/PDIF) No Fingerprint scanner no TV tuner no Remote control no Kensington lock slot yes Stylus no Shockproof housing No Waterproof housing no Length 381.4 mm Width 267.6 mm Thickness 25.6 mm Additional Information WiDi support and touch screen (optional)Before purchasing, check the specifications and equipment with the seller.