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Review of the Dell Inspiron 15 3585: Locked-In Office Ryzen

Master of throttling. Dell's entry-level Inspiron series is also available with AMD processors. Unfortunately, the Ryzen 3 2300U's CPU was badly restricted and unable to unleash its full potential, and Dell's cooling solution was running almost at its limit. Nevertheless, even a severely limited Ryzen can have its upsides, as our test shows.

Dell’s entry-level Inspiron series is not only available with Intel processor but AMD’s counterparts as well. The current Inspiron 15 3585 is based on AMD’s Ryzen 3 2300U with integrated Vega 6. The device starts at around $500 and is currently available with an additional 15% discount in the US. Find out in our review how well the device fared against its Intel-based competitors and whether or not it is worth the price.

Given that this is our first ever encounter with this particular Ryzen APU with integrated Vega 6 GPU we had to pick our competitors from a wide variety of devices, including the Dell Inspiron 15 5575 (Ryzen 3 2200U, Vega 3), Lenovo ThinkPad E485 (Ryzen 5, Vega 8), Acer Swift 3 (i3-8145U, SSD, FHD) and HP 250 G7 (i5-8265U, UHD620). In other words: In addition to two comparable Ryzen-based laptops we will also include two Intel laptops with a slightly slower GPU. All devices sell for between $500 and $700. Since the Swift 3 and the ThinkPad are both 14-inch devices, we decided to also include the Acer Aspire 3 (Ryzen 3 2200U, Vega 3, SSD, FHD) whenever necessary.

Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6) (Inspiron 15 3000 Series)
Processor
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U 4 x 2 - 3.4 GHz, Zen
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000) - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 400 MHz, Memory: 800 MHz, 24.20.12044.2001
Memory
8 GB 
, 2x 4 GB DDR4-2666
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, BOE0802, TN, glossy: no
Mainboard
AMD CZ FCH
Storage
Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G, 256 GB 
, 196 GB free
Soundcard
AMD Raven - Audio Processor - HD Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: headphones/microphone, Card Reader: Full SD reader
Networking
RealTek Semiconductor RTL8101/2/3 Family Fast Ethernet NIC (10/100MBit/s), Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 20 x 380 x 258 ( = 0.79 x 14.96 x 10.16 in)
Battery
42 Wh Lithium-Ion, 3-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Primary Camera: 1 MPix 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 12 Months Warranty, 1 year pickup and return
Weight
1.94 kg ( = 68.43 oz / 4.28 pounds), Power Supply: 262 g ( = 9.24 oz / 0.58 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Honeycomb structure
Honeycomb structure
Smudges
Smudges

The black all-plastic case is relatively thin and covered in a honeycomb structure at the top and on the palm rests. This certainly makes the case unique yet inconspicuous nevertheless.

All surfaces are very susceptible to fingerprints.

The base is comparatively robust and only flexes insignificantly. The display lid is very thin and therefore less robust; however, overall build quality remained very decent. The hinge could be a tad firmer - when grabbing the open device and pulling it towards oneself the display tended to swing open.

A maintenance opening is nowhere to be found on the case, and the entire bottom cover must be removed in order to perform maintenance or upgrade hardware. More on that later. The battery is not user-replaceable.

Compared to its sibling the Inspiron 15 3585 is around 200 g (0.44 lbs) lighter, most likely because of the former’s additional HDD. Despite different cases both devices are exactly the same size.

Overall, our review unit was noticeably thinner than its competitors. Acer’s Acer Aspire 3 has an almost identical footprint but is 9 mm thicker, the HP is 2.5 mm thicker, and the ThinkPad is almost 2 mm thicker despite its smaller 14-inch display. In return, the Inspiron’s footprint is quite large, and when stored inside a protective case the device barely fit in our backpack.

Size Comparison

381.6 mm / 15 inch 259 mm / 10.2 inch 29.2 mm / 1.15 inch 2.4 kg5.29 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 258 mm / 10.2 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 1.9 kg4.28 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 258 mm / 10.2 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 2.1 kg4.59 lbs376 mm / 14.8 inch 246 mm / 9.69 inch 22.5 mm / 0.886 inch 1.9 kg4.18 lbs329 mm / 13 inch 242 mm / 9.53 inch 21.9 mm / 0.862 inch 1.8 kg3.99 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Given its low price, connectivity is limited to a bare minimum. At least it features a full-sized SD card reader, which is located on the right-hand side next to a USB 3.0 port. All other ports are located on the left-hand side, which is great for right-handers but somewhat of a downer for left-handers. A total of three USB-A ports, one of which is only connected via USB 2.0, are available but USB-C is nowhere to be found. That being said, its competitors were comparable overall when it came to port selection. Spacing between the ports is decent, and they span almost along the entire left side all but eliminating the chances of a cable jam.

Left: power, HDMI, Ethernet, 2x USB 3.0, audio
Left: power, HDMI, Ethernet, 2x USB 3.0, audio
Right: SD card reader, USB 2.0, Kensington lock
Right: SD card reader, USB 2.0, Kensington lock
Front: No connectivity, notch to open lid
Front: No connectivity, notch to open lid
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity

SD Card Reader

The integrated card reader was not particularly fast. Just like its sibling it managed around 35 MB/s reading from and writing to our 64 GB Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC reference card. Lenovo’s ThinkPad was roughly twice as fast.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
73.8 MB/s +108%
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=50, last 2 years)
55.6 MB/s +57%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
35.5 MB/s
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
30.9 MB/s -13%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
82.8 MB/s +122%
Average of class Office
  (26.4 - 173.2, n=44, last 2 years)
65.2 MB/s +75%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
37.5 MB/s +1%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
37.3 MB/s

Communication

Supported wireless communication protocols include Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (no ac). An RJ45 port for wired communication is available. Wi-Fi transfer rates were average and comparable to its direct competitors.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Office
  (280 - 1332, n=6, last 2 years)
810 MBit/s +166%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
339 MBit/s +12%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
332 MBit/s +9%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
304 (249min - 336max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Office
  (348 - 1690, n=6, last 2 years)
852 MBit/s +175%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
337 MBit/s +9%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
310 (179min - 341max) MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
304 MBit/s -2%
020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320340Tooltip
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6); iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø309 (179-341)
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6); iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø304 (249-336)

Security

In addition to the practically mandatory Kensington lock there are no additional security features available on the Inspiron 15 3585. According to the user manual a fingerprint reader is available on select SKUs.

