The Gateway 11.6" is a budget-friendly option best suited for basic tasks like web browsing or word processing, with a smaller screen, lower storage, and less RAM, but benefits from being highly portable. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro, while typically more expensive, offers much better performance with a faster processor, more storage, and higher RAM, making it suitable for intensive tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning. It also features a higher resolution, bigger screen, and touchscreen capabilities. Battery life is similar in both, so the decision will rest on your need for performance versus value and portability. 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 IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.3/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.7/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" offers less advanced computing capabilities due to its Intel Celeron processor and 4 GB of RAM, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is suitable for a wider range of tasks with its more powerful Intel i5 processor and 16 GB of RAM. Additionally, the Gateway's smaller, lower quality screen and inadequate battery life impact its usability for general purposes, contrasting with the Lenovo's larger, sharper display and longer battery life, providing a better overall user experience.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
6.1/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
5.4/10
7.0/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" laptop's less powerful processor (Intel Celeron N4020), basic integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 600), minimal RAM, and lower resolution screen make it inefficient for demanding tasks like engineering and design, in contrast to the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro which has a superior processor (Intel i5-11300H), better integrated graphics (Iris Xe), more RAM, and a higher resolution display, enabling it to handle such tasks more effectively.
Content Creation
5.7/10
7.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.0/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro 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
7.3/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.0/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro 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
7.7/10
11.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro's higher resolution and brightness provide a clearer and more vibrant display compared to the Gateway 11.6", which may suffer from dull visuals. In engineering and design tasks, the IdeaPad benefits from superior color accuracy, essential for precise work, while the Gateway's limited color range can lead to less accurate representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the Gateway's and Lenovo's displays lack the high refresh rates required for smooth motion, although Lenovo's better resolution and panel type still provide a more detailed image.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.8/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro 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
$799
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro costs $799.
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro has 8.5 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
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 11.6" to have excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gateway 11.6" and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro compare to other laptops
"The main selling point of the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro versus a regular IdeaPad Slim 7 is its faster Core H-series CPU. In reality, the Core i7-11370H is only marginally faster than the U-series Core i7-1165G7 to the point where most users are not likely to notice the benefits. The slight performance uptick comes at the cost of slightly higher power consumption as well meaning owners will have to deal with potentially warmer temperatures or louder fans to compensate. Unless if you happen to be a power user, then the regular non-Pro model will be more than enough. Once you go 90 Hz, you can't go back."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 11.6" or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
98,295
Recommendations made
21,298
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.