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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you value performance for engineering tasks and are willing to pay more, the Dell XPS 15 with its superior processor and graphics card is a strong choice; however, it is heavier and less portable. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3, on the other hand, is more affordable, lighter, and offers better portability, but it falls short in performance for intensive tasks. The Dell also boasts a higher quality display for color-sensitive work. For general use, the Lenovo is quite capable but if you're looking into gaming or heavy multitasking, the Dell is more suitable. Both have a similar battery life for typical usage. 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 15
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.2
6.9
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
606.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.8
6.0
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.1/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Dell XPS 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Dell XPS 15 is somewhat better.
The Dell XPS 15 is better suited for gaming and 3D due to its dedicated Intel Arc A370M graphics card, which is more powerful than the integrated Vega 7 graphics found in the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14". Additionally, the Dell has a higher quality screen which, although it has a similar refresh rate to the Lenovo, offers better overall visual performance that enhances the gaming and 3D experience.
Engineering and Design
8.1
6.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Dell XPS 15 outperforms the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for engineering and design mainly due to its more powerful CPU, higher RAM, and a superior dedicated GPU, which are very important for such tasks, along with better screen quality, as reflected by higher brightness and color coverage.
Content Creation
8.3
7.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is good.
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
8.1
7.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is good.
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
7.4
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
606.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Dell XPS 15 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell XPS 15, with its higher resolution and brightness, offers a clear and vibrant display that benefits activities such as web browsing, document editing, and video streaming, making it suitable for general use and detail-oriented tasks like engineering and design, where crisp text and accurate colors are valued. Although it has a good color range, its refresh rate is not high enough to support smooth visuals in fast-paced games and 3D modeling. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" also offers a decent display for everyday tasks and professional work but falls short in color accuracy and vibrancy compared to the Dell; and like the XPS, it lacks the high refresh rate necessary for optimal gaming and 3D rendering experiences.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the Dell XPS 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
6.5
The Dell XPS 15 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$390
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell XPS 15 has a price of $1,000 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $390.
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Key similarities
Battery
10.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 15 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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.
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How the Dell XPS 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 15 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $390 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | 12.8'' x 8.5'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.21 lbs | 3.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.57" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 8.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 45 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 606 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.1/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell XPS 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | May 2023
"The 2023 Dell XPS 15 is more or less exactly what you'd expect from the company flagship. Its fresh components deliver measurably superior power and longevity, while the machine's premium build and design remain intact. It may not be overly exciting, but XPS loyalists and upgraders should be more than happy."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marvin Gollor | February 2023
"The low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 15 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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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