If the larger screen size and potentially higher specs of the HP 17" Laptop align with your needs for tasks such as design work or multitasking with many windows open, and you have the budget, it may be worth the extra cost despite being heavier and less portable. However, if you prioritize a balance between cost and performance, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" may suffice for everyday use like browsing, office applications, or streaming, and it's generally more portable due to its smaller size. Keep in mind, the larger HP may also come with a bigger battery but possibly shorter battery life if it has higher performance components. 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
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the HP 17" Laptop.
Key differences
General Use
7.3/10
6.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
287.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The HP 17" Laptop is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The HP 17" Laptop is better for general use due to its more capable AMD Ryzen 7 processor and double the RAM of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", which only has an Intel i3 processor and less RAM that could limit performance. Additionally, the HP has a larger, higher resolution IPS screen for better viewing, while the Lenovo's smaller screen uses TN technology with lower resolution and quality, but the tradeoff is that the Lenovo is lighter and more portable with a slightly quieter operating noise.
Engineering and Design
6.8/10
5.8/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The HP 17" Laptop is only fair for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The HP 17" Laptop is equipped with a more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, double the RAM, and a superior integrated GPU compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15", which has a less capable Intel i3 CPU and half the RAM, making it less suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks. Additionally, the HP has a larger, higher resolution IPS screen which offers better color accuracy and viewing angles, enhancing tasks that require precision, while the Lenovo's smaller TN display with lower resolution lacks in color representation and viewing angles.
Content Creation
7.2/10
6.3/10
6.9/10
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 HP 17" Laptop 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.
Software Development
7.1/10
6.3/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The HP 17" Laptop is good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" 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
6.6/10
5.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
287.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The HP 17" Laptop has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The HP 17" Laptop offers better screen real estate and typically higher resolution and brightness, which enhances visibility and clarity for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but its standard refresh rate isn't ideal for the fast-paced visuals required in gaming and 3D applications. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" may have compromises in screen sharpness and luminance due to its smaller size and likely lower resolution, affecting the user experience across all tasks, from reading text to precision in design. Neither laptop excels in the color accuracy department, essential for professional engineering and design, which relies on true-to-life color representation to ensure quality, nor do they provide the high refresh rates critical for the smooth rendering of rapid movements in gaming and 3D modeling.
Build Quality
6.0/10
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and HP 17" Laptop both have only fair build quality, though the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$850
$360
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The HP 17" Laptop has a price of $850 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 17" Laptop 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.
Battery
5.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 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.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and HP 17" Laptop both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the HP 17" Laptop and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" 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 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 HP 17" Laptop or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
125,295
Recommendations made
27,148
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.