The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) typically provides higher performance, a better display, and more robust build quality than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3. It is equipped with Apple's own M1 Pro chip, which excels in demanding tasks and creative work like video editing, 3D rendering, or software development. You'll also enjoy a higher resolution Mini LED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, contributing to a more vivid and fluid visual experience. It offers longer battery life and better speakers, which could be significant if you're often on the go or consume a lot of media. However, it is significantly more expensive and has fewer ports, which could limit connectivity options without accessories.
On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is more affordable and still offers adequate performance for everyday tasks like web browsing, office work, and streaming. It has a larger 15.6-inch screen with a standard 60 Hz refresh rate, but at a lower resolution. It includes ports that the MacBook lacks, such as an HDMI output, making it easier to connect to external displays without needing an adapter. The IdeaPad's battery life is shorter, and its build quality and audio capabilities may not match the MacBook Pro. This laptop runs on Windows 11, so it is more suitable if you depend on Windows-specific software or prefer its ecosystem. 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 Slim 3
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.0/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 excels with a higher-quality screen, better build, and superior performance due to its advanced CPU, more RAM, and efficient heat management; these features combined with its longer battery life make it ideal for general use. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 offers modest performance suitable for less demanding tasks and has a fair build quality, but it lags behind in CPU power, available RAM, and screen quality, although it does maintain a good level of portability and battery life for basic general use.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
5.9/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 Slim 3 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is better equipped for 3D tasks with its more powerful integrated GPU and higher screen refresh rate, which contribute to smoother visual performance and rendering capabilities. However, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, despite having a fair GPU for light gaming, may not match the MacBook's 3D performance and is limited by a lower screen refresh rate, but it does have the advantage of running a wider range of popular games since many do not run on macOS.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Slim 3 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is more suitable for engineering and design use due to its powerful Apple M1 Pro processor, higher RAM, and advanced GPU, coupled with its superior Mini LED screen that delivers higher resolution and color accuracy. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, while offering fair capabilities with its AMD Ryzen processor and adequate RAM for basic tasks, falls short with a standard IPS display and less capable integrated graphics, making it less ideal for demanding engineering software and detailed design work.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.2/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is good.
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
8.3/10
7.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 Slim 3 is good.
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
9.2/10
6.4/10
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering screen quality, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 is excellent for general use and engineering due to its high resolution, bright display, and wide color gamuts, ensuring crisp and color-accurate visuals. However, for 3D applications, its refresh rate is lower, making it less suitable for the smooth rendering of fast-paced visuals. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, with fair overall screen quality and resolution, is decent for general use and engineering tasks but lacks the high refresh rate and advanced color accuracy needed for high-end gaming and 3D design.
Battery
13.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
Good
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
$400
$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 Slim 3 costs $400.
"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."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,095
Recommendations made
22,338
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.