Dell Vostro 3520 review – Affordable and Functional, But Choose Wisely
The Dell Vostro 3520 is an inexpensive machine that could be a decent daily driver or an office device. It has all the mandatory features for such usage. This includes a full-sized keyboard with a NumPad, three USB ports, an SD Card reader, and pretty good upgradability which is kind of unexpected for the budget class. Yep, you get SODIMMs and two storage slots, not bad!
The base display is a 768p TN model. Avoid this one at all costs since it’s a low-res screen with bad viewing angles and a low contrast ratio. The optional 1080p 120Hz panel is a way better choice. The high refresh rate also adds a bit of smoothness to your workflow.
You can choose from a plethora of Tiger Lake or Alder Lake processors. Our advice is to get a machine with a 12th Core i3, i5, or i7 chip, depending on your budget. These CPUs sport P and E cores, making them a better choice than their 11th gen siblings with lower core count.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/dell-vostro-15-3520/
Contents
Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box
Dell Vostro 15 3520 - Specs
- GPU
- NVIDIA GeForce MX550 #224 in Top GPUs Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4 (48EU) #292 in Top GPUs Intel UHD Graphics (Alder Lake, 64EU) #263 in Top GPUs Intel UHD Graphics #319 in Top GPUs Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EU) #248 in Top GPUs Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (80EU) #261 in Top GPUs2x AMD Radeon R9 M290X (4GB GDDR5, CrossFire)
- HDD/SSD
- up to 8000GB SSD + up to 2000GB HDD
- RAM
- up to 64GB
- OS
- Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 Home, No OS, Linux, DOS, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Home
- Battery
- 41Wh, 3-cell, 41Wh, 54Wh, 4-cell, 41Wh, 3-cell
- Body material
- Plastic / Polycarbonate, Aluminum (plastic or aluminum chassis)
- Dimensions
- 358.50 x234.9 - 235.56 x 15.52 - 18.99 mm (14.11" x 9.25" x 0.61")
- Weight
- 1.63 kg (3.6 lbs)
- Ports and connectivity
- 1x USB Type-A
- 2.0
- 2x USB Type-A
- 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
- HDMI
- 1.4
- Card reader
- SD, SDHC, SDXC
- Ethernet LAN
- 10, 100, 1000 Mbit/s
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11ax
- Bluetooth
- 5.2
- Audio jack
- 3.5mm Combo Jack
- Features
- Fingerprint reader
- optional
- Web camera
- HD / FHD
- Backlit keyboard
- optional
- Microphone
- Dual Array Microphone
- Speakers
- 2x 2.5W Stereo Speakers
- Optical drive
- Security Lock slot
- Wedge Lock
All Dell Vostro 15 3520 configurations
Drivers
All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.dell.com/support/product-details/en-us/product/vostro-15-3520-laptop/drivers
What’s in the box?
We found the device itself and a bit of paperwork inside the box. Depending on the CPU and GPU configuration, you get a 45W or a 65W barrel plug charger.
Design and construction
No surprises in terms of design. The Vostro 3520 looks mature and uninstruive, perfect for the office. You can find this fella with a metal or plastic chassis. With the latter, the profile is thinner (15.52 – 17.50 mm) compared to the former (16.96 – 18.99 mm). The starting weight of the aluminum iterations is 1.63 kilos and it reaches 1.94 kg for the most powerful configurations. The weight of the non-metal versions is similar (1.66 / 1.90 kg).
The lid of our plastic notebook can’t be opened with one hand and it feels averagely flexible. We tried to push down hard the whole main body. The result is a bit of bends below and on top of the keyboard deck. The board also flexes slightly in the center if you type harshly. Nothing too bad but we’ve seen more rigid builds than this one.
We are pleasantly surprised by the thin bezels around the 120Hz screen. The Web camera is positioned on top and it lacks a privacy shutter. The base model has a 720p resolution. If that’s not enough for you, a 1080p variant is also available.
The lid acts as a lever when the angle of the opening reaches the 90-degree mark. It lifts the rear of the chassis which is beneficial for cooling and for ergonomics during typing.
The spill-resistant keyboard is okay for work since the key travel and the feedback are moderate. The presence of a NumPad will be appreciated by users who regularly perform calculations. Still, the backlight is optional. You have to pay more if you want the Power button to have a built-in fingerprint reader.
The HP describes the touchpad as “large”. We think that a size of 115 x 80 mm is average at best for a 15-incher. The pad pad isn’t among the most accurate and smooth units that we have tested but it’ll do the job for normal usage.
The bottom plate houses a small ventilation grill, four rubber feet, and two speaker cutouts. The heat is pushed through a small vent on the rear. It aims at the lower display bezel. Some amount of hot air makes its way to the screen during heavy CPU stress.
