The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is designed for gaming and higher performance tasks with a better processor, more memory storage and RAM, and a superior dedicated graphics card, not to mention a higher quality display with a larger aspect ratio and higher refresh rate. However, it's heavier and has a larger footprint, which affects portability. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is more budget-friendly, lighter and somewhat slimmer, thus more portable, but its performance is suited for everyday tasks due to its lower-tier processor, integrated graphics, less memory and storage, and a lower resolution display. If your main concern is gaming or demanding applications and you don't mind the price and decreased portability, go for the ASUS TUF Gaming A16. If you prioritize affordability, basic tasks, and portability, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 could be a better option for you. 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 ASUS TUF Gaming A16
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the ASUS TUF Gaming A16.
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
6.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 offers a stronger CPU, more RAM, and better screen quality with a higher-resolution, IPS display compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", which includes a lower-tier CPU, less RAM, and a lower-resolution, TN screen, affecting its suitability for certain tasks. While the ASUS model also has superior battery life and gaming-grade GPU, it's heavier and less portable than the Lenovo, which may influence those who prioritize ease of carrying and longer battery use scenarios.
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
5.8/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.7/10
5.8/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is equipped with a stronger CPU, more RAM, and a superior GPU, which are crucial for demanding engineering tasks and renderings, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 falls short in these areas, impacting its performance for such specialized use. Additionally, the ASUS boasts a higher-quality screen, essential for design precision, whereas the Lenovo's screen quality is lower, which can hinder detailed work in engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
7.6/10
6.3/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is 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
7.3/10
6.3/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is 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
7.5/10
5.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a better display with higher resolution and brightness suited for general tasks and design work, delivering clear and vibrant images necessary for precise engineering and creative work due to its wide color gamut, but its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D that require smoother visuals. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", with its lower resolution and brightness, compromises on screen clarity and color representation for everyday tasks and professional design, making it less suitable across the board, especially for detailed engineering work and less immersive in gaming due to lacking refresh rates. Overall, the ASUS offers a better visual experience for most tasks except gaming, whereas the Lenovo falls short on display quality in all mentioned aspects.
Battery
12.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 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
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 both have good portability, though the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
6.5/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good 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
$838
$360
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a price of $838 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
"The A16 makes an excellent case against more expensive laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and the MSI Katana GF76, especially if you’re into 1080p gaming. However, although its affordable, it doesn’t skimp on performance or a robust chassis. But for me, the biggest factor that sets it apart from these options is its incredible battery life. In my time reviewing laptops, I can’t remember when I last saw a gaming laptop lasted 11 and a half hours on a single charge, which makes the A16, in my book, truly outstanding."
"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 ASUS TUF Gaming A16 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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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