A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If your main concern is cost and you're looking for a budget-friendly laptop for general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" could be a more suitable option for you since it's significantly less expensive than the Gateway 15.6". However, if you need better performance for more intensive tasks and a higher quality display, the Gateway 15.6" with a more powerful processor and better graphics could be worth the higher price tag, but keep in mind it will also be heavier and may have a shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo. The Gateway may also come with Windows 10 Home, while the Lenovo comes with the newer Windows 11 Home which might be preferred for some users. 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"
- Good for general use
- Good for content creation
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the Gateway 15.6".
Key differences
General Use
7.0
6.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Gateway 15.6" is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" offers a stronger CPU and double the RAM compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", making it more capable of handling demanding tasks; its IPS display with higher resolution contributes to better screen quality, enhancing the overall use experience. However, the lighter Lenovo has a slight edge in portability and heat management, which are key for users who prioritize mobility and comfort during extended use, despite its lower-quality TN screen and inferior processor performance.
Content Creation
7.0
6.3
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Gateway 15.6" is good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
6.1
5.2
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Gateway 15.6" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Gateway's fair screen quality is due to a decent balance in resolution and brightness, offering comfortable viewing for tasks like browsing and video streaming. For engineering and design, its fair rating reflects acceptable coverage of color gamuts, which is crucial for color accuracy when working with visual content. However, the Gateway lacks in refresh rate, which is vital for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D applications, making it less suitable for those high-motion scenarios.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" 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.
Build Quality
5.1
6.5
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 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
$497
$331
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $497 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $331.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.0
5.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 15.6" to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" 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
6.2
5.8
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 15.6" to be only fair for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Gateway 15.6" laptop offers better performance for engineering and design with its more powerful processor, double the RAM, and superior integrated graphics compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", which has a lower-tier processor, half the RAM, and less capable graphics.
Software Development
6.7
6.3
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Gateway 15.6" and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" are both only fair for software development.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 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 3 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gateway 15.6" | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$497 | $331 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.8 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.75" | 14.26" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.5" | 9.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | Unknown | 35 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.1/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 5.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Gateway 15.6"
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | February 2023
"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 15.6" 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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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
74,295
Recommendations made
16,098
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.
Featured in
