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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize higher performance for tasks such as video editing, 3D modeling, or demanding software, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus with its more powerful processor and better display would be a good choice, but it is less affordable. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is more budget-friendly and suitable for basic tasks such as web browsing, document editing, and light multitasking. However, its performance is more modest, and it has a lower quality display. The Dell also offers greater portability due to its smaller size and roughly similar weight, which makes it more convenient for travel. 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 Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
- 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
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus.
Key differences
General Use
7.9
6.2
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
326.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is rated better for general use largely because it has a more powerful processor, more RAM, and superior screen quality with higher resolution and color accuracy, enhancing performance and visual experience. In comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has less storage and RAM, a lower quality processor, and a screen with lower resolution and color accuracy, which might make it less responsive and less vivid for daily tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.6
5.8
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is only fair 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
7.8
5.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is better suited for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel i7 processor, higher RAM capacity, and superior GPU, alongside a higher-resolution IPS screen which provides better color accuracy and viewing angles. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a less powerful Intel i3 processor, lower RAM, an inferior GPU, and a lower-resolution TN screen, which offers poorer color reproduction and viewing angles, hindering performance and visual fidelity in engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
7.9
6.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 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
7.7
6.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 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
7.0
5.2
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
326.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 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 Dell Inspiron 14 Plus likely has higher resolution and brightness, with a panel type suitable for vivid and clear images, which explains its good quality for general use and detailed tasks like engineering. Its color gamut covers a range that satisfies the precision needed for engineering and design work, but its lower refresh rate limits its appeal for the fast-paced visuals in gaming and 3D. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" might have a lower resolution and dimmer screen, with limited color range, resulting in a less satisfying experience across all mentioned areas, including general tasks, engineering and design work, and especially gaming and 3D where refresh rate is critical.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.5
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 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
$1,200
$360
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has a price of $1,200 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has 6 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 Plus | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $360 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.26" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 64 Wh | 35 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 326 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | August 2022
"The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is for power users on a budget. If you're looking to maximize CPU and GPU performance on your next 14-inch laptop, then consider the pricier Razer Blade 14 or Asus Zephyrus G14. If you're looking for a thin-and-light 14-inch Ultrabook, then the Asus Zenbook 14 or LG Gram 14 may be better options. For the best of both worlds, however, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7420 rides a fine line between extreme performance and portability while keeping prices at reasonable levels. Frequent travelers who rely on performance beyond what the Core U-series and integrated graphics series can offer will find the Dell to be a solid solution."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | February 2023
"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 Dell Inspiron 14 Plus or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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.
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