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Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", consider that the MacBook Pro offers a much higher display quality, longer battery life, and greater performance capabilities, which is particularly beneficial for tasks that demand considerable processing power, such as video editing or 3D modeling. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad is more affordable, making it a practical choice for basic tasks like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption. However, its display quality and performance are lower, which could be a downside for more demanding applications. If portability is important, the MacBook Pro is lighter and has a more compact form factor. The operating system preference might also influence your decision, as the MacBook Pro runs macOS, while the IdeaPad comes with Windows 11 Home. 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 (Late 2023)
- 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 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.2
6.2
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is highly regarded for general use due to its fast CPU, ample RAM, exceptional screen quality, lightweight and slim design for better portability, and long battery life, in addition to its high-quality keyboard and speakers.
Gaming and AI
6.7
5.8
4.5/10
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 (Late 2023) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 with its 10-core GPU and high refresh rate display is better equipped for 3D tasks, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3's basic Intel graphics and standard refresh rate screen limit its ability for gaming and 3D use. However, despite the MacBook's superior hardware for such tasks, software compatibility issues mean many popular games won't run on its MacOS operating system.
Engineering and Design
8.1
5.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.4
6.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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
8.2
6.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 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 (Late 2023) 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
489.0 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 Apple MacBook Pro 14 likely offers a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and advanced panel technology, leading to superior clarity and detail that benefits general use and engineering/design tasks that require precise color representation. Its screen might lack the high refresh rates desired for 3D applications, which are crucial for smooth rendering of fast-moving images. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" might have a lower-quality display with reduced brightness and resolution, and limited color range, making it less suitable for tasks where visual details and color accuracy are important.
Battery
17.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 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
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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 (Late 2023) 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
$1,499
$360
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,499 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,499 | $360 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 14.26" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 9.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 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 | 17 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 | 489 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 | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
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 (Late 2023) 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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