The ASUS Zenbook 14 is a budget-friendly option that offers a high-quality OLED display with a higher resolution and is lighter and more portable, excellent for on-the-go use and tasks like web browsing, standard office work, or media consumption. It also has an Intel processor with integrated graphics which is adequate for general use but may not handle intensive engineering applications or heavy multitasking as efficiently. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is priced higher but provides a larger IPS screen, potentially better for multitasking and media editing, but with a standard resolution. It has an AMD processor with integrated Vega graphics, which might perform better for some engineering applications and casual gaming, although it will be bulkier and heavier, which reduces portability. Also, consider that the larger screen size of the Lenovo may result in a shorter battery life compared to the ASUS. Both have similar RAM and the Lenovo offers more built-in storage, so if storage space is a priority, the Lenovo has an edge. 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 3 17"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook 14.
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
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
6.7/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the ASUS Zenbook 14's display offers sharper images and brighter visuals, which enhance everyday activities like browsing the web and watching videos. Engineering and design professionals favor the ASUS because it covers a wider range of colors, ensuring more accurate and vibrant project renderings. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which could make fast-paced visuals appear less smooth compared to specialized gaming laptops.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 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
$300
$784
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a price of $300 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" costs $784.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 14, with its higher-resolution OLED screen and lighter weight, offers better screen quality and portability, but this comes at the expense of battery life which is considered fair. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a lower screen resolution IPS display and is heavier, making it less portable, but it compensates with longer battery life and is deemed good for general use.
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 ASUS Zenbook 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a higher screen refresh rate and an OLED display, which can offer a smoother and more vibrant gaming experience than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17", which has an IPS display with a standard refresh rate. However, both laptops have integrated GPUs, which provide sufficient graphics power for fair gaming and 3D use but are not as capable as dedicated gaming GPUs found in more specialized gaming laptops.
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
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
7.2/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 14 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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 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 Zenbook 14 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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