Accessories

Dell does not include any accessories with its cheap Inspiron laptop. The only things we found in the box in addition to the notebook itself were the power supply, a quick-start guide, and a warranty booklet.

Maintenance

Given that the Inspiron 15 3585 lacks a dedicated maintenance opening the entire bottom cover must be removed in order to performance maintenance or upgrades. Fortunately, this turned out to be easier than expected. A total of 10 screws need to be removed. Keep in mind that the two screws in the middle are threaded differently than the others. Once unscrewed, the cover can be easily removed starting from the side and slowly going around the entire case. Underneath, we find the fan as well as almost all other important hardware components, including the unpopulated 2.5-inch SATA slot.

10 screws
10 screws
Start at the side
Start at the side
Bottom panel removed
Bottom panel removed
2.5-inch bay
2.5-inch bay
Dual RAM
Dual RAM
M.2 slot
M.2 slot

Warranty

Default warranty differs based on what country the device is purchased in. Our German review unit came with one year of pickup and return warranty by default. First and third-party warranty extensions are available.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The ever so slightly recessed keyboard is uncluttered and tidy, and it includes a numerical pad on the right-hand side. At 14 x 14 mm the keys themselves are comparatively small and the arrow keys are only half-sized, but spacing was very decent at 3 mm.

The accentuation point was very spongy and weak, and the keys lacked precision and firmness. Key travel was comparatively short. Typing was decent, but the keys lacked distinct feedback. At least keyboard clatter was fairly low and overall very quiet.

While the labels on the individual keys were easy to read the keyboard lacks a backlight. Considering that the only competitor in our test group with a backlit keyboard was Acer’s Swift 3, the Inspiron was in good company.

The power button is separate from the main keyboard and located on the right-hand side above the keyboard itself. The round button felt rather flimsy, though.

Keyboard
Keyboard
FN keys
FN keys
Tiny arrow keys
Tiny arrow keys
Power button
Power button

Touchpad

Touchpad
Touchpad

Due to the numpad, the touchpad is shifted slightly to the left. At 10.6 x 8 mm including the integrated click zones it is sufficiently sized and features a slightly roughened yet smooth surface. The mouse buttons were very loud and did not feel particularly premium or well-made.

Display

No backlight bleeding
No backlight bleeding

While the Swift 3 and ThinkPad feature IPS displays both Inspirons (15 3585 & 15 5575) are equipped with dim TN displays with poor viewing angles. The Acer Aspire 3 and HP 250 did not do any better in this regard either. The cheapest SKU even features an abysmal 1366x768 panel, and all four models currently available in the US can only be purchased with this ultra low-end display. Our review unit was equipped with a higher-resolution FHD panel.

Its average brightness of just 213 nits when connected to mains was pretty poor already and plummeted even further to just 173 nits on battery. Reducing maximum brightness to a level this low effectively renders the device unusable outdoors. At 88% at least brightness distribution was somewhat uniform.

To add insult to injury the display uses PWM at a low frequency of just 250 Hz for adjusting brightness. Even users that are not overly sensitive might suffer from eye strain caused by this display.

We found no backlight bleeding on the display but it did seem to be a bit brighter at the bottom than at the top.

219
cd/m²
209
cd/m²
217
cd/m²
223
cd/m²
225
cd/m²
207
cd/m²
206
cd/m²
209
cd/m²
199
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE0802 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 225 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 212.7 cd/m² Minimum: 10 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 173 cd/m²
Contrast: 421:1 (Black: 0.535 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 10.37 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.89
ΔE Greyscale 12.09 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
59% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
37% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.52% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
58.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.22% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.72
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
BOE0802, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Innolux JMC9X 156BGA, , 1366x768, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
B140HAN04.2, , 1920x1080, 14.00
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
BOE0687, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
Chi Mei CMN15D5, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
Chi Mei N140HCE-EN2, , 1920x1080, 14.00
Display
2%
-1%
1%
2%
68%
Display P3 Coverage
39.22
40.02
2%
39.21
0%

38.48
-2%

39.61
1%
40.09
2%
66.2
69%
sRGB Coverage
58.9
59.8
2%
58.8
0%

57.9
-2%

59.5
1%
59.7
1%
98.3
67%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
40.52
41.37
2%
40.52
0%

