The HP 15" Laptop offers a solid configuration for everyday tasks, is lightweight, and comes with a numeric keypad; however, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 stands out with a touchscreen, a longer battery life, and superior performance in webcam and heat management. Both have similar storage and memory, come with Windows 11 Home, and are aimed at general usage rather than intensive gaming or engineering tasks. If battery life and touch functionality are priorities, go for the IdeaPad. If you prefer HP's brand reliability and a numeric keypad, the HP may be your choice. 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 HP 15" Laptop
The HP 15" Laptop has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3.
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
Good for general use
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Very good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.3/10
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
281.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a better screen than the HP 15" Laptop for content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the HP and Lenovo laptops have serviceable screen resolution and brightness, which are crucial for comfortable everyday tasks like browsing and document editing, but they don't excel due to their average panel type. In engineering and design, screen quality is judged by how accurately colors are represented, and in this regard, both laptops fall short as they lack the wider color gamuts desired for precision work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, high refresh rates are key to a smooth experience; unfortunately, both models offer poor screen quality since they prioritize energy efficiency over the high refresh rates gamers typically seek.
Battery
6.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The HP 15" Laptop has 6 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
6.0/10
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and HP 15" Laptop both have only fair build quality, though the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 to be good for general use, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
5.9/10
5.9/10
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
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and HP 15" Laptop are both poor for gaming and AI.
The HP 15" Laptop has integrated Intel UHD Graphics and a standard screen refresh rate, which provides a basic level of gaming and 3D capability, but may not handle more demanding games and 3D applications optimally. Similarly, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, with its AMD Vega 6 graphics and the same level of screen refresh rate, offers fair performance for gaming and 3D activities but could struggle with high-end tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
6.1/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The HP 15" Laptop and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both only fair for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
6.9/10
7.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 to be good for content creation, while the HP 15" Laptop 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.
Software Development
6.7/10
7.1/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 to be good for software development, while the HP 15" Laptop 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and HP 15" Laptop both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$375
$390
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The HP 15" Laptop has a price of $375 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 costs $390.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the HP 15" Laptop and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 compare to other laptops
"Chances are high that the HP 15 is one of the first laptops to pop up when you search for an inexpensive notebook. Indeed, its price tag is very tempting for many, and of course, this is the reason for its popularity. However, the HP 15" suffers from poor performance due to low power consumption. On the bright side, one of the good things about it is the port selection. On the inside, this includes two SODIMM slots for memory, an M.2 PCIe x4 slot for storage, and a SATA drive bay. However, the TN panel, and mediocre input devices are not ideal."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Get a great deal on the HP 15" Laptop or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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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.