The Gateway 14.1" laptop is a more budget-friendly option, suitable for basic tasks with its lower power Intel Celeron processor and modest storage and memory. It's more portable due to its small size and light weight. However, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" comes at a higher cost but offers a larger display, significantly increased storage, and better performance with an AMD Ryzen processor, making it well-suited for more demanding applications and multitasking. The Lenovo also features a newer operating system. If portability and cost are primary concerns, the Gateway is sufficient, but for better performance and a more expansive display ideal for multi-use or engineering, consider the Lenovo, keeping in mind its increased size and weight. 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 14.1"
Very good portability
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
Good for general use
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
208.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" has limited memory and a basic CPU which may struggle with multiple applications, while its portability is higher due to a smaller screen and lighter weight. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" boasts a more capable CPU, more memory, and a better screen for multitasking and media, though it's less portable and a bit heavier.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
6.1/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
5.5/10
6.6/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" with an Intel Celeron processor, minimal RAM, and basic integrated graphics struggles with engineering and design tasks that demand robust computing power and smooth graphics handling, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers a more capable AMD Ryzen 5 processor, double the RAM, and better Radeon graphics, along with a larger and higher quality display, making it more fitting for engineering and design applications despite being less portable and having a bulkier form factor.
Content Creation
5.8/10
7.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
5.8/10
7.2/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
6.0/10
6.7/10
14.1in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
208.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway 14.1" laptop may offer a screen that is suitable for browsing and document editing, but the limited resolution and brightness may not meet the requirements for color-sensitive work in engineering and design, or provide the visual clarity desired for modern games. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" with its larger and better-quality display might deliver more accurate colors and clearer images, benefiting tasks that involve detailed graphics or designs, but its screen might still fall short for gaming where higher refresh rates are paramount for smooth motion. Overall, for gaming and 3D applications, you'd benefit from looking at devices specifically designed for those purposes with high refresh rate displays.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.1in
SIZE
17.3in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 14.1" has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has only fair build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$99
$784
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Gateway 14.1" has a price of $99 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" costs $784.
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" defies expectations. Indeed, it is just a minor upgrade over last year. However, this doesn’t make the laptop any less terrific. It’s got a great performance, courtesy of the Ryzen 5x25U processors. In addition, you get a pretty good battery life. Perhaps, the 2-hour decrease in video playback, compared to last year is not great, but still, 10 hours of Web browsing and 7 hours of video playback is okay for 17-inch notebooks."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 14.1" or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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
98,595
Recommendations made
21,363
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.