39.76
-2%

40.93
1%
41.47
2%
67.8
67%
Response Times
-43%
-98%
3298%
3290%
3248%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
39 ?(20, 19)
50 ?(28, 22)
-28%
44.8 ?(20.4, 24.4)
-15%
41 ?(22, 19)
-5%
44 ?(23, 21)
-13%
41 ?(21, 20)
-5%
Response Time Black / White *
12 ?(7, 5)
24 ?(20, 4)
-100%
33.6 ?(18, 15.6)
-180%
12 ?(7, 5)
-0%
14 ?(10, 4)
-17%
30 ?(18, 12)
-150%
PWM Frequency
250 ?(90)
250 ?(20)
0%
25000 ?(90)
9900%
25000 ?(10)
9900%
25000 ?(20)
9900%
Screen
3%
43%
0%
6%
58%
Brightness middle
225
197
-12%
289
28%
205
-9%
234
4%
291
29%
Brightness
213
195
-8%
271
27%
205
-4%
211
-1%
276
30%
Brightness Distribution
88
78
-11%
87
-1%
88
0%
83
-6%
90
2%
Black Level *
0.535
0.43
20%
0.19
64%
0.52
3%
0.43
20%
0.27
50%
Contrast
421
458
9%
1521
261%
394
-6%
544
29%
1078
156%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
10.37
10.35
-0%
5.6
46%
11.15
-8%
11.27
-9%
3.86
63%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
19.75
16.02
19%
20.8
-5%
19.08
3%
18.03
9%
8.26
58%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.89
4.7
-21%
2.98
23%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
12.09
11.25
7%
2.7
78%
12.62
-4%
11.54
5%
5.33
56%
Gamma
2.72 81%
2.08 106%
1.96 112%
2.38 92%
2.09 105%
2.25 98%
CCT
13335 49%
11592 56%
6506 100%
14189 46%
11607 56%
7426 88%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
37
38
3%
37.2
1%
38
3%
38
3%
62
68%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
59
60
2%
58.5
-1%
59
0%
60
2%
98
66%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-13% / -6%
-19% / 15%
1100% / 582%
1099% / 621%
1125% / 658%

* ... smaller is better

The rest of our measurements can also be considered a confession of failure. Black level and contrast ratio were extremely poor, color deviations were extremely high, and the covered color space was so poor it is not even worth mentioning. Given the prevalence of poor displays in entry-level devices such as this only the ThinkPad and Swift 3 did better than our review unit.

sRGB 59%
sRGB 59%
AdobeRGB 37%
AdobeRGB 37%
Sunlight from the side
Sunlight from the side

As already mentioned the Inspiron 15 3585 was practically unusable on battery outdoors due to its abysmal maximum brightness of just 174 nits on battery. The display was so dark that it was unreadable in sunlight despite its matte coating.

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
12 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7 ms rise
↘ 5 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 26 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
39 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20 ms rise
↘ 19 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 53 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 250 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 250 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 250 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Its viewing angles were also very poor. When looking at it from the top content quickly turned milky-white and colors faded rapidly. From the bottom, it turned very dark almost instantly. Things improved a bit from the sides although details and brightness suffered visibly as well.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

AMD inside
AMD inside
No latencies
No latencies

The Inspiron 15 3585 is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, an integrated Vega 6, 8 GB of dual-channel RAM, and a 256 GB Toshiba SSD. Dedicated GPUs are not available, and despite the fact that AMD’s Vega is more powerful than Intel’s integrated GPUs it still won’t turn this device into a gaming machine. Instead, the device is the ideal notebook for office and Internet applications. Alternatively, Dell also sells an SKU equipped with Ryzen 5 and Vega 8. However, we are very skeptical whether the Inspiron’s cooling system is capable of cooling the Ryzen 5. Dell’s Inspiron 15 3000 series can be had in many different flavors. However, not all models are available in all countries, and Dell reserves the right to sell only specific models in select countries and regions.

According to LatencyMon our review unit did not suffer from any driver-related latencies.

Processor

Since we have never had AMD’s Ryzen 3 2300U in review we cannot make any direct comparisons. This APU is a combination of a quad-core CPU without support for SMT running at 2 - 3.4 GHz and a Vega 6 GPU with a combined variable TDP of between 12 and 25 W. The manufacturer thus has a significant impact on the amount of throttling required.

When running our CineBench R15 loop for 30 minutes we noticed a massive drop in performance after the first two iterations. Around the third rerun the score settled at about 82% of its initial level, which means performance decreased by roughly 18%. As can be seen below, this decrease is much more extreme than on all of its competitors. According to HWinfo the CPU ran at just 750 MHz in the multithread and 850 MHz in the single-thread test. This would mean that it had to throttle massively in order to keep cool, and it ran at a frequency much lower than its base clock speed.

0255075100125150175200225250275300325350375400Tooltip
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6) AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Ryzen 3 2300U: Ø360 (339.63-422.53)
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Ryzen 3 2200U: Ø315 (300.8-318.81)
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4 AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Ryzen 3 2200U: Ø289 (272.26-292.43)
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8 Intel Core i3-8145U, Intel Core i3-8145U: Ø349 (347.66-361.38)

On battery, performance was around 10% slower than when connected to mains.

Generally speaking the Ryzen 3 2300U seems to have a surprisingly poor single-thread performance - Acer’s Swift 3 equipped with an Intel Core i3-8145U was around 90% faster - yet a competitive multithread performance at the same time as it was 15% faster than the Swift 3. This came as a big surprise given that AMD’s Ryzen 3 2200U with two cores and SMT did not suffer from this low single-thread performance. We suspect that the cause for this incredibly poor single-thread performance was caused by massive throttling. Other versions of CineBench yielded similar results.

Cinebench R10
Cinebench R10
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15 on battery
Cinebench R15 on battery
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +172%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel Core i5-8265U
153 Points +94%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
Intel Core i3-8145U
150 Points +90%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
139.5 Points +77%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
128 Points +62%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
107 Points +35%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
79 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
 
79 Points 0%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +227%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
618 (591.81min - 618.71max) Points +46%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel Core i5-8265U
504 Points +19%
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
 
423 Points 0%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
422.5 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
Intel Core i3-8145U
361 Points -15%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
318 Points -25%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
306 Points -28%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (0.99 - 2.97, n=12, last 2 years)
2.31 Points +192%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
Intel Core i3-8145U
1.77 Points +124%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel Core i5-8265U
1.73 Points +119%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
1.44 Points +82%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
0.85 Points +8%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
0.79 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
 
0.79 Points 0%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (1.93 - 20.3, n=12, last 2 years)
12.5 Points +180%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel Core i5-8265U
5.22 Points +17%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
4.46 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
 
4.46 Points 0%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
Intel Core i3-8145U
4.01 Points -10%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
3.29 Points -26%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
2.68 Points -40%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (5904 - 13680, n=7, last 2 years)
10180 Points +77%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel Core i5-8265U
7705 Points +34%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
5762 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
 
5762 Points 0%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (22075 - 62930, n=7, last 2 years)
41047 Points +104%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
20098 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
 
20098 Points 0%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel Core i5-8265U
18924 Points -6%
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
6873 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
20098 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
5762 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.79 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
4.46 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
39.43 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
79 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
36.26 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
422.5 Points
Help

System Performance

Both Inspiron notebooks scored dead last in PCMark 8 and 10, with one noteworthy exception: Our review unit landed in second place in PCMark 10’s “Digital Content Creation” test, a mere 4% behind the ThinkPad. In all other tests Acer’s Aspire equipped with a slower APU was up to 37% faster. Once again we suspect throttling to be the main culprit for this extremely poor performance.

PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Work

These differences were unnoticeable in everyday use, though, at least when browsing the web or using office and other productivity applications. Subjectively, the device felt snappy and smooth.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years)
5312 Points +83%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
3573 Points +23%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3321 Points +14%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
3179 Points +10%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
Vega 3, R3 2200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3064 Points +6%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
Vega 6, R3 2300U, Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G
2901 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
2901 Points 0%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
2534 Points -13%
Essentials
Average of class Office
  (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years)
9781 Points +63%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
7660 Points +28%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
6911 Points +15%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
Vega 3, R3 2200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
6653 Points +11%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
6646 Points +11%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
Vega 6, R3 2300U, Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G
5993 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
5993 Points 0%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
5206 Points -13%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years)
7439 Points +96%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
6171 Points +62%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
5274 Points +39%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
Vega 3, R3 2200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
5226 Points +37%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4964 Points +30%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
4110 Points +8%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
Vega 6, R3 2300U, Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G
3804 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
3804 Points 0%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years)
5732 Points +97%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3014 Points +4%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
Vega 6, R3 2300U, Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G
2908 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
2908 Points 0%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
2620 Points -10%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
2392 Points -18%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
Vega 3, R3 2200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
2246 Points -23%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
2066 Points -29%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (2304 - 4830, n=12, last 2 years)
4261 Points +46%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3550 Points +22%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
Vega 3, R3 2200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3457 Points +19%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
3281 Points +13%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
3254 Points +12%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
3185 Points +9%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
Vega 6, R3 2300U, Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G
2915 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
2915 Points 0%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4870 Points +24%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
Vega 3, R3 2200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4592 Points +17%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
4556 Points +16%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
4542 Points +16%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
Vega 6, R3 2300U, Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G
3915 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
3915 Points 0%
Average of class Office
  (1854 - 5610, n=12, last 2 years)
3746 Points -4%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2915 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
3915 points
PCMark 10 Score
2901 points
Help

Storage Devices

Small SSD
Small SSD

The 256 GB M.2 SSD was made by Toshiba. Out of the box around 196 GB was available to the user. This particular SSD can be found on place 288 of our HDD/SSD benchmark table and is thus only mediocre at best, which was further corroborated by the Inspiron 15 3585’s test results. It was faster than its sibling's SSD but slower than the SSDs found in the ThinkPadHP, or Swift  3.

Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Apple SSD AP0256
Average Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-92%
45%
95%
-32%
16%
-8%
Write 4K
87.3
3.776
-96%
72.2
-17%
179.3
105%
64.5
-26%
96.8
11%
80.3 ?(75 - 87.3, n=5)
-8%
Read 4K
23.54
0.439
-98%
35.25
50%
47.7
103%
25.1
7%
36.99
57%
30.1 ?(23.5 - 32.2, n=5)
28%
Write Seq
824
74.9
-91%
1412
71%
1265
54%
260.2
-68%
463.1
-44%
338 ?(171.7 - 824, n=5)
-59%
Read Seq
715
136.3
-81%
1523
113%
1184
66%
505
-29%
794
11%
863 ?(715 - 925, n=5)
21%
Write 4K Q32T1
147.8
4.585
-97%
102.1
-31%
450.6
205%
164
11%
291.7
97%
155 ?(147.8 - 161.5, n=5)
5%
Read 4K Q32T1
256.1
1.135
-100%
170.9
-33%
556
117%
200.7
-22%
352
37%
297 ?(256 - 317, n=5)
16%
Write Seq Q32T1
733
114.5
-84%
1429
95%
1455
98%
258.5
-65%
468.1
-36%
331 ?(222 - 733, n=5)
-55%
Read Seq Q32T1
1525
146
-90%
3204
110%
1717
13%
513
-66%
1489
-2%
1397 ?(1300 - 1525, n=5)
-8%
AS SSD
74%
145%
-30%
23%
-1%
-4%
Seq Read
1291
2030
57%
1477
14%
457.6
-65%
1201
-7%
1056
-18%
1143 ?(1013 - 1291, n=5)
-11%
Seq Write
688
1395
103%
1339
95%
241.8
-65%
434.5
-37%
651
-5%
297 ?(164.4 - 688, n=5)
-57%
4K Read
21.87
38.63
77%
46.26
112%
22.24
2%
40.9
87%
16.4
-25%
27 ?(21.9 - 32.1, n=5)
23%
4K Write
35.62
63.9
79%
143.9
304%
40.46
14%
90
153%
22.1
-38%
61.9 ?(35.6 - 82.6, n=5)
74%
4K-64 Read
632
1035
64%
937
48%
187.9
-70%
425.5
-33%
509
-19%
390 ?(313 - 632, n=5)
-38%
4K-64 Write
221.2
371.5
68%
1190
438%
145
-34%
390.9
77%
283
28%
153.5 ?(111.2 - 221, n=5)
-31%
Access Time Read *
0.33
0.054
84%
0.046
86%
0.136
59%
0.184
44%
0.186
44%
0.2922 ?(0.084 - 0.684, n=5)
11%
Access Time Write *
0.234
0.059
75%
0.024
90%
0.225
4%
0.048
79%
0.2796 ?(0.234 - 0.344, n=5)
-19%
Score Read
783
1277
63%
1131
44%
256
-67%
586
-25%
531 ?(453 - 783, n=5)
-32%
Score Write
326
575
76%
1468
350%
210
-36%
524
61%
245 ?(197 - 326, n=5)
-25%
Score Total
1489
2478
66%
3181
114%
594
-60%
1386
-7%
1014 ?(844 - 1489, n=5)
-32%
Copy ISO MB/s
432.6
765
77%
199.8
-54%
310.1
-28%
545
26%
457 ?(264 - 927, n=5)
6%
Copy Program MB/s
95.6
239.9
151%
94
-2%
88.4
-8%
175.9 ?(95.6 - 235, n=5)
84%
Copy Game MB/s
263.4
528
100%
145.4
-45%
166.4
-37%
239 ?(166.3 - 360, n=5)
-9%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-92% / -92%
60% / 62%
120% / 127%
-31% / -31%
20% / 20%
-1% / -1%
-6% / -5%

* ... smaller is better

Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G
Sequential Read: 1008 MB/s
Sequential Write: 832 MB/s
512K Read: 571 MB/s
512K Write: 643 MB/s
4K Read: 23.16 MB/s
4K Write: 39.12 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 231.2 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 168.4 MB/s

GPU Performance

All things graphics are handled by AMD’s integrated Vega 6 GPU, which is overall comparable to Intel’s UHD Graphics 630. Gaming is not one of its strengths but certainly possible if you limit yourself to less-demanding games.

The Inspiron 15 did very well in our synthetic benchmarks and scored first place in all three tests. Even the ThinkPad with its (throttling) Vega 8 GPU was outperformed by between 8% (3DMark 11) and 36% (3DMark 2013 Cloud Gate). Intel’s Intel UHD Graphics 620 was up to 50% slower, and even Intel’s UHD Graphics 630 that can be found in Lenovo’s ThinkCentre M920z was still up to 40% slower than the Inspiron 15 3585.

We found no evidence of performance throttling on battery, and the 3DMark 11 benchmark results remained almost identical.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
3DMark 11 on battery
3DMark 11 on battery
3DMark 2013: Cloud Gate
3DMark 2013: Cloud Gate
3DMark 2013: Fire Strike
3DMark 2013: Fire Strike
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points +97%
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (2986 - 3325, n=3)
3101 Points +4%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
2986 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
2757 Points -8%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Radeon RX Vega 3, AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
1908 Points -36%
Lenovo ThinkCentre M920z
Intel UHD Graphics 630, Intel Core i5-8500
1774 Points -41%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1658 Points -44%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Office
  (5681 - 58068, n=98, last 2 years)
23871 Points +51%
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (15850 - 18140, n=3)
16926 Points +7%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
15850 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
10209 Points -36%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Radeon RX Vega 3, AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
10053 Points -37%
Lenovo ThinkCentre M920z
Intel UHD Graphics 630, Intel Core i5-8500
9422 Points -41%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
8169 Points -48%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Radeon RX Vega 3, AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
7049 Points -56%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Office
  (712 - 8815, n=117, last 2 years)
4072 Points +97%
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (2064 - 2312, n=3)
2207 Points +7%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 3 2300U
2064 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
1647 Points -20%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Radeon RX Vega 3, AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
1388 Points -33%
Lenovo ThinkCentre M920z
Intel UHD Graphics 630, Intel Core i5-8500
1143 Points -45%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1043 Points -49%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Radeon RX Vega 3, AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
996 Points -52%
3DMark 06 Score 1366x768
11313 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
8189 points
3DMark 11 Performance
3111 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
72343 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
9963 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1878 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
585 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The more than decent results in our synthetic benchmarks left us with hope when tackling our gaming tests. Unfortunately, our hopes were all but squashed by the poor GPU drivers almost instantaneously. Reinstalling AMD’s Adrenalin Radeon drivers not only gave us additional resolutions to choose from but also improved upon graphics performance significantly. Microsoft’s Windows Update did not list this driver.

With this new graphics driver the Inspiron ran circles around its Intel-equipped competitors. It outperformed the Aspire by 30 to 50% in The Witcher 3, depending on resolution, and between 14 to 40% in Rise of the Tomb Raider. The more demanding a game the bigger the gap between AMD’s Vega 6 and Intel’s integrated GPUs, and the gap also widened in FHD when compared to 1366x768. The only device in our test group capable of keeping up or even besting our review unit was the ThinkPad with Vega 8 GPU. More benchmarks can be found in our Vega 6 overview.

Despite these promising and comparatively decent gaming benchmark results the Vega 6 remains very limited in regards to newer and more-demanding games even though it did much better than Intel’s integrated GPUs. For example, The Witcher 3 only ran smoothly in low details and low resolution, Rise of the Tomb Raider barely so, and Doom was unplayable at 1280x720. Accordingly, the GPU is limited to older and less-demanding titles with reduced details in low resolutions.

The Witcher 3
1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Office
  (8.4 - 149, n=102, last 2 years)
71.3 fps +83%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
39 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (38 - 39, n=2)
38.5 fps -1%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 3
20.1 fps -48%
1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Office
  (7.82 - 89, n=97, last 2 years)
44.3 fps +126%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
19.6 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
19.6 fps 0%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 3
9.9 fps -49%
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Office
  (3.49 - 59.1, n=103, last 2 years)
24.3 fps +228%
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (7.4 - 9.7, n=2)
8.55 fps +16%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
7.4 fps
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 3
5.2 fps -30%
Rise of the Tomb Raider
1024x768 Lowest Preset
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (29.8 - 37.5, n=2)
33.7 fps +13%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
30.4 fps +2%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
29.8 fps
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 3
25.6 fps -14%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 3
21 fps -30%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
19.5 fps -35%
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:2x
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
18.5 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
18.5 fps 0%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 3
16 fps -14%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
12.1 fps -35%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 3
10.6 fps -43%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (9.7 - 12.4, n=2)
11.1 fps +14%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
10.8 fps +11%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
9.7 fps
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 3
6.6 fps -32%
Doom
1280x720 Low Preset
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
25.1 fps +92%
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
13.1 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
13.1 fps 0%
1366x768 Medium Preset
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
13.2 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
13.2 fps 0%
1920x1080 Medium Preset
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
10.1 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
10.1 fps 0%

Unlike our CineBench scores the frame rates were fairly consistent in our The Witcher 3 loop, and they settled after an initial 20-minute phase of minor fluctuations.

05Tooltip
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6) Vega 6, R3 2300U, Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G: Ø5.7 (2-10)
low med. high ultra
Crysis 3 (2013) 21.9 14.6 11.5
SimCity (2013) 59.1 34.5 19 8.7
Total War: Rome II (2013) 61.1 42.7 29.8
Battlefield 4 (2013) 40.1 29.9 19.7 8.4
Alien: Isolation (2014) 26.7 19.7 10.6
GTA V (2015) 43.2 34.1 10.4
Dirt Rally (2015) 95 31.1 16.9
The Witcher 3 (2015) 39 19.6 7.4 6
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 29.8 18.5 9.7
Ashes of the Singularity (2016) 11 5.7 4.1
Doom (2016) 13.1 13.2
Farming Simulator 17 (2016) 99.6 50.6 18.4
Rocket League (2017) 52.6 26.9 17.4
Dirt 4 (2017) 57.5 21.6 12.6
Call of Duty WWII (2017) 21.9 17.1 8.8
Fortnite (2018) 55.1 22.2 7.7
F1 2018 (2018) 19 12 12
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 18 7 6
FIFA 19 (2018) 31.7 18.1 14.9
Forza Horizon 4 (2018) 22.6 10.2 9.2
Darksiders III (2018) 43 7.7 7
Anthem (2019) 6.7 5.3 4.6
Rage 2 (2019) 24.7 6.3 5.3

Emissions

System Noise

The fans were never off even when the system was completely idle. The resulting system noise was comparable to its competitors with the ThinkPad being the only notable exception. We also experienced sudden, unexpected and inexplicable fan speed bursts without any accompanying increase in system load.

Under load, the Inspiron turned out to be louder than most of its competitors save for the Acer Aspire. With up to 41 dB(A) the fans were about as loud as its sibling's and the Aspire's. The ThinkPad, HP, and Swift 3 convertible were significantly quieter. We found no evidence of coil whine or other electrical noise.

Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
Vega 6, R3 2300U, Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
Vega 3, R3 2200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
Noise
1%
6%
3%
0%
7%
off / environment *
30.6
30.4
1%
29.4
4%
30.7
-0%
30.3
1%
30.3
1%
Idle Minimum *
30.6
31.4
-3%
29.4
4%
30.9
-1%
30.3
1%
30.3
1%
Idle Average *
30.6
31.4
-3%
29.4
4%
31.6
-3%
30.3
1%
30.3
1%
Idle Maximum *
30.6
31.6
-3%
31.2
-2%
31.6
-3%
30.9
-1%
30.3
1%
Load Average *
36.7
31.9
13%
32.7
11%
34.3
7%
37.8
-3%
31
16%
Load Maximum *
41.1
40.9
-0%
35.3
14%
33.8
18%
40.6
1%
31.4
24%
Witcher 3 ultra *
34.3

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
30.6 / 30.6 / 30.6 dB(A)
Load
36.7 / 41.1 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30.6 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs20333333.8332531.130.234.331.1313533.737.3354030.430.233.430.4502928.933.2296328.429.429.828.48028.930.927.728.910026.728.425.726.712526.626.825.526.61602526.124.92520024.625.324.224.62502424.823.32431524.226.122.224.240022.425.221.222.450022.123.72022.163023.124.919.523.18002526.118.725100026.732.418.326.7125028.232.21828.2160026.830.417.426.8200025.429.717.625.425002630.417.626315025.830.517.925.8400022.829.917.922.8500020.927.318.220.9630019.924.718.219.980001921.518.1191000018.52018.218.51250018.318.718.218.31600018.318.318.218.3SPL36.741.130.636.7N2.33.31.32.3median 24.2median 26.1median 18.2median 24.2Delta33.72.13hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseDell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)

Temperature

Unlike the HP and both Acer notebooks the Inspiron did not remain particularly cool under load despite its massive thermal throttling. Even when idle the surfaces warmed up to 31 °C and maxed out at 47 °C under load at the bottom. Using the Inspiron on your lap under load is thus not advisable.

Fan vent behind the display hinge
Fan vent behind the display hinge

The hot spot was located in the center towards the rear near the fan vents. To make matters worse the vents are half-way covered by the display hinge heating up the bottom portion of the display and causing a significant accumulation of heat.

AMD’s CPUs are very obviously not as optimized and efficient as Intel’s counterparts. However, that is only half the truth. The other half is Dell’s poor and thoughtless cooling solution that we already criticized when reviewing the similarly restricted Inspiron 15 5575.

Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
Vega 6, R3 2300U, Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
Vega 3, R3 2200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
Heat
3%
4%
16%
25%
16%
Maximum Upper Side *
44.8
45
-0%
42.3
6%
35.1
22%
29.9
33%
40.2
10%
Maximum Bottom *
47.4
41.2
13%
45.2
5%
42.4
11%
30.1
36%
40
16%
Idle Upper Side *
29.2
29.5
-1%
28.8
1%
25.4
13%
25.2
14%
24.4
16%
Idle Bottom *
31.5
31.7
-1%
30.7
3%
25.8
18%
26.6
16%
24.1
23%

* ... smaller is better

Our attempt to run our standard stress test of Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously for at least one hour was cut short after just a few minutes. The device crashed and rebooted, further confirming our suspicion that the cooling solution is simply inadequate for AMD’s Ryzen. Basically, the device shut off in order to protect the CPU and GPU from further damage. A second attempt with a smaller FurMark window was successful.

Clock speeds rarely exceeded 550 MHz from the very start of the test. The CPU was thus throttling severely in order to keep cool. Compare this intolerable frequency to the Ryzen 3 2300U's base clock speed of 2 GHz! The GPU ran at around 400 MHz and thus far below the Vega 6’s theoretical maximum of up to 1.1 GHz. Temperatures and clock speeds settled after less than 10 minutes. The GPU ran at around 55 °C, just like during our gaming tests, and the CPU at no more than 350 MHz (!) on all four cores and a temperature of around 80 °C.

Beginning of stress test
Beginning of stress test
After around 10 minutes
After around 10 minutes
Max. Load
 34.7 °C
94 F
44.8 °C
113 F
35.9 °C
97 F
 
 37.1 °C
99 F
41 °C
106 F
29 °C
84 F
 
 31.6 °C
89 F
27.1 °C
81 F
25.3 °C
78 F
 
Maximum: 44.8 °C = 113 F
Average: 34.1 °C = 93 F
38 °C
100 F
47.4 °C
117 F
39.5 °C
103 F
26.6 °C
80 F
42.1 °C
108 F
40.5 °C
105 F
24.4 °C
76 F
26.4 °C
80 F
32.5 °C
91 F
Maximum: 47.4 °C = 117 F
Average: 35.3 °C = 96 F
Power Supply (max.)  46.1 °C = 115 F | Room Temperature 22.7 °C = 73 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.1 °C / 93 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.8 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 47.4 °C / 117 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.9 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.6 °C / 88.9 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-3.9 °C / -7 F).
Idle top
Idle top
Idle bottom
Idle bottom
Load top
Load top
Load bottom
Load bottom

Speakers

The two stereo speakers are located underneath the palm rest on the left and right sides. In terms of audio quality they were neither here nor there. However, considering the Inspiron’s price, they were pretty decent. Mids and highs were fairly balanced and bass was missing completely, as expected. They could have also been a bit louder. A 3.5-mm combo jack is available.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2030.733.830.72530.334.330.33133.437.333.44030.333.430.35028.133.228.16328.629.828.68027.827.727.810027.425.727.412536.625.536.616045.924.945.920043.424.243.42505723.35731563.622.263.640066.821.266.850065.12065.163067.219.567.280065.918.765.9100065.318.365.3125064.41864.4160063.117.463.1200067.817.667.8250068.417.668.4315064.717.964.7400063.817.963.8500069.418.269.4630067.818.267.8800067.218.167.21000065.918.265.91250065.318.265.31600067.518.267.5SPL78.530.678.5N42.61.342.6median 65.3median 18.2median 65.3Delta6.22.16.231.932.331.933.432.733.433.134.333.131.630.231.631.432.731.426.526.226.52526.92525.424.525.426.525.226.529.322.729.333.422.133.443.42243.457.120.157.164.919.764.961.119.261.160.418.960.467.818.367.866.117.866.15917.65958.817.358.864.417.564.462.417.762.462.317.962.363.617.963.661.318.161.359.218.459.256.318.556.362.118.562.16718.46767.718.567.77530.37533.31.233.3median 61.1median 18.5median 61.18.41.18.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseDell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6) audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (69.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 11% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 86% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 18% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 79% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (67.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 57% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 34% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 62% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 32% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Given our test group we find it hard to make any statements regarding the Inspiron’s energy efficiency compared to Intel-equipped notebooks. After all, the only device it can be directly compared with is the HP. The Swift is smaller (14-inch) and trimmed for efficiency given that it is, after all, a convertible.

Nevertheless, the HP turned out to be around 30% more efficient than our review unit or other AMD-based notebooks regardless of load. Average power consumption under load was measured at 38 W. The power supply is rated at 45 W and should thus be amply dimensioned for most usage scenarios. We should note that we did detect peaks of up 46 W under load, however seldom and short-lived they were.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.21 / 0.4 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 6.3 / 9.2 / 9.6 Watt
Load midlight 38 / 46 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
R3 2300U, Vega 6, Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G, TN, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
R3 2200U, Vega 3, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035, TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
R5 2500U, Vega 8, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G, TN, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
R3 2200U, Vega 3, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55-31N8
i3-8145U, UHD Graphics 620, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
Average of class Office
 
Power Consumption
12%
3%
29%
5%
35%
9%
5%
Idle Minimum *
6.3
5
21%
6.2
2%
3.2
49%
5.6
11%
2.9
54%
5.15 ?(4 - 6.3, n=2)
18%
4.27 ?(2.2 - 9.4, n=107, last 2 years)
32%
Idle Average *
9.2
8.4
9%
8.6
7%
5.7
38%
8.5
8%
5.6
39%
7.75 ?(6.3 - 9.2, n=2)
16%
7.32 ?(3.8 - 20.6, n=107, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Maximum *
9.6
9.2
4%
9.7
-1%
6.1
36%
8.4
12%
6.1
36%
9.45 ?(9.3 - 9.6, n=2)
2%
9.1 ?(4.8 - 23.9, n=107, last 2 years)
5%
Load Average *
38
30
21%
37.4
2%
36.5
4%
41
-8%
29
24%
36 ?(34 - 38, n=2)
5%
40.4 ?(8.7 - 75.2, n=106, last 2 years)
-6%
Load Maximum *
46
44.7
3%
44.8
3%
37.5
18%
44.2
4%
35.3
23%
44 ?(42 - 46, n=2)
4%
57.4 ?(11.1 - 101.4, n=107, last 2 years)
-25%
Witcher 3 ultra *
32

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

We use a variety of tests in order to determine battery life.

Maximum battery life is determined by running Battery Eater’s Reader test with all power-saving features disabled. In this test, our review unit lasted for 7:20 hours.

Minimum battery life is determined by enabling all features and running Batter Eater’s Classic test. In this scenario, our review unit lasted for 1:45 hours.

In-between these two extremes are two tests more applicable to real-world use. In the Wi-Fi test we browse the web occasionally loading YouTube videos at reduced brightness. In this test, the Inspiron ran out of power after 5 hours 18 minutes.

In our video playback test we run an FHD short film in a loop with all communication modules disabled, and our review unit turned itself off after 4.5 hours.

Like most of its competitors (ThinkPadAspire) the Inspiron is equipped with a 3-cell 42 Wh battery. Consequently, it offered a battery life comparable to those as well as its sibling. Only the HP lasted for up to 36% longer.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
7h 20min
WiFi Websurfing
5h 18min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
4h 27min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 45min
Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6)
R3 2300U, Vega 6, 42 Wh
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
R3 2200U, Vega 3, 42 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
R5 2500U, Vega 8, 45 Wh
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 41 Wh
Acer Aspire 3 A315-41-R7BM
R3 2200U, Vega 3, 37 Wh
Average of class Office
 
Battery Runtime
-6%
4%
36%
5%
119%
Reader / Idle
440
570
30%
545
24%
833
89%
536
22%
1414 ?(527 - 2359, n=23, last 2 years)
221%
H.264
267
341
28%
426
60%
296
11%
691 ?(348 - 1112, n=40, last 2 years)
159%
WiFi v1.3
318
251
-21%
323
2%
339
7%
344
8%
589 ?(272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
85%
Load
105
77
-27%
65
-38%
91
-13%
83
-21%
117 ?(56 - 209, n=65, last 2 years)
11%

Pros

+ affordable
+ easy maintenance
+ relatively slim case
+ decent 3D performance

Cons

- poor TN display with PWM
- severely throttled CPU
- inadequate cooling solution
- poor connectivity (no USB-C)
- no keyboard backlight
- poor system performance

Verdict

Inspiron 15 3585. Review unit courtesy of Cyberport.
Inspiron 15 3585. Review unit courtesy of Cyberport.

Dell’s Inspiron 15 3585 is an entry-level notebook, and it shows. Among others it greeted us with a very poor display, a processor suffering from massive thermal throttling, a poor cooling solution, poor upgradeability, and lack of keyboard backlight. All these, however, are not very uncommon in the Inspiron’s price bracket.

A bonus is its integrated AMD Vega 6 GPU, which turned out to be much more powerful than its direct Intel rivals. That being said, GPU performance is often negligible in office notebooks, so keep that in mind. Easy maintenance thanks to an easily removable bottom cover is a bonus as well.

Unfortunately, AMD does not really profit from cheap entry-level devices such as this. More often than not OEMs opt for AMD hardware because of lower prices, and then proceed to thwart the real potential with extreme throttling. Intel CPUs are rarely ever this restricted and thwarted in their performance.

The Inspiron 15 3585 is an entry-level office notebook that offers easy maintenance, a gaming-capable Vega 6 GPU, and a low price. Unfortunately, the rest of the hardware is abysmal - a CPU suffering from extreme throttling, a case that gets too warm nonetheless, and a TN panel that seems to have time-traveled from the distant past.

Dell Inspiron 15 3585 (2300U, Vega 6) - 06/17/2019 v6(old)
Christian Hintze

Chassis
80 / 98 → 81%
Keyboard
70%
Pointing Device
85%
Connectivity
46 / 80 → 57%
Weight
64 / 20-67 → 93%
Battery
80%
Display
74%
Games Performance
64 / 68 → 94%
Application Performance
70 / 92 → 76%
Temperature
90%
Noise
90%
Audio
50%
Camera
38 / 85 → 44%
Average
69%
78%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Review of the Dell Inspiron 15 3585: Locked-In Office Ryzen
Christian Hintze, 2019-06-18 (Update: 2019-06-19)