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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is a better choice if you need strong performance for tasks like engineering and 3D work, thanks to its higher-end processor and more RAM. It also has a larger storage capacity. However, this comes with a higher price tag and slightly lesser battery life than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3. On the other hand, the IdeaPad Slim 3, while more affordable and offering longer battery life, has less power for intensive tasks, due to its more modest processor and less RAM, and comes with a smaller storage space. Both laptops have similar portability, but the IdeaPad does include a touchscreen, which the Dell does not. If your budget is limited and your work doesn't demand high computational power, the Lenovo might be the way to go; otherwise, the Dell could serve you better for more 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 Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
- Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.0
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
326.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for general use, though the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is somewhat better.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is better suited for general use due to its high-performance CPU, double the RAM for smooth multitasking, a higher resolution screen for clearer images, and very good portability despite a modest battery life. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, though offering longer battery life and good portability, falls short with a less powerful CPU, half the RAM which may limit performance, and a lower resolution screen, making it less ideal for demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.6
5.9
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 Slim 3 is poor.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus offers better gaming and 3D performance due to its higher-powered Intel i7-12700H Iris Xe GPU, which is more capable than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3's AMD Ryzen 3 7330U Vega 6 graphics. Additionally, the Dell's screen quality is enhanced by a higher resolution display, providing richer detail compared to the Lenovo's standard Full HD screen; however, both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, which could limit the smoothness in fast-paced gaming scenarios.
Engineering and Design
7.8
6.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Slim 3 is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus outperforms the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for engineering and design use because it has a stronger CPU and GPU, more RAM, and a higher quality screen. While both are reasonably portable and have decent keyboards and speakers, the Dell's superior hardware makes it better suited for demanding tasks associated with engineering and design, despite potentially generating more operating noise.
Content Creation
7.9
7.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is somewhat better.
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
7.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for software development, though the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is somewhat better.
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
6.4
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
326.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus offers a brighter display with higher resolution, enabling sharper text and more vivid images, making it more suitable for everyday tasks compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3. When it comes to engineering and design, the Inspiron's superior color coverage, including broader DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB spectrums, allows for more precise color work, crucial for professional editing or CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, despite the Inspiron's better resolution and panel type, the lack of a high refresh rate means it falls short compared to laptops specifically tailored for those tasks, which typically prioritize smoother motion and faster screen updates.
Battery
6.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has 6 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
7.4
6.5
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
$390
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has a price of $1,200 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 costs $390.
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Key similarities
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 14 Plus to have very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 Plus | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $390 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 3.52 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.36" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.96" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | AMD Ryzen 3 7330U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 64 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 326 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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 Slim 3
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
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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