For general use, both the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are solid choices with their respective strengths. The MacBook Pro offers higher build quality, better screen quality with a higher resolution and greater color accuracy, along with longer battery life and a higher portability score, making it a prime choice for users who need performance and portability with a premium build. However, it comes at a higher price. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is more budget-friendly and offers a decent performance for everyday tasks, though its screen and build quality are not as high as the MacBook's, and its battery doesn't last as long. If cost is the main concern and the laptop is mainly for basic tasks, the IdeaPad can be a good option. For users engaging in more intensive engineering tasks, the Apple MacBook may be a better choice despite the higher cost due to its better performance and screen. Neither laptop is suitable for intensive gaming. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022).
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is better suited for general use due to its superior CPU and RAM efficiency, higher-resolution screen with better color accuracy, and a noticeable advantage in battery life, while being lighter and thinner, thus more portable.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.0/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 with its Apple M2 GPU is fair for 3D work due to its high-quality display and strong GPU performance, but many popular games do not run on its operating system. Meanwhile, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3's AMD Ryzen 5 5500U with Vega 7 graphics performs decently for gaming and 3D tasks on Windows, benefiting from a broader game compatibility, despite having a less superior screen and GPU performance compared to the MacBook.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13, with its Apple M2 processor and high-resolution, color-accurate screen, offers better performance and screen quality for engineering and design tasks than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3, which has a lower-resolution screen and less powerful AMD Ryzen 5 5500U CPU and GPU, impacting the visual and computing demands of such specialized work. However, both laptops have comparable portability and keyboard quality, but the MacBook's superior speaker quality and silent operation make it more suitable for a professional environment where these factors can be noticeable.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.8/10
7.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
6.4/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a high-resolution display with bright and vibrant colors, making it ideal for both general use and precision tasks like engineering and design due to its wide color gamuts. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3, with its fair screen, offers a satisfactory experience for general use and basic design work but lacks the higher color accuracy and resolution of the MacBook. For gaming and 3D work, both laptops fall short as they do not offer the high refresh rates required for smooth and responsive visuals in these applications.
Battery
20.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,219
$490
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $490.
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
"The low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Laptops Expert
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