The Gateway 15.6" laptop with an Intel processor has a larger amount of RAM, which can help with more demanding tasks, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" boasts an AMD Ryzen processor and a touchscreen, giving it an edge in multitasking and user interaction. Despite its typically lower price, the Gateway has a non-touch display but includes a numeric keypad and is heavier, which may impact its portability. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad costs more but offers a better battery life and lighter design for increased mobility. Both share similar graphics capabilities, but the Lenovo's screen is brighter, enhancing its viewing experience. Choose the Gateway for cost savings and slightly higher task performance or the Lenovo for a mix of portability, battery life, and screen quality. 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 15.6"
The Gateway 15.6" has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15".
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
Good for software development
Very good battery life
Key differences
Software Development
6.7/10
7.3/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1/10
6.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use such as web browsing and document editing, both the Gateway and Lenovo IdeaPad have screens that offer adequate resolution and brightness, but they don't excel in these areas, which can affect viewing comfort over extended periods. In engineering and design tasks where color accuracy is crucial, the screens on both laptops provide only fair performance due to limited color gamut coverage, meaning colors may not be as vibrant or true-to-life as professional-grade displays. When it comes to gaming and 3D work, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth visuals, and only moderate resolution and panel quality, affecting the overall immersive experience in fast-paced or graphically intensive scenarios.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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.
Build Quality
5.1/10
6.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$380
$741
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $380 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" costs $741.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use.
The Gateway 15.6" offers reasonable processing power for everyday tasks with its Intel i5 CPU and ample RAM, coupled with a solid IPS screen, but it may not be as travel-friendly given its slightly higher weight compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15", which, despite having less RAM, offers a more portable design with a lighter weight and longer battery life, and also boasts a touchscreen feature for added convenience.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
6.1/10
3.6/10
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 1 15" and Gateway 15.6" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Gateway 15.6" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both fair for gaming and 3D largely due to their integrated GPUs, the Iris Xe in the Gateway and the Vega 8 in the Lenovo, which provide decent but not top-tier gaming performance. They also share commonalities like 60Hz screen refresh rates and IPS displays, which contribute to fair screen quality for gaming, but do not offer the high refresh rates preferred for competitive gaming.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
6.6/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Gateway 15.6" are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Gateway 15.6" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both considered fair for engineering and design due to their adequate CPU, RAM, and GPU specifications that can support such tasks, while also offering fair screen quality. However, users may find limitations in more intensive workloads, and while they are somewhat portable and offer decent keyboards and speakers, their operating noise may be noticeable during heavy use.
Content Creation
7.0/10
7.4/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Gateway 15.6" are both good for content creation.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Gateway 15.6" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gateway 15.6" and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" compare to other laptops
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 15.6" or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Laptops Expert
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