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Updated January 16, 2024·
When considering the Dell Latitude 14 7490 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", take into account that the Dell has a higher quality display with better resolution, which makes for crisper and clearer visuals, while the Lenovo has a lower resolution that might not be as sharp. The Dell offers more storage and a more powerful processor which is excellent for demanding tasks, but the Lenovo, while less capable in these respects, may suffice for general use and light productivity tasks. Also, the Latitude has a more compact and lighter design which enhances portability, a factor you should consider if you travel often or need to carry your laptop around regularly. In contrast, the IdeaPad, being slightly heavier, might be less convenient to move around but could still be manageable for day-to-day commuting. Finally, the Dell runs on Windows 10 Pro which some users prefer for its advanced features, while the Lenovo comes with Windows 11 Home, the latest version that might offer a more modern user experience. Both are in the budget price range with the Dell being less expensive, so if you require stronger performance and portability without significantly stretching your budget, the Dell may be the better choice, otherwise, if your tasks are less intensive, the Lenovo could save you some money. 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 Latitude 14 7490
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the Dell Latitude 14 7490.
Key differences
General Use
7.2
6.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 excels in general use because it features a superior processor, double the RAM, a higher quality IPS screen with better resolution, and a longer battery life compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", which has a basic processor, less RAM, a lower quality TN screen with lower resolution, and a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for demanding tasks despite being newer.
Engineering and Design
6.5
5.8
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
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.
Content Creation
7.3
6.3
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
7.1
6.3
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
6.7
5.2
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 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 Latitude 14 7490 offers adequate resolution and brightness for typical tasks like browsing or document editing, which suits general use, while its expanded color gamut supports the precision needed in engineering and design work. However, its lower refresh rate limits its ability to provide smooth visuals for gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has screen attributes that do not match well with any of the considered uses, due to poor resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, limited color accuracy for professional work, and insufficient refresh rate for gaming and 3D content.
Battery
9.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has 9.5 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 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 Latitude 14 7490 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
$300
$360
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has a price of $300 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.9
5.8
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" are both poor for gaming and AI.
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has a higher tier CPU and GPU, making it more suitable for gaming and 3D applications than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", which is equipped with a lower tier CPU and less capable integrated graphics. Additionally, the Latitude's better screen quality provides a more vibrant visual experience compared to the IdeaPad's lower resolution and quality display, even though both laptops have similar screen refresh rates.
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How the Dell Latitude 14 7490 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 14 7490 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$300 | $360 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2018 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13'' x 8.7'' x 0.8'' | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.11 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13" | 14.26" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.7" | 9.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-8650U | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 35 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 305 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 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 | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Latitude 14 7490
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Henry T. Casey | April 2018
"The Dell Latitude 7490's got the speed you need (and then some), a keyboard that's comfortable enough for writing all day long and a battery that supports a full 8-hour workday. If only the display were brighter and it managed heat better. If you need every minute of battery life you can get, the extended-battery version of the Lenovo ThinkPad T480 lasts 8 hours longer than the Latitude 7490, but its display is much less colorful."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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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 Latitude 14 7490 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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