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XPS 13
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IdeaPad Gaming 3
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What we think

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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

The Dell XPS 13 is tailored more for business professionals and students requiring a lightweight and highly portable laptop with long battery life, but it usually comes at a higher price point. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is aimed towards gamers and those needing more robust performance for tasks like 3D applications and video editing; it typically has more powerful hardware at the cost of heavier weight and shorter battery life. If mobility and battery are your priority, the XPS 13 is the better fit; if you need better performance for gaming or intensive tasks and don't mind the extra weight, consider the IdeaPad Gaming 3. 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 XPS 13
  • Very good overall build quality
  • Excellent portability
  • Very good battery life
  • 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 XPS 13.

Key differences

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Screen Quality

7.2
XPS 13
IdeaPad Gaming 3
7.2
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
442.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 for software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen for gaming and AI.

Battery

10.0 Hours
XPS 13
IdeaPad Gaming 3
8.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 hours of battery life.

Portability

Excellent
XPS 13
IdeaPad Gaming 3
Good
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.1 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

8.5
XPS 13
IdeaPad Gaming 3
7.2
The Dell XPS 13 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good build quality.

Cost

$850
XPS 13
IdeaPad Gaming 3
$549
Product image
Product image

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

$1,400

The Dell XPS 13 has a price of $850 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 costs $549.
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Key similarities

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General Use

7.7
XPS 13
IdeaPad Gaming 3
7.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
442.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for general use.

Gaming and AI

6.2
XPS 13
IdeaPad Gaming 3
6.5
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and Dell XPS 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.

Engineering and Design

7.2
XPS 13
IdeaPad Gaming 3
7.2
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for engineering and design.

Content Creation

7.7
XPS 13
IdeaPad Gaming 3
7.4
6.2/10
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 XPS 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for content creation.

Software Development

7.5
XPS 13
IdeaPad Gaming 3
7.3
6.2/10
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 XPS 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for software development.

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How the Dell XPS 13 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Dell XPS 13Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
Dell XPS 13Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3

GENERAL

Price
$850
$549
Release Date
August 1, 2022May 1, 2023
Overall Dimensions
11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55''14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86''
Weight
2.59 lbs5.1 lbs
Width
11.63"14.16"
Depth
7.86"10.49"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i7-1250UAMD Ryzen 7 7735HS
RAM
16 GB8 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
02
Storage
512 GB512 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
10 Hours8 Hours
Battery Capacity
51 Wh60 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
13.4"15.6"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
1920 x 12001920 x 1080
Refresh Rate
60Hz120Hz
Display Brightness
442 nits329 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
8.5/107.2/10
Portability Score
9.3/107.1/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoYes
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
8.8/107/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
9/108/10
Speaker Quality Score
9.5/106.8/10
Webcam
720p720p
Fingerprint Reader
NoNo
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
NoYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
02
USB-C ports
21
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
22
Thunderbolt Version
4N/A

Shopping

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Dell XPS 13

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Dig into reviews and images

The Verge

Monica Chen | April 2023
"In the past, the XPS 13 was a hands-down contender for the best laptop on the market. But the Apple-silicon MacBook has since barrelled onto the scene, and it wipes the floor with most of the ultraportable Windows laptops that cross my desk on a daily basis. This XPS is no exception. Compared to the M2 MacBook Air, battery life is worse."

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3

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Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Florian Glaser | October 2022
"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 XPS 13 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.

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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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About the laptop team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Craig Russell

Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.

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