Ports
On the left, there is a power plug, an HDMI 1.4 for up to 1080p@60Hz external displays, and a pair of 5 Gbps USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) ports. On the right, we can see a Lock slot, an Audio combo jack, a LAN, a USB 2.0 port, and an SD Card slot.
For some Alder Lake-based devices, one of the Type-As on the left is swapped for an optional 5 Gbps USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 1) with DisplayPort functionality.
Display, Get our Profiles
| Dell Vostro 3520 | 8FNMF-B156HAN (AUOED8F) |
| Diagonal | 15.6 inches (39.6 cm) |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Max Refresh Rate | 120 Hz |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Pixel Density | 142 PPI |
| ‘Retina’ Distance | Greater than or equal to 60 cm |
Viewing Angles
Viewing angles are good. We take photos from different angles to evaluate the quality.
Also, a video with locked focus and exposure.
Color Coverage
The whole “sail-shaped” map below (Fig. 1) consists of all the colors we can see, while the black crooked line shows all the colors from real-world scenes and nature around us.
Then, we’ve drawn some of the most important and interesting color spaces, compared to the colors the panel of Dell Vostro 3520 can show:
Standard/For Web: sRGB – widely used color space for most consumer devices, ideal for Web design and development
For Print: AdobeRGB – used in professional photo editing, graphic design, and print
For Photographers/Video Editors: DCI-P3 – used in high-end film production, post-production, and digital cinema
Premium HDR: Rec.2020 – the widest consumer ITU color standard, covering a massive 75.8% of the visible spectrum, a benchmark for premium HDR content
Dell Vostro 3520: the yellow dashed triangle (– – – – – –) represents the range of colors this monitor can display.
In our tests, we calculated the total color coverage of the monitor at 52% of the sRGB color gamut and 42% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
(Fig.1) Dell Vostro 3520 covers 52% of the sRGB gamut
Brightness and Contrast
The maximum brightness in SDR mode is 310 cd/m² in the center of the screen and 284 cd/m² averaged across the surface with a maximum deviation of 10%.
The Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) on a white screen at maximum brightness is 6390K.
The contrast ratio is 1460:1.
Uniformity: Luminance, Contrast, and Color Deviation
The figure below shows the results from our uniformity test across different sections of the screen. It’s measured at 181 nits (Windows slider = 57%) — a brightness level we consider typical for standard working conditions.
DeltaE values below 4.0 are acceptable for regular users. For those working with colors, screens with DeltaE values no higher than 2.0 are recommended.
Color Accuracy
Let’s check the difference between real colors and those you’ll see on the Dell Vostro 3520. We measure that distance in DeltaE – the higher the number, the more different they look.
Values below 4.0 are acceptable for regular users, while values below 2.0 are suitable for color-sensitive work. A value below 1.0 means the difference is indistinguishable to the naked eye.
For the next graph, we’ve selected 24 common colors, including dark/light skin, blue sky, green grass, etc.
Before our calibration of the Dell Vostro 3520, the Average color accuracy was 4.8 dE (Fig. 2), and with our Design and Office profile, it lowered to 4.2 dE (Fig. 3).
(Fig. 2) Dell Vostro 3520 in its factory condition
(Fig. 3) Dell Vostro 3520 with our display profile
Comparison in the sRGB color space.
Here’s an illustration of what the Design and Office profile aims to deliver:
Left: No Profile | Drag the slider to see the difference | Right: Design & Gaming Profile
Visibility in dark scenes
Have you ever watched a movie with dark scenes where you could barely see anything? This often happens because many display panels struggle to differentiate the darkest nuances, making them appear the same.
The next figure illustrates how well the display reproduces these dark nuances. The left side of the image shows the display with stock settings, and the right side shows it with our Gaming and movies profile activated.
On the horizontal axis are the grayscale levels, and on the vertical axis – the corresponding display brightness.
You can also check how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display and the surrounding light conditions.
Response time (Gaming capabilities)
We test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “black-to-white” and “white-to-black” method from 10% to 90% and vice versa.
We recorded Fall Time + Rise Time = 28.0 ms. Short pixel response time is a prerequisite for a smooth picture in dynamic scenes.
After that, we test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “Gray-to-Gray” method from 50% White to 80% White and vice versa between 10% and 90% of the amplitude.
Health Impact: PWM (Screen flickering)
Some use PWM to regulate their brightness, which means that instead of reducing the light intensity, they pulse or flicker. Our brain merges the image, so it appears darker, but this strains both it and our vision, especially when the frequency of the pulses is low. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.
In the graph below, you see the intensity of light at different brightness levels—on the vertical axis is the brightness of the emitted light, and on the horizontal axis—time.
