Dell Inspiron 15 3531 250-Dollar Laptop

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The Dell Inspiron 15 3531 is the most basic and cheapest 15.6-inch laptop offered by Dell. This simple notebook starting at $250 delivers low-end performance, suitable only for the daily computing needs. Web browsing, writing in Word, Excel spreadsheet editing, and multimedia playback will run decently on the entry-level Intel Celeron N2830 dual-core processor and somewhat faster on the optional N3530 Intel Pentium quad-core. Both, however, are insufficient for comfortable work in demanding applications like video editors or Photoshop, especially if you process high-resolution files. The CPUs and their Intel HD integrated graphics are not optimized for gaming. At best, they will enable you to play simple Flash-powered games and some non-demanding titles based on 3D rendering.

With included 4GB of RAM, this part of the system won’t be a bottleneck, as opposed to 2GB in some similarly priced alternatives. Storage space doesn’t stand out in comparison to capacity of other inexpensive laptops. It’s 500GB. To additionally achieve low pricing, Dell has excluded the built-in optical drive, so you won’t be able to read and write CDs and DVDs. Thankfully, the Dell Inspiron 15 3531 has easily accessible RAM and hard drive via the bottom doors, so you can easily upgrade or replace them. The laptop has a single RAM slot, so the only way to upgrade it is to remove the 4GB module and insert an 8GB one.

Another good thing is its user-removable battery, so you can replace it when it dies or get a secondary battery as a backup. According to Dell, the battery life is up to 6.25 hours, which is quite long for a budget notebook.

For sound, the machine has stereo 2×2.5W speakers, while for video chats there’s a 720p web camera. The 3531 doesn’t shine in the USB connectivity department, since it has only two ports and none of them supports 3.0 standard. This means you won’t have full-speed data transfers from and to external HDDs and other USB 3.0 compatible devices. For hooking up to TVs and monitors, it has an HDMI video output. Supported memory card formats are SD, SDHC, and Memory Stick Pro. Networking can be done via Wi-Fi 802.11n wireless only, since wired Ethernet LAN support is missing. Bluetooth has been omitted on this model.

Dell’s 15 3531 is made of plastics has an anti-slip relief finish. The profile is 1″ thin and the computer weighs 4.7 pounds which is quite light for a 15.6-incher.

Overall, this model is a good solution for laptop shoppers on a tight budget, but there are better solutions on the market at the time of this writing. In particular, the Toshiba Satellite C55-B5201 and Asus X551MAV-RCLN06 with built-in DVD drives, USB 3.0 support and somewhat lower prices after discounts.

Dell Inspiron 15 3531 Top View

Dell Inspiron 15 3531 Side View

Lid of Dell Inspiron 15 3531

Specifications of the Dell Inspiron 15 3531

Here are the specs of the Dell Inspiron 15 3531 with descriptions of its features. For comparison against other laptops, you can use the "Compare Specs" button.

Brand Dell
Screen Size 15.6-inch

This is by far the most popular laptop screen size. It provides a lot of screen real estate, while avoiding bulkiness of the 17.3" laptops.
Screen Resolution 1366x768 pixels HD

This is an entry-level screen resolution, oftentimes found on budget laptops. It doesn't deliver picture sharpness and space on the screen like the Full HD or higher resolution laptop displays do.
Touchscreen No

This laptop doesn't support touchscreen input.
Other Display Specs TN type

Displays based on the old TN technology lack wide viewing angles you can find on IPS screens. The colors may look washed out or inverted at certain viewing angles.
Processor (CPU) Intel Celeron N2830 dual-core 2.16-2.41GHz 1MB cache (User Benchmark CPU score: 12)
Graphics (GPU) Intel HD integrated graphics of low-end CPUs (only for the lightest gaming)
System Memory (RAM) Size 4GB RAM

4GB is a small RAM size for computing in 2023. For smooth operation of a laptop during everyday tasks, at least 8GB is recommended.
Data Storage 500GB HDD

This is a very good capacity, but HDD is a slow type of storage.
DVD Optical Drive None
Keyboard & Input Non-backlit keyboard with dedicated number pad

The keyboard has a separate numeric pad on the right side of the keyboard, but it has no keyboard backlight.

Touchpad with separate physical click buttons

The touchpad features physical left and right click buttons, as opposed to click buttons integrated into the touchpad surface.
Speakers & Audio Stereo speakers

As usual, the device features a pair of built-in stereo speakers.
Camera Front-facing web camera

Laptops usually feature a frontal webcam located on the display bezel. This laptop is no exception.
Wi-Fi Wireless 802.11N

802.11N is an old Wi-Fi standard, precursor of the 802.11AC and the latest 802.11AX with improved data transfer speeds and connectivity. 802.11N is rarely used in modern laptops.
Ethernet Network Port No

This laptop has no Ethernet LAN port for wired internet and networking connectivity.
Mobile broadband (4G LTE) No
Bluetooth No

This laptop has no built-in Bluetooth module.
USB Ports 2 x USB 2.0

A pair of traditional full-size USB ports.
Video Output Ports 1 x HDMI

HDMI is a widely used digital video output port. You can find HDMI-in ports on most computer monitors and TVs.
Media Card Reader SD card reader

The laptop has a slot for full-size SD memory cards, used in many digital cameras. You can also use microSD cards with a card adapter.
Battery 4-Cell, "up to 6.25 hours" battery life
Weight 4.7 pounds
Height 1"
Width 15"
Depth 10.2"
Windows Version Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 is eligible for free upgrade to Windows 10 Home. Check Windows.com for more info.
Warranty 1-year

A typical laptop warranty.

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User Reviews and Q&A on the Dell Inspiron 15 3531

Below you can read and submit user reviews, questions, and answers about the laptop. Thank you for your contribution.

Current rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  1. Hendrick Laama

    Hello guys thanks for the review, but I was wondering if I can downgrade the OS to windows 7?.

    Thanks.

    • Joseph

      Hi i would to know about the charger and battery description i would like to replace mine

  2. 4 out of 5

    Scrib

    i am able to play tf2 and other 3d games just fine

  3. Biff

    Please double check the review – according to the Dell website, this model does NOT have an ethernet port, and no ethernet port is visible in the photos that accompany your article.

    • Danijel Z

      Thank you, Biff. I’ve corrected the article.

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