How to open Dell Vostro 3520 – disassembly and upgrade options

Undo the eight Phillips-head screws on the bottom panel. The top two screws are captive and will slightly lift the panel once loosened.
Pry one of the sides with a thin plastic tool, followed by the front and the other side.
Finish by popping the rear—first the zones behind the hinges, then the area between them.

More info: The bottom plate includes a dust filter in front of the ventilation grill to help reduce internal dust buildup.

Battery Removal

Caution: Handle internal components with care.

Pull the battery connector gently toward the battery to unplug it from the motherboard.
Undo the three Phillips-head screws securing the battery to the chassis.
Lift and remove the 41Wh battery from the laptop.

More info: The default 41Wh battery offers around 7 hours of video playback. An optional 54Wh unit is available for extended battery life.

You can find compatible batteries here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)

Memory Upgrade

Note: RAM support depends on the port configuration.

The laptop includes two SODIMM slots supporting up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM officially.
However, since the CPU can handle up to 64GB, you may be able to install higher-capacity modules without issue.
Models with a USB Type-C port support 3200MHz DDR4, while other versions like ours are limited to 2666MHz.

You can find compatible RAM here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)

Storage Upgrade

Hint: Always ground yourself before handling internal drives to prevent static damage.

The laptop includes one M.2 slot compatible with 2230 or 2280 Gen 4 NVMe SSDs.
The SSD is covered with a metal plate secured by one screw, and it has a thermal pad on the underside of the cap for heat dissipation.
Additionally, there is a SATA socket for installing a 2.5″ SSD or HDD.

More info: This dual-storage setup makes the Vostro 3520 versatile for both performance and capacity upgrades.

You can find compatible SSDs here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)

You can find compatible SATA drives here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)

Connectivity Options

More info:

The Wi-Fi card is not soldered and can be upgraded or replaced easily.

Cooling System Overview

More info: The Dell Vostro 3520 features a basic but sufficient cooling system for everyday workloads.

One fan manages airflow inside the chassis.
A single heat pipe connects the CPU to a heat sink and heat spreader to dissipate heat.

Tip: Clean the fan and heat sink regularly to maintain system performance and longevity.

Dell Vostro 15 3520 in-depth review

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 als[...]

Read the full review

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

#CommissionsEarned