Comparison Dell Inspiron 15 3520 [I3558S2NIL-20B] vs Dell Vostro 15 3520 [N2062PVNB3520UAUBU]

Laptop display certification for safe blue light emission levels and panel flicker rates. The presence of a TÜV Rheinland certificate confirms that the screen is comfortable for the eyes.

TÜV Rheinland is a large international concern headquartered in Cologne, Germany, providing a wide range of audit services. The company's specialists have developed and approved a number of tests for the compliance of the screens of mobile devices, monitors and TVs with the required level of eye protection from the harmful effects of display radiation on the user's vision on the other side of the screen. The authoritative opinion of TÜV Rheinland is respected in the tech community. Certificates from this body are issued to successfully tested electronics for the implementation of blue light filtering and screen flicker suppression technologies.

The code name for CPU installed in the laptop.

This parameter characterizes, first of all, the generation to which the processor belongs, and the microarchitecture used in it. At the same time, chips with different code names can belong to the same microarchitecture/generation; in such cases, they differ in other parameters - general positioning, belonging to certain series (see above), the presence / absence of certain specific functions, etc.

Nowadays, the following code names are relevant in Intel processors: Coffee Lake, Comet Lake, Ice Lake, Tiger Lake, Jasper Lake, Alder Lake, Raptor Lake (13th Gen), Alder Lake-N, Raptor Lake (14th Gen), Meteor Lake (Series 1), Raptor Lake (Series 1), Lunar Lake (Series 2). For AMD, the list looks like this: Zen 2 Renoir, Zen 2 Lucienne, Zen 3 Cezanne, Zen 3 Barcelo, Zen 3+ Rembrandt, Zen 3+ Rembrandt R, Zen 2 Mendocino, Zen 3 Barcelo R, Zen 4 Dragon Range, Zen 4 Phoenix Zen 4 Hawk Point, Zen 5 Strix Point. Detailed data on different code names can be found in special sources.

The result shown by the laptop processor in the Passmark CPU Mark test.

Passmark CPU Mark is a comprehensive test that is more detailed and reliable than the popular 3DMark06 (see above). It checks not only the gaming capabilities of the CPU, but also its performance in other modes, based on which it displays the overall score; this score can be used to fairly reliably evaluate the processor as a whole (the more points, the higher the performance).

Laptop LAN interface version.

LAN (RJ-45, colloquially “twisted pair”) is standard connector for wired connections to computer networks. The version of this connector is identified by the maximum data transfer rate that it supports. In practice, in most cases, 100 Mbit/s is quite enough, however, the development and cheaper technology has led to the fact that more and more laptops are equipped with 1 Gbit/s LAN; such connectors are used even among budget devices. And the most advanced version found in modern laptops is 10 Gbit/s. Mostly gaming models are equipped with such interfaces: high speed, among other things, reduces lag (latency) in online games.

This paragraph may specify the availability of special digital and physical security features: fingerprint or face scanners, Smart Card reader and kensington/noble lock. Here is a detailed description of these features:

— Fingerprint scanner. Fingerprint recognition device. Almost the only way to use this function is to authenticate the user — during the initial boot or unlocking of the laptop, when logging into an account, when confirming payments, etc. This authorization method is convenient because the fingerprint is always at the user's disposal, his it is impossible to forget, lose or accidentally "surrender" to an attacker, like a normal password; and forgery of a print, although possible, is very difficult. Also note that some laptops with this feature allow you to memorize several users and automatically recognize them “by touch”.

— Face scanner (FaceID). A specialized scanner for facial recognition. Note that this is not just about “recognition by photography” (any webcam is capable of this — with the appropriate software), but about full-fledged three-dimensional scanning using a special IR sensor. This allows you to achieve very accurate and reliable recognition — face scanners often surpass fingerprint sensors in these indicators. And thanks to advanced algorithms, accuracy is maintained even when facial hai...r changes, putting on and taking off glasses, and other such changes. The weak point of this function is the recognition of twins, as well as children under 13 – 14 years old, who have not yet had time to form enough individual traits. As for the application, the main purpose of FaceID is to authorize the user when logging in and various accounts, making payments, etc. Separately, we note that support for this authorization method is built into Windows Hello, a biometric recognition system built into Windows 10. However, the data from the scanner can also be used for other purposes, sometimes quite original — for example, to animate a three-dimensional muzzle on the screen, copying the user's facial expressions.

— Kensington / Noble lock. The presence of a slot on the laptop case for a special security lock. Such a lock is usually used to fasten a strong metal cable, the other end attached to a fixed or heavy object. Thanks to this, theft "on a jerk" and other similar attempts to steal a laptop become almost impossible. This feature is especially useful if the device is in the public domain, such as on a display stand in an electronics store. Note that Kensington and Noble are two different types of security locks and are not mutually compatible. And the socket on the body can be designed for either one of these standards, or both at once; this point should be clarified separately.

— Smart card slot. A device for reading contact smart cards — plastic cards with built-in microchips. It is convenient to use such cards as user identifiers and/or access keys to protect confidential information. Note that an NFC (see above) can become an alternative to this function — it also allows you to read smart cards, only contactless ones. However, contact readers are somewhat cheaper, and they are also considered more reliable and secure. So such equipment does not lose popularity among business and professional laptops; and some models are equipped with both an NFC and a slot for smart cards.

The presence of a backlight in the laptop keyboard. This feature not only gives the device a stylish look, but also makes the keys more visible than on non-backlit laptops. The specific implementation of the backlight may vary - it depends both on the price category and on the general purpose of the laptop. For example, single-colour lighting is found in both inexpensive laptops and professional ultrabooks. And gaming models may provide advanced RGB backlighting and even the ability to synchronize the backlight.

The backlight colour is usually chosen by the manufacturer taking into account the general specialization of the laptop. Thus, white backlighting is popular in “office” devices - it fits well into a restrained business style and at the same time looks good on its own. Yellow (golden) colour is noticeably less common - mainly among fashion laptops, although there are exceptions. In turn, among gaming models the most advanced type of backlighting is often found - RGB: it allows you to choose the shade as you wish, and besides, a change in colour can signal different gaming and system events. A number of top gaming laptops feature multi-zone RGB backlighting - each zone can be illuminated indiv...idually or in combination with other areas of the keys. One of the simplest options is a 3-zone backlight highlighting the “WSAD” keys and another additional area. A more advanced implementation is the 4-zone RGB backlighting of the keyboard, and the most chic is the 24-zone backlighting or even customizable backlighting for each individual key, visually distinguishing the buttons from others. Gaming devices are also produced with simpler, single-colour backlighting systems - in such cases, the keyboards usually glow red, green or blue. It is these shades that are best combined with the characteristic design of gaming laptops; Moreover, the red glow is usually used in devices with a rather catchy and “aggressive” appearance (and in itself is an important element of such a style), while blue and green are typical for a more restrained design.

The number of additional keys provided on the laptop keyboard.

Additional are called keys that do not belong to the standard set and perform various specific functions: calling the browser, controlling the media player, switching power and cooling modes, etc. Such equipment facilitates quick access to certain settings and applications. On the other hand, additional keys require additional space, and there is not much of it in laptops; in addition, some specific functions can be implemented through the Fn key, pressed simultaneously with one of the standard buttons. Therefore, this function is relatively rare in modern laptops, mainly among gaming models.