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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell XPS 15 offers better performance suitable for engineering, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks due to its more powerful processor and graphics card, but it is more expensive and slightly heavier, affecting its portability. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is more affordable and lighter, making it easier to carry around, and its screen supports touch, yet it has lower performance suited for general use rather than intensive tasks due to its less powerful processor and integrated graphics. Both have similar battery life, but the Dell has advantages in screen quality, which is beneficial for color-critical work. 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 Slim 3
- The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 15.
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.0
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
606.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is good.
The Dell XPS 15 outperforms the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 in general use primarily due to its superior CPU and doubled RAM, which ensures smoother multitasking and faster operations. Additionally, the XPS 15 offers a higher quality screen with better color coverage and brightness, larger battery capacity for extended use, and better build quality overall, which accounts for a more premium user experience when compared to the Slim 3.
Gaming and AI
6.8
5.9
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 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
The Dell XPS 15 is a better fit for gaming and 3D applications due to its dedicated Intel Arc A370M graphics card, which outperforms the integrated Vega 6 graphics in the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3. Both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, but the dedicated GPU in the Dell and its better screen quality contribute to a smoother and more visually appealing gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
8.1
6.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Slim 3 is only fair.
The Dell XPS 15 surpasses the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for engineering and design use primarily due to its more powerful CPU and GPU, and its higher screen quality with more color accuracy and brightness. The IdeaPad Slim 3, on the other hand, while lighter for better portability, offers less RAM and a less capable integrated GPU, which makes it less suitable for demanding engineering tasks and design work that benefits from a discrete graphics card.
Content Creation
8.3
7.2
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Slim 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
7.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Slim 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
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
606.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Dell XPS 15 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Dell XPS 15 offers vivid colors and sharp details due to its higher resolution and brightness, making it suitable for tasks like browsing and watching videos, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 provides a sufficient display that doesn't excel in the same respects. Engineers and designers would prefer the Dell's display because it covers a wider range of colors, ensuring more accuracy for professional work that relies on color precision, whereas the Lenovo's more limited color gamut means less accurate color representation. In the realm of gaming and 3D, the lower refresh rates of both laptops may lead to less fluid visual experiences, though the Dell's superior panel type and resolution still enable a relatively better experience than the Lenovo, which falls short on these aspects as well.
Build Quality
8.5
6.5
The Dell XPS 15 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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 Slim 3 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 Slim 3 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and Dell XPS 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 Slim 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 15 | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $390 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.21 lbs | 3.52 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.57" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | AMD Ryzen 3 7330U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 47 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 606 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | No | |
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 | 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 Slim 3
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Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 15 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 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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