Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook vs Dell Inspiron 15 Touchscreen Laptop

The Dell Inspiron 15 is the more capable machine: a Ryzen 5 7530U, 8GB RAM, a 1TB SSD and a 15.6-inch FHD touchscreen running Windows. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook is lighter at about 3.2 lbs, boots in seconds and runs ChromeOS on a MediaTek Kompanio 520 with only 4GB RAM and 128GB eMMC. Buy the Dell if you need Windows apps, storage or a touchscreen; buy the Lenovo for a light, simple browser-and-docs machine. Owners rate the Lenovo well, but its 4GB memory and 1366x768 panel are the limits reviewers flag on budget Chromebooks.

• Choose the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook if you mostly browse, write and stream, want a light 3.2 lb laptop that starts in seconds, and prefer ChromeOS simplicity over Windows software.
• Choose the Dell Inspiron 15 if you need Windows programs, a touchscreen, real storage and more memory for multitasking, and don't mind a heavier 3.6 lb machine.