The ASUS ZenBook 14 offers a balance of affordability, performance, and portability, especially if you're on a tighter budget. It's usually lighter and more compact, making it a good fit for on-the-go use. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" typically comes with a larger screen, which can be better for visual tasks and productivity, but it may also mean a heftier build and potentially less battery life. If your work involves intensive tasks or you value a bigger display and don't mind spending more, the Lenovo could be a better match. Remember to consider the specific hardware configurations, as they can greatly influence performance and battery life. 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 14
Good for engineering and design
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
Very good battery life
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
6.6/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
6.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a higher resolution and a brighter display, which enhances the viewing experience for general use and precision tasks like engineering, plus it covers a wider range of colors essential for accurate design work. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion is crucial. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" offers adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and non-specialized engineering work but lacks in both color range for professional design and refresh rate needed for immersive gaming experiences.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
6.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$300
$741
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a price of $300 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" costs $741.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 14, with its high-resolution OLED screen and more powerful Intel i5 CPU, offers a superior visual experience and performance for general tasks but is more expensive and less portable due to its shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15". The IdeaPad, thanks to its AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and larger RAM, provides good overall performance for general use, more storage space, a longer battery life, and comes with a touchscreen, making it a reliable choice for those prioritizing battery endurance and value over screen quality and compactness.
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
6.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a higher screen refresh rate, which provides smoother visuals for gaming and 3D applications, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a lower refresh rate which may not be as optimal for fast-paced games. Both laptops use integrated graphics rather than dedicated GPUs, which means they can handle casual gaming and lighter 3D tasks but might struggle with more graphics-intensive demands.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.4/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for content creation.
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
7.2/10
7.3/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and ASUS Zenbook 14 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Zenbook 14 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" compare to other laptops
"Users who travel frequently and are looking for a portable laptop are in the right place with the Asus ZenBook 14. The sleek case is extremely light (1.2 kg) and surprisingly thin (1.5 cm). Outdoor use is also enjoyable thanks to the bright Full HD display, which is something that can rarely be said about laptops with TN or IPS panels. The excellent battery life complements this as well. Longer trips are no problem with the ZenBook 14. Another plus point is the high-performance Ryzen 7 5700U, which often leaves the Intel competition in the dust thanks to its large number of cores."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 14 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
98,595
Recommendations made
21,363
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.