The light from the backlight of the Dell Vostro 3520 display is not pulse-width modulated, providing visual comfort in the discussed aspect.
Health Impact: Blue light emissions
Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates harmful PWM when the laptop uses it to control brightness but also reduces harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate.
If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.
Health Impact: Screen Reflectance
Glossy-coated displays can cause eye fatigue in high ambient light conditions due to reflections. We measure the level of screen reflection with the display turned off, at a 60° angle.
The reflectance of the Dell Vostro 3520’s screen is 51.3 GU.
High Gloss: >70 GU
Medium Gloss: 30 – 70 GU
Low Gloss: <30 GU
Get our profiles
Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for Dell Vostro 3520 configurations with 8FNMF-B156HAN (AUOED8F), 1920 x 1080, IPS panel.
*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].
Read more about the profiles HERE.
In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.
Design and Office
The Design and Office profile makes display colors as close to real as possible.Ideal not only for professionals but also for everyday users, it meets sRGB standards (D65 white point, sRGB gamma) with minimal DeltaE for precise color reproduction on your panel.
Gaming and Movies
Have you ever watched a movie where, during dark scenes, you can barely see anything? Many displays fail to distinguish dark tones properly. Our Gaming and Movies profile enhances low-light performance, like HDR tech, using a gamma curve tailored to human perception — ideal for gamers seeking faster reactions and clearer visuals.
Health-Guard
Our Health-Guard profile protects your eyes by eliminating PWM flickering, reducing strain and fatigue, and minimizing harmful Blue light exposure that can disrupt sleep and health. It uses software dimming and a gamma curve tailored to human perception for comfort and safety during screen use.
Get All The Profiles With 33% Discount!
Sound
The Dell Vostro 3520’s sound is of good quality. The low, mid, and high frequencies are clear.
Performance: CPU, GPU, Storage
All benchmarks and tests were conducted with the “Best performance” preset activated in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu. Also, the “Ultra Performance” mode is enabled in the BIOS.
CPU options
This machine is offered with Intel Core i3-1115G4, Core i5-1135G7, Core i7-1165G7, Pentium Gold 7505, Core i3-1215U, Core i5-1235U, Core i7-1255U, Celeron 7305, and Pentium Gold 8505.
Our laptop has a 1215U chip.
Here, we evaluate the CPU's performance using a real-world 3D rendering task, assessing its ability to handle complex computations and rendering workloads efficiently.
Results are from the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
Single-core performance ensures smooth operation and responsiveness in operating systems, providing a better user experience.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Single-Core test (higher is better)
Multi-core performance is essential for handling complex and demanding tasks, such as Video editing, CAD, and Scientific simulations.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
GPU options
The NVIDIA GeForce MX550 is the only dGPU option for this HP series.
The laptop that we bought relies on Intel UHD Graphics (Alder Lake, 64EU).
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
The results are from 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited. Higher is better.
Gaming tests
| Counter-Strike 2 | HD 1080p, Low (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Medium (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Very High (Check settings) |
| Average FPS | 17 FPS | 15 FPS | – |
Storage performance
The SSD of our device is the 512GB Samsung BM9C1. Its speeds are okay for a 2230 unit and the NVMe drive doesn’t get too toasty during benchmarking.
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Temperatures and comfort, Battery Life
Max CPU load
In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering.
Average P-core frequency; Average E-core frequency; CPU temp.; Package Power
| Intel Core i3-1215U (15W TDP) | 0:02 – 0:10 sec | 0:15 – 0:30 sec | 10:00 – 15:00 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dell Vostro 3520 | 3.41 GHz @ 2.62 GHz @ 88°C @ 27W | 3.18 GHz @ 2.49 GHz @ 96°C @ 30W | 2.61 GHz @ 2.08 GHz @ 65°C @ 20W |
| Acer Aspire 5 (A514-55) | 3.99 GHz @ 3.22 GHz @ 66°C @ 49W | 3.55 GHz @ 2.80 GHz @ 66°C @ 37W | 3.17 GHz @ 2.49 GHz @ 68°C @ 28W |
| Acer Aspire 5 (A515-57) | 3.99 GHz @ 3.09 GHz @ 78°C @ 55W | 3.09 GHz @ 2.45 GHz @ 67°C @ 34W | 2.84 GHz @ 2.33 GHz @ 63°C @ 28W |
The official base clock of the Core i3-1215U is 1.20 GHz / 0.90 GHz for the P and E cores. The Vostro 3520 maintains much higher frequencies even during long loads. Still, the CPU temperatures in the first two columns are toasty. Also, the two Aspire 5 devices that we have tested with the same chip are doing a better job in terms of clocks.
