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Updated January 12, 2024·
Assessing between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", consider that the MacBook Pro generally offers higher performance, better display quality, and longer battery life, making it suitable for more demanding tasks such as video editing, 3D design, or professional software development. However, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3, while less powerful, may suffice for everyday tasks like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption, and it’s more affordable. The MacBook Pro also boasts a more robust build quality and possibly better resale value down the line. If travel or on-the-go use is a priority, the MacBook Pro's superior portability and battery life would be advantageous. On the other hand, if the tasks are basic and budget is a primary concern, the IdeaPad may be the more sensible choice. 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 14 (2021)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4
6.2
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.8
5.8
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is equipped with a high-quality GPU and a screen with a fast refresh rate that are beneficial for 3D applications, as compared to the lower-capacity GPU and slower screen refresh rate found in the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15". However, keep in mind that many popular games don't run on the MacBook's operating system, which might limit the gaming potential despite its superior hardware.
Engineering and Design
8.2
5.8
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) outperforms the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for engineering and design due to its superior CPU and GPU capabilities, more RAM, and a high-quality Mini LED screen, which are critical for demanding applications and detailed visual work. While the MacBook Pro also boasts better battery life and overall build quality, the IdeaPad 3 offers greater portability and has a touchscreen, although its lesser screen quality, lower resolution, and basic Intel i3 processor make it less suitable for intensive engineering tasks.
Content Creation
8.4
6.3
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
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
8.3
6.3
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
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
9.2
5.2
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Pro 14 (2021) boasts a high-resolution screen and an IPS panel with outstanding brightness, making it ideal for everyday tasks requiring visual clarity and vibrancy, and it covers a wide color gamut which is essential for precision in engineering and design work. However, it is not optimized for 3D applications as it does not have a high refresh rate, which is critical for fluid motion graphics. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a lower resolution display with modest brightness and color reproduction hindering its performance in all mentioned categories, and its standard refresh rate limits its effectiveness for 3D tasks as well.
Battery
13.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 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
Good
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
6.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$360
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,905 | $360 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 14.26" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 9.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 Pro (8C) | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 13.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 35 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 479 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | February 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an enduring office notebook with a powerful Ryzen APU. Lenovo's office all-rounder easily handles office and internet applications as well as modest games - the Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM make this possible. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The emission values are okay, but the noise emissions should be lower under medium to full load. The relatively light notebook (approx. 1.6 kg) achieves practical battery runtimes of about 10 to 11 hours."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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.
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