Dell Vostro 15 3520 vs Dell Vostro 14 3430 Comparison

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Dell Vostro 15 3520

15.6 inches | January 2022

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Dell Vostro 14 3430

14 inches | April 2023

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Dell Vostro 15 3520 vs Dell Vostro 14 3430 Comparison Overview

Dell Vostro 15 3520

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Dell Vostro 14 3430

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Dell Vostro 15 3520

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Dell Vostro 14 3430

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In this review, we will be comparing Vostro 15 3520 and Vostro 14 3430, two laptops by Dell. Dell Vostro 15 3520 was introduced to market in January 2022 and Dell Vostro 14 3430 was launched in April 2023. There is 15 months difference between Vostro 15 3520 and Vostro 14 3430 so it would still give an advantage to younger Vostro 14 3430.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Vostro 15 3520 and Vostro 14 3430 are members of Dell's Vostro series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Dell Vostro Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
Dell Vostro 14 3430	April 2023	14.0"	323.67 x 219.76 x 17.52-18.48 mm	1.44 kg (3.18 lbs)
Dell Vostro 5630	January 2023	16.0"	356.78 x 251.9 x 15.67-17.95 mm	1.9 kg (4.19 lbs)
Dell Vostro 15 3530	January 2023	15.6"	358.5 x 235.56 x 15.52-17.5 mm	1.63 kg (3.59 lbs)
Dell Vostro 7620	July 2022	16.0"	356.78 x 251.9 x 16.95-18.99 mm	1.96 kg (4.32 lbs)
Dell Vostro 5620	January 2022	16.0"	356.78 x 251.9 x 15.67-18.3 mm	1.91 kg (4.21 lbs)
Dell Vostro 5625	January 2022	16.0"	356.78 x 251.9 x 15.67-18.3 mm	1.97 kg (4.34 lbs)
Dell Vostro 15 3520	January 2022	15.6"	358.5 x 235.56 x 16.96-22.47 mm	1.66 kg (3.66 lbs)
Dell Vostro 15 7510	July 2021	15.6"	356 x 228.9 x 16.7-18.9 mm	1.86 kg (4.1 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of Dell Vostro 15 3520 and Dell Vostro 14 3430 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Dell Vostro 15 3520 Key Specs

Launched in January 2022
15.6" TN LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Pentium Gold 7505
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4
8GB Ram
358.5 x 235.56 x 16.96-22.47 mm (14.11 x 9.27 x 0.67-0.88 inches)
Weight: 1.66 kg (3.66 lbs)

Dell Vostro 14 3430 Key Specs

Launched in April 2023
14.0" TN LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Processor U300
GPU: GeForce MX550 2GB
4GB Ram
323.67 x 219.76 x 17.52-18.48 mm (12.74 x 8.65 x 0.69-0.73 inches)
Weight: 1.44 kg (3.18 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Vostro 15 3520 and Vostro 14 3430 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Dell Vostro 15 3520 over Dell Vostro 14 3430

Screen-to-Body Ratio	~79.5% vs ~75.9%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	6.6 mm vs 6.9 mm	0.3 mm thinner bezels
Display Size	15.6 inches vs 14 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Response Time	20 ms vs 21 ms	Faster Response screen
GPU Fabrication Process	10 nm vs 12 nm	Newer Generation GPU
Number of USB-A Ports	3x USB 3.2 vs 2x USB 3.2	Connect more device at the same time
Numeric Pad	Yes vs No	Fast way to input numbers
Touchpad Size	11.5 x 8.0 cm vs 11.5 x 7.0 cm	Larger Touchpad Area

Reasons to choose Dell Vostro 14 3430 over Dell Vostro 15 3520

Weight	1.44 kg vs 1.66 kg	0.22 kg lighter
Screen PPI	112 ppi vs 100 ppi	More pixels per inch
GPU FLOPS	2.703 TFLOPS vs 0.84 TFLOPS	Dedicated GPU unit
GPU Type	Dedicated vs Integrated	Better Sound capture
Number of Microphones	2 vs 1	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.3 vs v5.2	Higher Resolution Camera
Webcam Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Lower Price (*may change depending on config, seller, location, and time)
Avg. MSRP Price	$0-400 vs $800-1200

Common Strengths of Dell Vostro 14 3430 and Dell Vostro 15 3520

Launch Dates	January 2022 vs April 2023	Both laptops are recent models
Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the RAM size
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6 vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 1.4 vs 1x HDMI 1.4	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs Yes	Fast connection to Network via ethernet cable
Built-in SD Card Reader	Yes vs Yes	Read & Write SD Cards
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Dell Vostro 14 3430 and Dell Vostro 15 3520

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support

Dell Vostro 15 3520 vs Dell Vostro 14 3430: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Dell Vostro 15 3520 and the Dell Vostro 14 3430.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.66 kg (3.66 lbs)	1.44 kg (3.18 lbs)
Surface Area	844 cm2 (130.8 inches2)	711 cm2 (110.2 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~79.5%	~75.9%
Side Bezel Thickness	~6.6 mm	~6.9 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.11 kg/inch	0.10 kg/inch
	0.242 lbs/inch	0.22 lbs/inch
Colors	Black	Gray

