For better performance in intensive tasks like 3D work or engineering, the ASUS Zenbook 13 with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and OLED display is the superior choice. However, it's less affordable and less portable given its higher price and slightly smaller screen size. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 offers a larger screen and is more budget-friendly, making it a good option for general use or if you prioritize a lower cost. Keep in mind the IdeaPad has a lower resolution TN panel, which is less ideal for graphics work. The ASUS also has a higher capacity for storage and longer battery life, further enhancing its suitability for demanding applications. 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 Zenbook 13
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Excellent portability
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 Zenbook 13.
Key differences
General Use
7.4/10
6.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
378.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is 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.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
5.8/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, equipped with a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and its integrated Vega 8 graphics, provides ample performance for engineering and design, paired with a high-quality OLED screen, making it fair for such tasks. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a weaker Intel i3 CPU with Intel UHD graphics and a lower-quality TN screen with lower resolution, resulting in poorer performance for engineering and design activities.
Content Creation
7.6/10
6.3/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The ASUS Zenbook 13 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
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.8/10
5.2/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 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 Zenbook 13 likely has a high-resolution display with superior brightness, which enhances visibility and clarity for everyday tasks, while its wide color gamut support suits precision work in engineering and design by accurately representing a broader spectrum of colors. However, it falls short in gaming and 3D applications due to a lower refresh rate, which can lead to less fluid motion and reduced responsiveness. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" may have a lower quality display across all fronts, with reduced resolution, brightness, and narrower color gamut, thus affecting the overall visual experience no matter the use case.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 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
Excellent
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 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
$890
$360
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook 13 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 offers better gaming and 3D capabilities primarily due to its superior integrated GPU (AMD Vega 8), which handles graphics more effectively compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3's Intel UHD Xe G4. Additionally, the ASUS features an OLED display with higher screen quality and better color coverage, enhancing the visual experience for gaming and 3D applications compared to the Lenovo's TN panel with lower color accuracy and resolution.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" compare to other laptops
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
"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 Zenbook 13 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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