The ASUS Zenbook 14 offers a higher-quality OLED display with better resolution, which could provide you with more vibrant colors and sharper images than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3's IPS display. This could be particularly beneficial if your work involves visual tasks like photo editing or you enjoy streaming high-resolution videos. The ASUS is also slightly lighter, which may be a factor if portability is a priority for you. However, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has an AMD processor with integrated graphics that could handle everyday tasks and moderate gaming adequately, although it might not match the ASUS in robustness for more intensive tasks. The ZenBook's battery life is also considerably longer, meaning you can use it longer without needing to recharge, which is a considerable advantage if you're often on the move. Lastly, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is somewhat less expensive, keep in mind that it still may cost more depending on current market prices and promotions. Your choice should balance your need for display quality, portability, battery life, and the type of tasks you intend to perform on the laptop, against the cost you are comfortable with. 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 general use
Good for engineering and design
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
Very good battery life
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
6.1/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 offers a higher quality OLED screen with a better resolution and color coverage, coupled with a more powerful Intel CPU and integrated GPU, which makes it preferable for tasks demanding high visual fidelity and computational power, like engineering and design. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has an IPS screen with standard resolution and lower color coverage, and although it has a competent AMD CPU and integrated GPU, it falls short in performance and screen quality compared to the ASUS, making it less suited for intensive engineering and design work.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
6.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 offers a crisper and brighter display, beneficial for browsing and document editing in various lighting conditions, while potentially providing wide color coverage that appeals to professionals in engineering and design for accurate color work. However, its limited refresh rate could lead to less smooth visuals during gaming and 3D modeling, where a high refresh rate is crucial for fluid motion. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3's adequate resolution and brightness might suffice for everyday tasks and entry-level design work but would fall short for both color-critical tasks and gaming experiences that rely on swift screen updates.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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.
Build Quality
7.8/10
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$300
$490
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a price of $300 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $490.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook 14 to be good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 offers a high-resolution OLED screen, more ports, and a premium build but has a shorter battery life than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" which, while having a lower-resolution IPS screen and fewer ports, compensates with longer battery life and quieter operation. Considering portability, the ASUS is slightly lighter and thinner, while both models provide sufficient CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, the Lenovo may handle heat better.
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
6.0/10
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 ASUS Zenbook 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a higher screen refresh rate and a better GPU, contributing to smoother visuals and stronger gaming performance compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", which has a lower screen refresh rate and a less powerful GPU. However, the Lenovo has a slightly longer battery life and a better CPU for multitasking, which might offset performance gains in less GPU-intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.1/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 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
7.1/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Zenbook 14 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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 low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 14 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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
116,295
Recommendations made
25,198
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.