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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell XPS 15 is typically much more expensive but offers better general performance, color coverage on the screen, and has a higher build quality, making it more suitable for professional creative work and general use. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a lower price point and features a high-refresh-rate screen and dedicated gaming GPU, making it more suited for gaming. The battery life is longer on the Dell XPS 15, but the Lenovo is more tailored towards gaming aesthetics. Therefore, if budget is a concern and gaming is a priority, the Lenovo might be your choice, whereas for more demanding tasks like video editing or design, the Dell is the better option. 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
- Very good overall build quality
- 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 15.
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
606.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Dell XPS 15, with a more powerful CPU and double the RAM, offers smoother performance for general tasks alongside a higher screen resolution and battery life, making it very good for general use, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, with a gaming-optimized GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, provides a good experience for general use but leans more towards gaming, at the expense of lower RAM and a slightly bulkier build.
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.2
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Dell XPS 15 offers strong performance for engineering and design tasks with its powerful Intel processor, ample RAM, and dedicated Intel Arc GPU, complemented by a high-quality screen with broad color coverage that benefits design work. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is tailored for high-performance tasks with its AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, and while it has a high refresh rate display advantageous for gaming, it has less RAM and a lesser screen color range than the Dell, which may affect detailed engineering and design work.
Content Creation
8.3
7.4
9.0/10
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 15 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.3
9.0/10
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 15 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.2
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
606.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Dell XPS 15 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.
The Dell XPS 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have high-resolution displays with ample brightness and the right panel types that are well-suited for everyday tasks, resulting in a clear and vibrant viewing experience for general use. Their screens cover a broad range of colors, important in professional fields like engineering and design, offering accuracy needed for detailed work. However, for gaming and 3D rendering, the lower refresh rates of these laptops may not provide the smooth visuals that gamers and 3D artists seek compared to specialized gaming machines with higher refresh rates.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 15 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
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell XPS 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good portability, though the Dell XPS 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.2
The Dell XPS 15 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
$1,000
$600
$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 Gaming 3 costs $600.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.8
6.5
4.4/10
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
9.1/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell XPS 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell XPS 15 with its Intel Arc A370M graphics is considered good for gaming and 3D due to the combination of a decent GPU and a high-quality screen, although its standard screen refresh rate is lower than some dedicated gaming laptops. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 includes a Nvidia RTX 2050 which, when paired with its higher screen refresh rate, makes it a fair choice for gaming and 3D tasks, despite having a less powerful CPU and lower screen quality compared to the Dell.
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How the Dell XPS 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 15 | Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.21 lbs | 5.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.57" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 10.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 60 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 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 | 606 nits | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 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 | 9.1/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | 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 | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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 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 15 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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