If your budget allows for a higher-priced laptop and you need one for gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering work, the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 is the better option due to its stronger AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX graphics card. However, if you prioritize affordability and mainly use the laptop for general tasks, the Gateway is a more cost-effective choice but with less powerful processor and graphics capabilities. The Lenovo also has an advantage in build quality, keyboard feel, and display color accuracy, but both laptops have a similar physical size and weight for portability. Keep in mind that the Gateway is generally less suitable for intensive gaming or professional creative work. 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 Legion Slim 7 15.6".
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6"
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0/10
7.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" is somewhat better.
The Gateway 15.6" laptop is well-suited for general use due to its adequate CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, a quality IPS screen, and a full-size keyboard with a number pad. The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6", while also good for general use, offers a more powerful CPU and GPU combo that excels in more demanding scenarios, a brighter and higher quality display, and superior heat management, making it a more versatile but generally more expensive option.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" has a GPU that is part of the main processor which generally provides modest gaming and 3D performance, and a lower refresh rate of 60Hz, affecting how smooth gaming feels. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" includes a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, which greatly enhances gaming and 3D rendering capabilities, and boasts a higher 165Hz screen refresh rate, resulting in a more fluid visual experience.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
7.8/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" offers an Intel i5 CPU with integrated graphics, which is adequate for many tasks but may struggle with more demanding engineering software or designs; the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 provides a more robust AMD Ryzen CPU and a dedicated Nvidia GPU, enhancing performance in complex projects. The Gateway’s screen has lower brightness and color coverage which impacts the visual work in design, while the Lenovo offers a brighter display with higher color accuracy, crucial for detailed engineering and design work.
Content Creation
7.0/10
7.7/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" and Gateway 15.6" are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" is somewhat better.
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
6.7/10
7.5/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" 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
7.7/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, a laptop with a brighter screen, higher resolution, and more accurate colors provides a more pleasant and clear viewing experience, which is why the Lenovo Legion Slim excels with its higher-end display. Engineering and design work demands precision in color reproduction; therefore the Legion's support for wider color gamuts ensures more accurate rendering of designs and illustrations. However, for gaming and 3D applications, which rely heavily on fluid motion and quick refreshes, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, impacting the smoothness and responsiveness of the visual experience.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.6/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" has good 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
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $380 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" costs $1,200.
"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 Legion Slim 7 is a slim Legion notebook that is just as excellent with Nvidia & Intel. However, the Legion Slim 7i slightly sullied by lacklustre battery life. You get a slim aluminium chassis, great input devices, decent port selection, fast high-quality WQXGA display and great performance. Supporting Thunderbolt 4 is one advantage of the Intel/Nvidia model tested in this review. Moreover, this variant has slightly higher CPU performance as well as better GPU performance in certain applications (e.g. CUDA-based apps). The Lenovo Legion S7i is thin, premium and performant – but less efficient than its AMD counterpart."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 15.6" or the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6"
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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