The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, being more expensive, offers high performance for intensive engineering tasks, 3D modeling, machine learning, and gaming due to its advanced processor and graphics card, substantial storage, and memory. Its high refresh rate display is excellent for fast motion, making it suitable for gaming. However, its heavier weight and shorter battery life make it less portable. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is more affordable and excels in general use with a much longer battery life for increased portability. Although its display is larger, it doesn't match the Zephyrus M16 in terms of performance or color accuracy, and its built-in graphics are adequate for general tasks but not for demanding applications. For heavy-duty computing or gaming, consider the Zephyrus M16; for everyday tasks and greater mobility at a lower price, the IdeaPad 3 is a solid choice.
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Advantages of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
627.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for general use, though the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is somewhat better.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 offers a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a premium screen with higher resolution and color accuracy, making it well-suited for performance-hungry tasks and providing an immersive visual experience but with a shorter battery life. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a larger screen size for comfortable viewing but sacrifices power and display quality, while benefiting from a longer battery life and a lower weight for improved portability.
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
6.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 offers a superior gaming and 3D experience because it includes a high-end Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics processing unit and a high refresh rate screen, both are very important for smooth and detailed visuals in demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
6.6/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is equipped with a high-end CPU, GPU, and ample RAM, accompanied by a high-resolution screen with exceptional color accuracy, making it well-suited for demanding engineering and design work. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a mid-range CPU with integrated graphics and less RAM, while its screen quality is adequate but not as detailed or accurate in color representation, limiting its effectiveness for intensive design tasks.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.4/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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.
Screen Quality
9.0/10
6.7/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
627.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 likely offers a higher resolution and brighter display enhancing the clarity and visibility for general use and intricate detail work necessary in engineering, coupled with wider color gamuts that benefit color-sensitive tasks like design. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate hampers the experience as these applications benefit from smoother motion. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" meanwhile, might have an adequate resolution and acceptable brightness for general use and engineering tasks, but like the ASUS, it doesn't shine in gaming or 3D due to a subpar refresh rate.
Battery
4.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,059
$784
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a price of $2,059 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" costs $784.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for software development.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" compare to other laptops
"The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is not yet as optimised as its predecessor. Compared to the previous gen, performance and efficiency have improved significantly. What's more, the wonderful, Mini-LED Nebula display is a contender for the main highlight and almost manages to put the CPU and GPU in the shade. We already found its predecessor to be a well-rounded and well-optimised gaming machine. Generally, but not unequivocally, that also applies to the new Asus M16. Similar to most of the current, new laptops, we are dealing with a double generational leap in terms of the CPU and GPU. However, this change doesn't always run smoothly."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" defies expectations. Indeed, it is just a minor upgrade over last year. However, this doesn’t make the laptop any less terrific. It’s got a great performance, courtesy of the Ryzen 5x25U processors. In addition, you get a pretty good battery life. Perhaps, the 2-hour decrease in video playback, compared to last year is not great, but still, 10 hours of Web browsing and 7 hours of video playback is okay for 17-inch notebooks."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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