The HP 17" Laptop has a larger screen and more memory and storage, which makes it suitable for more intensive tasks like engineering and multitasking. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is more budget-friendly and lighter with a longer battery life, which improves its portability, but it has a smaller screen, less memory, and storage, which might affect performance during demanding tasks. Neither is built for intensive gaming, but they will handle general use and moderate engineering tasks. The choice depends on whether you prioritize performance and screen size or portability and battery life. 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 17" Laptop
Good for general use
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.8/10
6.1/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The HP 17" Laptop and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for engineering and design, though the HP 17" Laptop is somewhat better.
The HP 17" Laptop, with a more powerful CPU and GPU combination, as well as more RAM, offers better performance for demanding engineering and design tasks than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", which has a less powerful processor and graphics unit, and less RAM, making it less suited for intensive use. However, the smaller screen size and lighter weight of the Lenovo make it more portable, although with compromises in screen quality, which is very important for such tasks.
Screen Quality
6.6/10
6.4/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
287.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The HP 17" Laptop has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the HP and Lenovo laptops have adequate display resolution and brightness, making them suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and office work; however, their panel types may not provide the best viewing angles or color reproduction. In engineering and design, accurate color representation is crucial, but these laptops may not cover the wider color gamuts needed for precise work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the refresh rates on these laptops are likely lower than what's needed for smooth motion rendering, and their moderate resolution and panel quality may not offer the sharpest and most immersive visuals.
Battery
5.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
4.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the HP 17" Laptop has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and HP 17" Laptop both have only fair build quality, though the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$850
$390
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The HP 17" Laptop has a price of $850 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $390.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 17" Laptop to be good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The HP 17" Laptop's higher RAM and more powerful CPU contribute to better performance for general use compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", which has half the RAM and a less powerful CPU. Additionally, the HP's larger screen and better speakers might make for a more enjoyable multimedia experience, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life than the lighter, more portable Lenovo with longer battery life, making the latter more suitable for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.0/10
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
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The HP 17" Laptop and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The HP 17" Laptop has a larger screen but shares similar graphics processing capabilities with the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", making both adequate for gaming and 3D applications despite not being top-tier gaming machines; both have integrated GPUs with moderate performance and standard screen refresh rates which are important for such tasks, while the HP's larger display offers a lower pixel density compared to the Lenovo, providing less sharp images but potentially a more immersive experience due to the screen size.
Content Creation
7.2/10
7.1/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP 17" Laptop and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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.
Software Development
7.1/10
7.1/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and HP 17" Laptop are both good 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.
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How the HP 17" Laptop and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" compare to other laptops
"As far as starter laptops go, the HP Laptop 17 is a sound investment. Sure, it might not be the lightest of options, but what you get for the price is a well-rounded machine that fits multiple niches. Whether it be office duties that require you to multi-task between multiple programs, or study tasks in which you’ll spend hours browsing online, this laptop does it all. Plus, when it's time to unwind, you can watch your favorite shows or movies on a super-wide display. What's best of all is that you can do all this for about half a day on a single charge."
"The low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
Get a great deal on the HP 17" Laptop or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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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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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