Comparison of the Dell Vostro 15 3520 and the Dell Vostro 14 3430 External Dimensions

Weight

Vostro 15 3520 weighs 1.66 kg (3.66 lbs), whereas the Vostro 14 3430 weighs 1.44 kg (3.18 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Dell Vostro 15 3520

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

Dell Vostro 14 3430

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

Thickness Comparison

Dell Vostro 15 3520

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

Dell Vostro 14 3430

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Dell Vostro 15 3520 is 0.11 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Dell Vostro 14 3430 is 0.10 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Dell Vostro 15 3520 vs Dell Vostro 14 3430: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Pentium Gold 7505 Intel Core i3 1215U Intel Core i5 1235U Intel Core i7 1255U	Intel Processor U300 Intel Core i3 1305U Intel Core i5 1335U Intel Core i7 1355U
Base Frequency	2.0 GHz	1.2 GHz
Turbo Frequency	3.5 GHz	4.4 GHz
Number of Cores	2	5
Number of Threads	4	6
L3 Cache	4 MB	8 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4 48 EUs	Intel UHD Graphics (48 EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	992	1583
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	2270	4864

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Dell Vostro 15 3520 and Dell Vostro 14 3430.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Pentium Gold 7505

Laptops with: Intel Processor U300

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4	GeForce MX550 2GB
Base Clock Frequency	300 MHz	1065 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1100 MHz	1320 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	15 W	25 W
Type	Integrated	Dedicated
FLOPS	844.8 GFLOPS	2.703 TFLOPS
Memory Size	System Shared	2 GB
Memory Type	System Shared	GDDR6
Memory Bus	System Shared	64 bit
Memory Speed	System Shared	1500 MHz 12 Gbps effective
Shading Units Cores	384	1024
TMUs	24	32
ROPs	12	16

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Dell Vostro 15 3520 has a FLOPS value of 0.84 TFLOPS whereas the Dell Vostro 14 3430 ' has a FLOPS value of 2.703 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Dell Vostro 14 3430 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	8GB 16GB	4GB 8GB 12GB 16GB
Memory Bus	1x8 GB	1x4 GB
RAM Clock	3200 MHz	2666 MHz
RAM Type	DDR4	DDR4
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	16 GB	16 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

With a larger RAM capacity of 8 GB, the Vostro 15 3520 offers an advantage for multitasking and resource-intensive applications compared to the Vostro 14 3430's RAM capacity of 4 GB.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Dell Vostro 15 3520	Dell Vostro 14 3430
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✖ Not supported.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	41 Wh 54 Wh	41 Wh 54 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
USB Power Delivery	No	No
Charging Port Position	Left	Left
Charge Power	65 W	65 W
Voltage	11.2 V	11.25 V

Furthermore, both laptops have the same battery capacity of 41 Wh, ensuring comparable battery performance.

Battery Comparison

Dell Vostro 15 3520

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

Dell Vostro 14 3430

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

STORAGE
Both laptops, the Vostro 15 3520 and the Vostro 14 3430 have similar max. storage capacities of 2 TB, allowing for ample space to store files and applications.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	1	1
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Dell Vostro 15 3520 vs Dell Vostro 14 3430: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Dell Vostro 15 3520 and Dell Vostro 14 3430 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Vostro 15 3520 has a display size of 15.6".On the other hand, Vostro 14 3430 has a smaller 14.0" display.The total usable screen area of the Vostro 15 3520 is 670cm² / 104inch² whereas the Vostro 14 3430's total usable screen area is 540cm² / 84inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Vostro 14 3430 features a higher pixel density with 112 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Dell Vostro 15 3520

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

Dell Vostro 14 3430

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

Refresh Rate
Both Vostro 15 3520 and Vostro 14 3430 offer the same refresh rate of 60 Hz.

Furthermore, the Vostro 15 3520 boasts a faster response time of 20.0 ms, reducing motion blur for fast-paced content.

Brightness
Both Vostro 15 3520 and Vostro 14 3430 offer the same maximum brightness of 220 nits (cd/m²).

Brightness Comparison

Dell Vostro 15 3520

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

Dell Vostro 14 3430

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

Dell Vostro 15 3520 vs Dell Vostro 14 3430 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Both laptops offer the same Wi-Fi standard (v6), ensuring fast and reliable wireless connections.

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Vostro 15 3520 and Vostro 14 3430 have USB-A ports. Vostro 15 3520 has 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while Vostro 14 3430 has 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Vostro 15 3520 and Vostro 14 3430 feature 1x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Neither Vostro 15 3520 nor Vostro 14 3430 has Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Both Vostro 15 3520 and Vostro 14 3430 feature an HDMI port (1x HDMI 1.4) for connecting to external monitors.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Both Vostro 15 3520 and Vostro 14 3430 come with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards.

Audio Jack
Both Vostro 15 3520 and Vostro 14 3430 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.2	v5.3
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	3x USB 3.2	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	1x USB 3.2	1x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	No	No
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 1.4	1x HDMI 1.4
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes	Optional
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	Yes
SD CardReader	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes