Dell G3 15 (3500) review

[ntab Configuration]

Dell G3 15 (3500) banner

Almost every laptop manufacturer on the market has an entry-level line-up consisting of affordable gaming machines. The G3 15 is Dell’s answer for this market segment. Built for gamers on a tight budget who do not mind playing their favourite games at lower graphical settings, the G3 15 3500 is the latest iteration of the last year’s G3 series, rocking the new Intel 10th gen Core processors. The base configuration starts at $725, while the configuration reviewed here costs around $800. However, a fully loaded G3 can reach up to $1,290, which begs the question: is it worth it?

Configuration specifications

Display 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 @ 60Hz, Matte, IPS LP156WFC-SPH1/LGD061A
Processor Intel Core i5-10300H @ 2.50GHz
Memory SK Hynix 8GB DDR4 3200MHz (dual-channel)
Video card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti (TU117)
Wireless card Intel Wireless-AC 9462
Storage Samsung 512 GB M.2 PCIe SSD
Battery 51 WHr 3-cells
Operating system Windows 10 Pro (Version 2004)
Full specifications here

 

A local retailer provided the unit, and the machine was tested as Dell delivers it. No enhancements or changes were done to the laptop except for installing the operating system.

[ntab Build quality]
Physical size

Width: 365 mm / 14.37 inches
Depth: 254 mm / 10 inches
Height: Front: 25 mm / 0.98 inch

Rear: 25 mm / 0.98 inch

Laptop weight: 2.358 g / 5.19 lbs
Charger weight: 500 g / 1.10 lbs
Laptop + charger weight: 2.855 g / 6.29 lbs

 

Dell G3 15 (3500) display lid
Dell G3 15 (3500) display lid

Most budget gaming laptops reviewed so far by noteb.com had a chassis built from a combination of plastic and metal, with plastic being the primary build material. However, the G3 15 is entirely made out of plastic, which reflects in its reduced sturdiness. When holding the laptop, it feels more like an overweight cheap toy than a gaming machine, with questionable long-term durability. It has a single hinge design, and because of that, the display tends to bend and flex badly. Some users of 2019 Dell G3 reported on Dell forums that their display hinge outright broke after a few months. Given the time required to test the laptop’s hinge, it is impossible to say if the 2020 model suffers from the same issues. Consequently, before committing to buy the 2020 G3, it is best to check out more user reviews regarding the laptop’s hinge problems. On the positive side, the keyboard deck of the 2020 G3 has noticeably reduced flex compared to previous models, giving a reason to believe that maybe the hinge mechanism was also improved.

Aesthetically speaking, the G3 has a rather pleasant look. The reviewed unit is black (Eclipse Black) with blue accents. The G3 is also available in Alpine White. The lid is “clean” with only a Dell logo in the middle, surrounded by two thin vertical lines. The bottom of the laptop is featuring more “aggressive” elements like the big exhaust vents, hinting that this is a gaming laptop after all.

Dell G3 15 (3500) keyboard view
Dell G3 15 (3500) top view

The typing experience on the Dell G3 is surprisingly good. The travel time is a little bit shallow, but the keys are reasonably big and spaced out just enough, so they do not feel cramped. There is also a full-sized regular Numpad which is a big plus. The Numpad is especially useful for work, school or any other activity besides gaming that involves spreadsheets. For some reason, all other manufacturers opt for weird”compromises” when it comes to the Numpad, often merging the Numpad with the arrow keys, making the numeric keys challenging to use. The keyboard is also single-zone backlit, and the user can change between different brightness levels using the FN+F10 keys.

Above the F9-F10 keys, there is a fingerprint reader that felt snappy and responsive. It is rare and welcomed to see a biometric authentication method on a budget laptop, especially when other competitors try to reduce manufacturing costs by any means necessary.

Dell G3 15 (3500) Numpad
Dell G3 15 (3500) Numpad

Unfortunately, the keyboard does not seem to support 4-key rollover, which is unacceptable for a gaming laptop. Rollover is the ability of a computer keyboard to handle several simultaneous keystrokes correctly. For example, moving the character forward in Mass Effect Andromeda (‘W’ key), while blocking incoming fire with the shield (‘Q’ key in this case), while also strafing to avoid obstacles (‘D’ key), all went well up to the point when an enemy NPC appeared, and the melee attack on it failed because the laptop could not handle the 4thsimultaneous keypress (‘F’ in this case). Consequently, this laptop is unsuitable for gamers who need to press many keys simultaneously.

Dell G3 15 (3500) keyboard view
Dell G3 15 (3500) keyboard view

The plastic touchpad is appalling. It feels cheap, and while it is reasonably accurate, it is not very consistent. The cursor skips around and double-tapping a folder to open it, will sometimes end up renaming it instead. The left and right buttons are stiff and uncomfortable to use and since they are not separated from the touchpad, pressing any of them will feel like the pressure is too much for the touchpad and that it will break soon. Most gamers will invest in a decent mouse anyway, so there is no surprise that laptop manufacturers chose to reduce costs in this area.

The webcam is another area where the laptop manufacturers choose to reduce costs. On all the budget gaming laptops reviewed the webcam quality has been mediocre at best. However, Dell G3’s webcam quality probably sets a new standard for how low webcam quality can be in 2020. On paper, it records in 720p at 30 frames per second, but in reality, it has terrible quality. It can be used for occasional video calls, but for anything other than that it is better to get a dedicated webcam.

Dell G3 15 (3500) webcam quality
Dell G3 15 (3500) webcam quality
Dell G3 15 (3500) webcam quality
Dell G3 15 (3500) webcam quality

[ntab Disassembly]

Dell G3 15 (3500) bottom panel
Dell G3 15 (3500) bottom panel

There are ten Philips head screws on the back of the laptop that need unscrewing. After that, carefully place a prying tool or a plastic card in the space between the plastic bottom cover and the main chassis, then move the prying tool or plastic card all along this separation space. As the prying tool/plastic card moves along this space, it will slowly un-clip the bottom cover from the main chassis. Finally, lift the bottom lid to reveal the laptop’s internal components.

Dell G3 15 (3500) internal components
Dell G3 15 (3500) internal components

Inside, there is:

  • one M.2 SSD/PCIe slot;
  • two RAM slots;
  • one 2.5-inch storage bay;
  • a PCIe slot for the Wi-Fi card;
Dell G3 15 (3500) M.2 SSD slot
Dell G3 15 (3500) M.2 SSD slot

Please note that the reviewed unit had both of its RAM slots occupied with 4GB RAM sticks, instead of having a single 8GB stick. Also, models that come with the 68 Whr battery do not have a 2.5-inch storage bay.

 

Dell G3 15 (3500) Wifi slot
Dell G3 15 (3500) Wifi slot

 

Dell G3 15 (3500) RAM slots
Dell G3 15 (3500) RAM slots

[ntab Ports]

Being an updated version of previous Dell G3 models, the 2020 iteration maintains an excellent variety of ports. These ports are distributed on both sides of the laptop, with the ones on the right placed very close to the display. As a result, the ports do not interfere with the usage of a mouse. It is important to note that even though the laptop has a Type-C port, Thunderbolt is only available on the models with the Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti (or better) dedicated graphics cards.

Overall, the laptop has :

  • one Ethernet extension connector;
  • two USB 2.0 Type-A ports;
  • one USB 3.0 Type-A ports;
  • one USB 3.0 Type-C port (also known as USB-C 3.2 Gen 1);
  • one HDMI 2.0 port;
  • a standard 3.5mm jack combo for microphone and headphones or speakers;
  • one full-size SD card slot;
  • one Kensington lock
  • a DC-in power connector.

Also, three USB ports can quickly fill up just by adding an external mouse, a keyboard and a USB flash drive. Of course, the port limitation can be resolved by buying a USB port hub.

[ntab Display]

Dell G3 15 (3500) display

On Dell’s website, the G3 15 can be configured with a variety of displays. The unit reviewed here has the LG IPS LGD061A / LP156WFC-SPH1panel. There are two other display options, one with a higher-quality 144Hz refresh rate panel and a lower quality one with a 60Hz TN panel that has worse brightness and colour coverage than the unit reviewed here. Design-wise, the laptop has rather large bezels by today’s standards, but the poor design is compensated by the display’s quality. For its price range, undoubtedly, the G3 has one of the best screens currently available on the budget gaming market. It is a bright IPS panel measured at 330 nits, with excellent viewing angles, for which the matte coating makes it entirely usable outdoors. Also, having a colour coverage of 95.1% sRGB, 66.1% Adobe RGB and 69.0% DCI P3, means this laptop is a viable option even for content creators.

Unfortunately, the screen suffers from backlight bleeding, which becomes noticeable in dark movie scenes and games.

Here is a link to the calibrated display profile of the reviewed unit. Because each display is unique, this profile will not perfectly match other displays of the same model. Still, using this profile should give better overall colours.

Dell G3 15 (3500) display view angles
Dell G3 15 (3500)
 display view angles

 

sRGB profile and calibration
sRGB profile and calibration
Dell G3 15 (3500) backlight bleed
Dell G3 15 (3500) backlight bleed

[ntab Benchmarks]

Night Raid

SCORE

23255
Graphics score 43396
Physics score 6425

Fire Strike

SCORE

8456
Graphics score 9533
Physics score 11120
Combined score 3838

Sky Diver

SCORE

22846
Graphics score 31851
Physics score 10035
Combined score 18960

Time Spy

SCORE

3597
Graphics score 3528
Physics score 4043

Orange Room

SCORE

5120
Average frame rate 111.62 fps
Target frame rate 109.00 fps

Cyan room

SCORE

2751
Average frame rate 59.98 fps
Target frame rate 88.90 fps

Blue Room

SCORE

1086
Average frame rate 23.66 fps
Target frame rate 109.00 fps

Nvidia DLSS Test

DLSS Off 00.00 fps
DLSS On 00.00 fps

Cinebench R20
R20 Single/Multi
448/2101

Blender

Geekbench 4
Single-core score Multi-core score
5149 16963

Geekbench 5
Single-core score Multi-core score
1160 4165

PCMark 10
Web Score
7816
Apps Score
8901
Chat Score
6683
Photo Score 6426
Video Score
2740
Writing Score
5723
Spreadsheet Score
7116
Essentials 7746
Productivity 6381
Digital Content Creation
4514
SCORE 4348

Crystal Disk Mark

[ntab Gaming benchmarks]

Age of Wonders Planetfall
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 50 FPS 20 FPS 192 FPS

Anthem
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Medium 49 FPS 28 FPS 66 FPS

Apex Legends
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 65 FPS 42 FPS 93 FPS

ARK: Survival Evolved
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Medium 52 FPS 3 FPS 102 FPS

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 50 FPS 33 FPS 74 FPS

Borderlands 3
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Medium 56 FPS 37 FPS 81 FPS

Call of Duty: Warzone
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Normal 66 FPS 46 FPS 94 FPS

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 84 FPS 34 FPS 124 FPS

Control
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Medium 37 FPS 29 FPS 43 FPS

Counter Strike Global Offensive
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 148 FPS 97 FPS 258 FPS

Detroid Become Human
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 49 FPS 30 FPS 60 FPS

Destroy All Humans
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 55 FPS 37 FPS 70 FPS

Disintegration
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Epic 51 FPS 38 FPS 72 FPS

Dota 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High Dx 11 87 FPS 59 FPS 117 FPS

Elder Scrolls Online
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra High 87 FPS 59 FPS 117 FPS

F1 2019
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra High 77 FPS 42 FPS 119 FPS

Fairy Tail
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum 55 FPS 19 FPS 61 FPS

Far Cry 5
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 56 FPS 38 FPS 90 FPS

Fast and Furious Crossroads
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Very High 36 FPS 21 FPS 79 FPS

FIFA 20
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 69 FPS 27 FPS 104 FPS

Final Fantasy XV
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Highest settings 35 FPS 15 FPS 50 FPS

Fortnite
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Epic 47 FPS 26 FPS 64 FPS

Forza Horizon 4
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 55 FPS 27 FPS 60 FPS

Frostpunk
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 55 FPS 43 FPS 60 FPS

Grand Theft Auto V
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum settings 36 FPS 23 FPS 51 FPS

Grid (2019)
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 57 FPS 46 FPS 65 FPS

Gris
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum 60 FPS 54 FPS 61 FPS

Guild Wars 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Medium preset 41 FPS 22 FPS 66 FPS

Halo 3
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Enhanced preset 151 FPS 96 FPS 182 FPS

Hellpoint
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum 89 FPS 56 FPS 114 FPS

Horizon Zero Dawn
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Medium 47 FPS 3 FPS 67 FPS

Hyper Scape
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum 62 FPS 52 FPS 68 FPS

Iron Harvest
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 44 FPS 35 FPS 60 FPS

Jets’n’Guns 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum 83 FPS 45 FPS 119 FPS

Jurassic World Evolution
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 47 FPS 31 FPS 66 FPS

League of Legends
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Very High 115 FPS 66 FPS 227 FPS

Mass Effect Andromeda
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 60 FPS 47 FPS 84 FPS

Metro Exodus
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 59 FPS 36 FPS 63 FPS

Monster Hunter World
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 47 FPS 29 FPS 61 FPS

NBA 2K20
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 81 FPS 44 FPS 132 FPS

Need For Speed Heat
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Medium 50 FPS 41 FPS 58 FPS

No Man’s Sky
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 53 FPS 7 FPS 100 FPS

Overwatch
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 70 FPS 52 FPS 72 FPS

Paladins
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum settings 123 FPS 85 FPS 174 FPS

Path of Exile
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 34 FPS 31 FPS 36 FPS

Persona 4 Golden
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum 104 FPS 32 FPS 127 FPS

Persona 5
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
4K Upscaled (Vulkan) 30 FPS 28 FPS 31 FPS

Planetside 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra + Max Render Distance 55 FPS 14 FPS 163 FPS

PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 56 FPS 17 FPS 78 FPS

Red Dead Redemption 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
1st lvl of Favor Quality preset 32 FPS 25 FPS 47 FPS

Samurai Showdown
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum 58 FPS 0 FPS 62 FPS

Skater XL
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 112 FPS 88 FPS 139 FPS

Star Wars The Old Republic
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 108 FPS 59 FPS 159 FPS

Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 55 FPS 41 FPS 71 FPS

Smite
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum settings+ HD textures pack 127 FPS 90 FPS 151 FPS

Terraria
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
FHD 60 FPS 53 FPS 61 FPS

The Crew 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 48 FPS 30 FPS 61 FPS

The Witcher 3
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 43 FPS 28 FPS 291 FPS

The Cycle
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Epic 43 FPS 30 FPS 67 FPS

Titanfall 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Very High 88 FPS 57 FPS 138 FPS

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 99 FPS 75 FPS 126 FPS

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Medium 65 FPS 29 FPS 81 FPS

Total War Three Kingdoms
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 39 FPS 26 FPS 58 FPS

Vampyr
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Ultra 60 FPS 28 FPS 63 FPS

Valorant
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 138 FPS 78 FPS 199 FPS

War Thunder
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Movie preset 63 FPS 45 FPS 98 FPS

Warframe
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 127 FPS 82 FPS 154 FPS

Watch Dogs 2
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
High 57 FPS 41 FPS 86 FPS

World of Warships
Settings
FPS average
FPS min
FPS max
Maximum settings 72 FPS 58 FPS 77 FPS

[ntab Temperatures]

Dell G3 15 (3500) cooling system
Dell G3 15 (3500) cooling system

Just like its predecessors, the 2020 version of the Dell G3 15 has a cooling solution consisting of two fans, two heatsinks, and two shared heat pipes for both the processor and video card, plus heat spreaders on both VRM and VRAM. The laptop pulls fresh air from underneath itself and pushes it through its back. Consequently, getting a cooling pad should noticeably improve temperatures. Also, there are no exhaust vents on the right side of the laptop, meaning that the mouse area will not get unpleasantly hot.
Unfortunately, the cooling solution has trouble keeping up with the components inside. While the temperatures are acceptable for less intensive gaming, they increase to dangerous levels in more graphically demanding games or during synthetic tests.

Dell G3 15 (3500) back vent
Dell G3 15 (3500) back vent

All temperature measurements were performed at an ambient temperature of 26° C (78.8° F).

Temperatures on idle and heavy load

During the standard 30 minutes AIDA64 stress test (CPU, FPU, cache), the processor reached an average temperature of 92 °C (197.6 °F), with a maximum of 103 °C (217.4 °F). At these temperatures, the processor managed to keep an average frequency of 3.75 GHz, with occasional dips to as low as 2.09 GHz on some of its cores. Given that the i5-10300H has a minimum guaranteed frequency of 2.50 GHz and a maximum all-core boost of 4.20 GHz, it is safe to conclude that cooling solution in the Dell G3 fails to keep the processor above its minimum frequency. However, it still manages a decent overall all-core boost speed.

AIDA64 CPU stress test
CPU
Average Frequency 3.75 Ghz
Min Frequency 2.09 Ghz
Average Temperature 92 °C (197.6 °F)
Max Temperature 103 °C (217.4 °F)
CPU clock rates after AIDA64 CPU stress test
CPU clock rates after AIDA64 CPU stress test

In the combined AIDA64 plus Unigine Superposition test (which had both the processor and the GTX 1650 Ti under heavy load for 30 minutes), the processor reached a maximum temperature of 102 °C (215.6 °F) and throttled until it settled at a temperature of 92 °C (197.6 °F). Despite its throttling, the processor still managed to keep an average clock speed of 3.14 GHz with occasional dips to as low as 2.98 GHz. The dedicated graphics card maintained an average clock speed of 1454 MHz with a maximum boost of 1875 MHz. Temperature-wise, the video card hovered between 78 and 79°C (172.4 – 174.2°F), which is excellent for a gaming laptop. However, the massive processor frequency difference between the theoretical maximum all-core boost of 4.20 GHz and the real-world 3.14 GHz indicates an underperforming processor cooling solution.

AIDA64 plus Unigine Superposition test
CPU GPU
Average Frequency 3.14 Ghz 1454 MHz
Min Frequency 2.98 Ghz
Max Frequency 1875 MHz
Average Temperature 92 °C (197.6 °F) 78 °C (172.4 °F)
Max Temperature 102 °C (215.6 °F) 79°C (174.2 °F)
Unigine Superposition + Aida64 combined stress test -HWinfo
Unigine Superposition + Aida64 combined stress test -HWinfo

Unigine Superposition + Aida64 combined stress test -HWinfo
Unigine Superposition + Aida64 combined stress test -HWinfo

Finally, the laptop was tested with the AIDA64 stability test, which is another combined stress test for the video card and processor. The results were very similar to the previous stress tests. The processor reached a maximum temperature of 102°C (215.6°F) and throttled until it settled at a temperature of 89°C (192.2°F). However, despite the lower average temperature, the average clock speed was lower as well, settling at 2.80 GHz with occasional dips to as low as 2.69 GHz. The video card temperature gradually increased to 80°C (176 °F) in the first couple of minutes, and then it settled at that value for the rest of the test. The GTX 1650 Ti kept an average frequency of 1701 MHz with a maximum boost clock of 1845 MHz.

AIDA64 Stability test
CPU GPU
Average Frequency 2.80 Ghz 1701 MHz
Min Frequency 2.69 Ghz
Max Frequency 1875 MHz
Average Temperature 89°C (192.2°F) 79°C (174.2 °F)
Max Temperature 102°C (215.6°F) 80°C (176 °F)
AIDA64 Stability test -HWinfo
AIDA64 Stability test -HWinfo

Overall, the temperature test results indicate a decent video card cooling solution and an underperforming processor cooling solution. To be fair, most budget gaming laptops struggle to keep up with the new Intel 10th Gen Core processors in terms of heat generation, so it was somewhat expected that the G3 would also have some processor cooling problems. However, the i5-10300H generates significantly less heat than its i7 counterparts, and the G3 should have had no issues to keep it under 90 °C (194 °F) and closer to a constant 4.00 GHz boost speed.

[ntab Noise]
Dell G3 is a reasonably quiet machine. When idling, the fan noise is hardly noticeable, generally remaining at the room’s ambient level of around 26 dB. Even under intensive usage, with fans set to their maximum speed, the noise level reaches ~35-36 dB, which is not as obnoxious as other gaming laptops tested so far by the noteb.com team.

Dell G3 15 (3500) noise test, Idle and Under heavy load
MSI GP65 Leopard (10SFK) noise test, Idle and Under heavy load

The LatencyMon test evaluates if a laptop is suitable for video/audio editing and recording.
The laptop was tested while connected to the Internet with a network cable and while connected via WiFi. Unfortunately, under both circumstances, the laptop experienced high latency, which may result in clicks or pops while recording. The test was run multiple times to eliminate any flukes, and it always returned with the same results.
Consequently, this laptop is NOT recommended for audio/video recording and editing.

LatencyMon test - WIFI LatencyMon test - LAN
LatencyMon test – WIFI LatencyMon test – LAN

[ntab Sound quality]

Dell G3 15 (3500) speakers
Dell G3 15 (3500) speakers

The laptop has two two-watt speakers placed at a slightly inclined angle to avoid muffled audio, and they do get pretty loud. Unfortunately, the bass is almost non-existent, and the highs are a little bit distorted at max volume, but the mid-tones are acceptable. Thus, watching vlogs on YouTube or any video content that has lots of voices should be OK. For gaming, though, it is imperative to get a decent pair of headphones for an improved experience.

