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Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Dell Latitude 14 7490 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, consider how you'll use the laptop. If you need a computer for intensive tasks and better performance, the Dell with its superior processor may serve you well. However, it's heavier and may have shorter battery life. In contrast, the Lenovo is lighter and may have better battery life, great for traveling and general use. The Lenovo has a larger screen, which could be better for multitasking and entertainment, but this also means it's less portable. If cost is a major factor, the Dell is less expensive but keep in mind its limitations compared to the newer Lenovo. 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 overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.7
6.4
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, and engineering and design.
If your needs lean towards general computing, such as browsing or office applications, both the Dell Latitude 14 7490 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 offer adequate screen quality with respectable resolution and brightness. For engineering and design tasks, which demand more accurate color reproduction, the Dell outperforms the Lenovo, thanks to a better coverage of professional color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. However, neither is ideal for gaming or 3D applications, as both lack the high refresh rates required for smooth visuals, despite the Dell offering slightly superior resolution and panel technology.
Build Quality
7.4
6.5
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
$300
$390
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has a price of $300 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 costs $390.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.2
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for general use.
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 outshines the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 in general use mainly due to its superior CPU, double the RAM, and better screen quality, which includes higher brightness and color coverage, ensuring smoother multitasking and a more vibrant display. Although both have similar portability due to their close weights and dimensions, the Dell's longer battery life is more conducive to extended use away from power sources, whereas the Lenovo, while having good battery life, falls slightly short in comparison.
Gaming and AI
5.9
5.9
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both poor for gaming and AI.
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 with its Intel UHD Graphics 620 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 with AMD Ryzen 3 7330U Vega 6 graphics both have modest integrated GPUs and standard screen refresh rates of 60Hz, which means they can handle casual gaming and basic 3D applications but are not suitable for demanding gaming or advanced 3D rendering. The Latitude has a slightly better screen pixel density for sharpness while the IdeaPad offers a larger screen size, but neither has the high refresh rate or powerful GPU typically preferred by avid gamers and 3D professionals.
Engineering and Design
6.5
6.1
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 offers a more robust performance for engineering and design tasks with its higher RAM and a capable Intel i7 processor, but the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, despite having less RAM and a mid-range AMD Ryzen 3 processor, comes with a larger screen and a better portability due to its longer battery life and better operating noise management. However, both laptops provide fair screen quality and neither features a dedicated GPU, which limits their ability to handle graphically-intensive engineering software and design work.
Content Creation
7.3
7.2
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
7.1
7.1
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
9.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has 9.5 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Latitude 14 7490 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 Latitude 14 7490 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 14 7490 | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$300 | $390 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2018 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13'' x 8.7'' x 0.8'' | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.11 lbs | 3.52 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.7" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-8650U | AMD Ryzen 3 7330U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 305 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 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 | 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 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 Latitude 14 7490 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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