The Dell Precision 5470 offers a balance of performance, especially with a more powerful CPU suitable for engineering tasks, and portability with a lighter weight, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 leans towards gaming with a better graphics card and higher screen refresh rate, but it's heavier and less portable. The Dell has a higher battery life for longer usage, whereas the Lenovo may be more cost-effective with its budget-friendly price. Consider the Dell if you need something for mobile professional work and prefer a longer battery life, and the Lenovo if gaming performance and a larger screen are priorities within a tighter budget. 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 Precision 5470
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has no clear advantages over the Dell Precision 5470.
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.8/10
7.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell Precision 5470 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for engineering and design, though the Dell Precision 5470 is somewhat better.
The Dell Precision 5470 has a more powerful Intel processor and a professional-grade Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU, making it well-suited for demanding engineering and design tasks, with its high-quality screen and lightweight design enhancing its portability and ease of use for professionals.
Screen Quality
7.3/10
7.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
500.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Dell Precision 5470 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, both the Dell Precision 5470 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 have displays with adequate resolution and brightness, making text clear and allowing for comfortable use in various lighting conditions. The displays on both these laptops cover a sufficient range of colors, crucial for tasks in engineering and design, ensuring that professionals see accurate and vibrant colors while working on projects. However, these screens have lower refresh rates, which means they aren't as smooth for fast-paced gaming or 3D rendering, a drawback for gamers or professionals in animation who need fluid motion.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Precision 5470 has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.2/10
The Dell Precision 5470 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,669
$549
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Precision 5470 has a price of $1,669 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 costs $549.
The Dell Precision 5470 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for general use.
The Dell Precision 5470 is well-suited for general use with its higher RAM and brighter, higher-resolution screen, facilitating smoother multitasking and clearer content viewing, and it boasts a lighter design for greater portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers a larger screen with a higher refresh rate and more storage, but at the cost of additional weight and less RAM, which could limit its multitasking efficiency compared to the Dell.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Precision 5470 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.4/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Precision 5470 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 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
7.7/10
7.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Precision 5470 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
9.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell Precision 5470 has 9 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 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 Dell Precision 5470 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops
"The Dell Precision 5470 is a mobile workstation that's far more portable than most alternatives. Between its slim 14-inch design and top-quality MIL-STD 810H build, it's one of the best options around for taking professional-grade performance on the road or to the job site. There are tradeoffs for its portability, and users of the most demanding, graphics-intensive applications will need to carry something heavier. But the Dell's exceptional battery life underscores its desirability as the most portable workstation we've seen."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the most powerful RTX 3050 Ti laptops. If you disregard the mediocre quality of the case in terms of the material and workmanship, Lenovo has created a successful budget gaming laptop with the IdeaPad Gaming. Thanks to high TDPs and constant performance development, the Core i5-12500H and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti are able to show their full power, while in contrast, the (mostly slower) competitors deliver a better battery life. However, hardly any of the alternative laptops are able to reach the image quality of the Gaming 3. Most of the competitors are left behind in terms of the color space and brightness."
Get a great deal on the Dell Precision 5470 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 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.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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