The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is generally better for performance-intensive tasks due to its more powerful processor and graphics, larger storage, and higher RAM, making it suitable for engineering, 3D rendering, and machine learning. Although pricier, it offers a better display with a higher resolution, touchscreen capabilities, and longer battery life. The Gateway 11.6", on the other hand, is more portable given its smaller size and lesser weight, and it's more budget-friendly. It's adequate for basic tasks like web browsing and document editing but less so for demanding applications. If portability and price are top concerns, go for the Gateway. If performance and a superior display matter more, choose the Lenovo. 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 Gateway 11.6"
Excellent portability
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 14
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
277.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" has a basic Intel Celeron CPU and just 4GB of RAM, contributing to its poor performance for general use, while its smaller, lower-quality screen and reduced portability due to a shorter battery life also detract from its usability. In contrast, the Lenovo Flex 5 14 offers a more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU with 16GB of RAM, a higher-resolution screen, better portability thanks to longer battery life, and additional features like a 2-in-1 convertible design, which make it an appealing choice for general use.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
6.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" has a basic Intel Celeron processor and Intel UHD Graphics 600 which are not suited for demanding tasks like gaming and 3D applications; moreover, its screen has a lower resolution and refresh rate, affecting visual quality and fluidity in games.
Engineering and Design
5.4/10
7.0/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
5.7/10
7.6/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
7.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
6.4/10
11.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
277.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway's poor screen quality across different use cases can be attributed to its lower resolution and dim display, which can make text and images appear less sharp and vibrant for general use, and can be particularly limiting in engineering and design where detail and color accuracy are critical. The Lenovo Flex 5 14 offers a better resolution and brighter display, providing a more satisfactory experience for general tasks and engineering design work, though it lacks the color range professionals may require. Neither laptop is ideal for Gaming and 3D purposes, as higher refresh rates are essential for smooth motion, which both models don't prioritize.
Battery
8.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has 11.5 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.
Portability
Excellent
Very Good
11.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$89
$420
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the Lenovo Flex 5 14 costs $420.
"The highlight of the latest IdeaPad Flex 5 14 is clearly its AMD CPU. The octa-core Ryzen 7 5700U is insanely fast even when compared to the best Tiger Lake Ultrabooks in the market or even Core H CPUs in many gaming laptops. It's a lot of raw processing power for what is supposed to be a budget 14-inch convertible. If your daily workloads can benefit from extra multi-thread CPU performance, then look no further than the inexpensive AMD-powered Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14. For regular on-the-road browsing or video streaming, however, a slimmer and lighter 10th gen Core Yoga, Spectre, or XPS would be a more balanced option."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 11.6" or the Lenovo Flex 5 14
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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.
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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