Comfort during full load
If you select the “Ultra Performance” mode, you can expect moderate noise when the processor is pushed to its limits. In this case, the keyboard feels just slightly warm.
Battery
Now, we conduct the battery tests with the Windows Best Power Efficiency setting turned on, screen brightness adjusted to 180 nits and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. The 41Wh battery lasts for around 7 hours of video playback. Оur test was conducted with the “Energy Saver” preset activated in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu and the “Optimized” mode applied in the BIOS.
Brightness: 180 nits; Display Mode: SDR
Time to Full Discharge: Higher is Better
Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance
To open this affordable device, you have to undo eight Phillips-head screws. The ones in the top edges are captive and they also raise up the bottom plate once you unscrew them. Pry one of the sides, the front, and the other side. The back should be last. To fully pry the rear, pop the zones behind the hinges, and then the one between them.
There is a dust filter in front of the ventilation grill on the inside of the bottom plate.
The laptop that we bought has the default 41Wh battery. You can also opt for the optional 54Wh variant for a longer autonomous life when the charger isn’t plugged in. To take it out, remove the connector by pulling it towards the battery and undo the three Phillips-head screws that fix the unit to the chassis. The capacity is enough for around 7 hours of video playback.
According to Dell, the two SODIMMs fit up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM in dual-channel mode. However, since the CPU can support up to 64GB, this laptop likely wouldn’t have issues running a larger amount of memory than the official manufacturer’s specified limit. Interestingly, the devices with a Type-C port are compatible with 3200 MHz memory while the others like our device are limited to 2666 MHz RAM frequency. For storage, you get a SATA socket for regular 2.5″ SSDs or HDDs and an M.2 slot for 2230 or 2280 Gen 4 NVMe drives.
The SSD here has a metal plate on top that is held in place with one screw. The cap houses a small thermal pad on its bottom side.
The Wi-Fi card is upgradable.
The cooling system is basic which is normal for such a laptop. It has a single fan, one heat pipe, a heat sink, and a heat spreader.
Verdict
The Dell Vostro 3520 is a good choice for unpretentious users who need a budget laptop for normal tasks or office usage. As always, have a look at the specs before buying because of can end up with a 768p TN display and an underpowered Tiger Lake processor. An Alder Lake-based configuration with at least six cores and a 1080p IPS screen should be the way to go for most people. Dual-channel memory is generally beneficial for CPU and iGPU performance. The device we bought, however, is equipped with only one 8GB RAM module, which may have limited (more or less) the benchmark results.
Speaking of which, the optional Full HD screen (8FNMF-B156HAN (AUOED8F)) is just fine for everyday work. It lacks PWM usage which is important if you plan to stay in front of the laptop for many hours. The max brightness is 310 nits and the 1460:1 contrast ratio isn’t bad at all. The color coverage and accuracy don’t impress but that’s normal for this kind of price class.
The Vostro 3520 is a good offer in the budget segment. The battery life of ~ 7 hours of video is above average, especially considering the limited 41Wh capacity, the input devices are decent, and the same applies to the display and the overall performance.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/dell-vostro-15-3520/
Pros
- The overall performance seems enough for normal work
- Good price / performance ratio
- Lid with a lever design
- Decent input devices
- No PWM (AUOED8F)
- Wide viewing angles (AUOED8F)
- 310 nits of max brightness and 1460:1 contrast ratio (AUOED8F)
- 3x USB ports + SD Card slot + LAN
- Good battery life given the 41Wh capacity (~ 7 hours of videos)
- Fingerprint reader (optional)
- The Core i3-1215U can sustain 2.61 GHz / 2.08 GHz P and E-core clock in long loads
- 3.41 GHz / 2.62 GHz CPU frequency in short loads
- 2x SODIMMs + replaceable Wi-Fi card
- The fan isn’t too noisy during max CPU stress
- Decently fast 2230 SSD (Samsung BM9C1)
- 1x M.2 slot + SATA slot
- Available in an aluminum chassis
- ExpressCharge function
- Good sound quality
Cons
- Low sRGB coverage and max brightness (AUOED8F)
- High CPU temperatures in short and medium loads (88°C / 96°C)
- Not the best chassis rigidity with the plastic version of the laptop
- Some of the base configurations are tied with a W-Fi 5 cards, 768p display, four core CPUs, and a non-backlit keyboard
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Well, what can i say. It depends on the market but in my place, if you want a solid machine for the next 3-5 years, there is Honor 16 inch Magicbooks. It just kills this Dell.
Anyway, i like your reflections test guys, nobody does that, good job.
Thanks, Will! Reflections are really harsh to the eyes for some series (with 150+ GU)