Dell G3 15 (3500) peak volume
Dell G3 15 (3500) peak volume

[ntab Battery life]

Dell G3 15 (3500) battery
Dell G3 15 (3500) battery

Since most laptops are used on battery for mundane office activities and web browsing, the laptop was tested using a simulated continuous web browsing session over the WiFi. The browsing session involved checking emails/news, social media and accessing multimedia websites, similar to the behaviour of an average user. The level of brightness was set according to visibility and usability. At 15% brightness, the laptop provided an enjoyable viewing experience. The sound volume was also set to 50%.

Dell G3 15 (3500) battery specifications Dell G3 15 (3500) charger
Dell G3 15 (3500) battery specifications Dell G3 15 (3500) charger

With its 51 WHr battery, the laptop lasted 4 hours and 30 minutes. The machine was tested using both Firefox and Edge and yielded similar battery life results regardless of the browser. Also, Nvidia Optimus was enabled for the entire duration of the tests, and in theory, the laptop should have only used its Intel integrated video card.

Charging the laptop from 5% to 100% took almost 2 hours and 27 minutes with the 130W power adapter included in the box.

Also, it is worth mentioning that some models of the Dell G3 15 come with a 68 Whr battery instead of a 51 Whr one, so in theory, these models should have longer mobile usability.

[ntab Software]
Even though the laptop doesn’t come with any software, there are 2 apps that are worth downloading from Dell’s official website:

  • Dell Support Assist which helps the user troubleshoot problems and it also automatically detects and downloads any driver and/or firmware updates.
  • Alienware Command Center provides useful system information, acts as a game launcher and allows the user to set fan profiles to an extent.
Dell G3 15 (3500) – Dell Support Assist app
Dell G3 15 (3500) - Dell Support Assist app
Dell G3 15 (3500) – Alienware Command Center – Performance stats
Dell G3 15 (3500) - Alienware Command Center - Performance stats
Dell G3 15 (3500) – Alienware Command Center – Thermal Profiles
Dell G3 15 (3500) - Alienware Command Center - Thermal Profiles
Dell G3 15 (3500) – Alienware Command Center – Power Management
Dell G3 15 (3500) - Alienware Command Center - Power Management
Dell G3 15 (3500) – Alienware Command Center – Audio Profiles
Dell G3 15 (3500) - Alienware Command Center - Audio Profiles
Dell G3 15 (3500) – Alienware Command Center – Recon Profiles
Dell G3 15 (3500) - Alienware Command Center - Recon Profiles
Dell G3 15 (3500) – Alienware Command Center – Game Launcher
Dell G3 15 (3500) - Alienware Command Center - Game Launcher

[ntab Conclusion]

Pros:

  • decent performance for 1080p gaming;
  • good colour coverage display;
  • competitive pricing;
  • wide selection of peripheral ports;
  • fingerprint reader.

Cons:

  • laptop surface gets hot;
  • underperforming processor cooling;
  • low-quality plastic chassis;
  • high DCP latency makes it unsuitable for audio/video editing;
  • no 4-key rollover

In conclusion, the Dell G3 15 3500 is a decent entry-level budget gaming laptop offering a great display, respectable 1080p gaming performance and acceptable overall temperatures. However, the build quality is somewhat low even for a gaming laptop, questioning the laptops ability to hold itself over the years.

Is it worth getting the fully upgraded version? Bluntly put it: no. In the price range of the fully-loaded Dell G3 15 3500, there are far better laptops, like the Acer Helios 300 for example.
[ntab Buy]

To support noteb.com search engine and its review team, please consider buying a future Dell G3 15 (3500) laptop through one of the links included below. Thank you!

Dell’s Official Store

Dell – i7-10750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, GTX 1660 Ti, FHD display, Win 10 Home

Dell – i5-10300H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, GTX 1660 Ti, FHD display, Win 10 Home

Dell – i5-10300H, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, GTX 1650 Ti, FHD display, Win 10 Home

Dell – i5-10300H, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, GTX 1650, FHD display, Win 10 Home

Walwart

Walmart – i5-10300H, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD, GTX 1650, FHD display, Win 10 Home

Walmart – i5-10300H, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD + 2TB HDD, GTX 1650, FHD display, Win 10 Home

Walmart – i5-10300H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD + 2TB HDD, GTX 1650, FHD display, Win 10 Home

Amazon

Amazon – i7-10750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, GTX 1650 Ti, 144Hz FHD display, Win 10 Home

Amazon – i7-10750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RTX 2060, 144Hz FHD display, Win 10 Home

Newegg

Newegg – i7-10750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, GTX 1650, 144Hz FHD display, Win 10 Home

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