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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize performance and plan on doing intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Dell XPS 15, despite its higher cost, offers you robust capabilities more suitable for these activities. However, if your daily use consists of basic functions like browsing the web, working on documents, and media consumption, and you favor saving money, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" should serve you well. Keep in mind that opting for the Dell may also give you advantages in build quality and potentially longer battery life, while the Lenovo will generally be lighter and more portable, but may lag in performance and durability compared to the Dell. 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
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 15.
Key differences
General Use
8.2
6.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
606.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Dell XPS 15 offers superior CPU and RAM, higher screen resolution with greater color accuracy, and almost double the battery life, making it well-suited for demanding tasks and prolonged use. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a lower-grade CPU and half the RAM, a lower resolution display with lesser color coverage, and a significantly shorter battery life, which limits its performance and usability for more intensive applications.
Gaming and AI
6.8
5.8
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
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 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Dell XPS 15 is equipped with a dedicated Intel Arc A370M GPU, suitable for gaming and 3D applications, and a high-quality IPS screen, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" uses integrated graphics and a lower-quality TN panel, making it less capable for such tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.1
5.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
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 15" is poor.
The Dell XPS 15 is equipped with a higher-performance CPU, more RAM, a dedicated GPU with better graphics capabilities, and a higher quality IPS screen, all crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" comes with a lower-end CPU, less RAM, an integrated GPU, and a lower resolution TN screen, which may not meet the requirements for such intensive work.
Content Creation
8.3
6.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
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
6.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
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
5.2
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
606.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Dell XPS 15 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Dell XPS 15 offers a higher resolution and brighter display, providing crisp text and vibrant images, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a less impressive display, which may look dull in comparison. When it comes to engineering and design, the XPS 15 supports wider color gamuts, ensuring more accurate color reproduction, an essential aspect for these tasks, while the IdeaPad 3's narrower color range may lead to less precise color work. As for 3D and gaming, the XPS 15's screen falls short due to a lower refresh rate, which can lead to less smooth motion during fast-paced activities, while the IdeaPad 3 also suffers in this regard, further compounded by its lower resolution and panel quality.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 15 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 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.
Build Quality
8.5
6.5
The Dell XPS 15 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" 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
$360
$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 15" costs $360.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell XPS 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell XPS 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 15 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $360 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.21 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.57" | 14.26" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 9.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
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 | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 35 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 606 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 0 | |
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 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | February 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an enduring office notebook with a powerful Ryzen APU. Lenovo's office all-rounder easily handles office and internet applications as well as modest games - the Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM make this possible. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The emission values are okay, but the noise emissions should be lower under medium to full load. The relatively light notebook (approx. 1.6 kg) achieves practical battery runtimes of about 10 to 11 hours."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 15 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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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