The Gateway 11.6" is a more budget-friendly option, ideal for basic tasks with its smaller screen and more modest hardware. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs more but offers a bigger display, higher storage capacity, and better performance, suitable for more demanding applications. Though the Gateway is lighter and more portable, the Lenovo's larger screen and improved hardware make it a better choice for tasks beyond basic web browsing and document editing. Consider the Lenovo if you need better multitasking and more robust performance; otherwise, the Gateway suffices for simpler use at a lower price point. 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
Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the Gateway 11.6".
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
6.2/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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.
Content Creation
5.7/10
6.3/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair 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
6.3/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair 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
5.2/10
11.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Gateway 11.6" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The Gateway 11.6" likely has a lower resolution and a dimmer display, which makes text and images less crisp and vibrant for general tasks like browsing and document editing. For engineering and design, the screen might not cover a wide color spectrum, leading to less accurate color representation which is critical for detailed and color-sensitive work. In the gaming and 3D context, the lower refresh rate may result in visual lag and less smooth motion, which could detract from the immersive experience and precision demanded by fast-paced games or 3D simulations.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 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.
Portability
Excellent
Good
11.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has only fair 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
$360
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and Gateway 11.6" are both poor for gaming and AI.
The Gateway 11.6" and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" laptops are not suitable for gaming and 3D tasks because they are equipped with basic GPUs (Intel UHD Graphics 600 and Intel UHD Xe G4 respectively), which lack the graphical processing power needed for these activities, and they both only support a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which is not ideal for the smooth visuals required in gaming and 3D rendering. Additionally, their CPUs and screen quality do not meet the higher standards often required for an optimal gaming and 3D experience.
Engineering and Design
5.4/10
5.8/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and Gateway 11.6" are both poor for engineering and design.
The Gateway 11.6" with an Intel Celeron processor and basic Intel UHD Graphics 600 is underpowered for engineering applications and design work that requires competent CPU and GPU performance. Similarly, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" sports an Intel i3 processor and Intel UHD Xe Graphics, which may struggle with the same tasks, despite its slightly larger screen and RAM; both have lower-resolution screens which do not favor detail-oriented design work.
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How the Gateway 11.6" and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" compare to other laptops
"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 Gateway 11.6" or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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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