A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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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
Screen Quality
7.2
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.
For general use, the Dell XPS 13's higher resolution and brightness alongside its premium panel type deliver a crisp and vibrant viewing experience, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, despite having a lower resolution, still offers a solid screen for everyday tasks due to its decent panel and brightness. In engineering and design, the XPS 13 excels with wider color gamut coverage, ensuring more accurate color reproduction for professionals, unlike the IdeaPad Gaming 3, which may fall short in this aspect due to narrower color gamut. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the IdeaPad Gaming 3, despite having a good panel type, lacks a high refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth motion rendering, making it less ideal for such use compared to laptops designed specifically for these purposes.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 has 10 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.
Portability
Excellent
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
7.2
The Dell XPS 13 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
$850
$549
$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
General Use
7.7
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.
The Dell XPS 13 provides a balance of portability and performance with a lightweight design, good screen quality, long battery life, and solid processing capacity for general tasks, making it suitable for users who prioritize ease of carrying and battery longevity alongside capable everyday computing.
Gaming and AI
6.2
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.
The Dell XPS 13, despite having an efficient GPU for office tasks, does not fare as well in gaming and 3D applications due to its Intel Iris Xe graphics, which are not as powerful as dedicated gaming GPUs, and a lower screen refresh rate of 60Hz which can result in less smooth visuals.
Engineering and Design
7.2
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.
The Dell XPS 13 offers a balance of portability and performance with a high-quality screen, making it suitable for design tasks that benefit from vivid display and CPU efficiency, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, with a dedicated GPU and larger screen, is more appropriate for engineering applications where graphical power is crucial. Despite being less portable due to its size and weight, the IdeaPad's stronger GPU and additional screen real estate can be significant for running resource-intensive design software.
Content Creation
7.7
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.
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
7.5
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.
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.
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How the Dell XPS 13 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 | Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$850 | $549 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.59 lbs | 5.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.86" | 10.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1250U | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 60 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 442 nits | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
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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