If performance in intensive tasks like engineering, 3D, machine learning, or gaming is important to you, the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" features a more powerful processor and graphics, but this also makes it more expensive. Its build quality, higher resolution with a 16:10 aspect ratio screen, and backlit keyboard offer a premium experience. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15", on the other hand, is more wallet-friendly and provides ample performance for everyday use and casual gaming, along with a larger screen, but the display has a standard aspect ratio and it lacks some premium features like a backlit keyboard. The HP is less hefty, making it more portable, but both laptops offer similar battery life. Consider how much you are willing to invest and what activities you'll primarily be doing on your laptop to make the best 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 Dragonfly Pro 14"
Very good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has no clear advantages over the HP Dragonfly Pro 14".
Key differences
General Use
8.0/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
405.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is good.
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" offers a more powerful CPU, more RAM, and higher screen quality with a brighter display and better color coverage, all packed into a more lightweight and slightly more compact design for easier portability compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15", which, while having adequate performance for general use, provides less RAM and lower screen quality, giving it a lower tier in general user experience.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
6.6/10
7.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The HP Dragonfly Pro with a more powerful processor, better integrated graphics, and higher-quality screen makes it ideal for demanding engineering and design tasks. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1, while still capable for general use, falls short in terms of processing power, graphics performance, and screen fidelity, leading to a less optimal experience for engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.4/10
7.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both good for content creation, though the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
7.8/10
7.3/10
7.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both good for software development, though the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is somewhat better.
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
7.1/10
6.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
405.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a crisp and bright display for activities like browsing and watching videos, the HP Dragonfly Pro's superior resolution and brightness will offer a visibly enhanced experience over the Lenovo IdeaPad 1. For engineering and design work, where color accuracy and a wide color gamut are crucial, the HP Dragonfly Pro's better coverage of professional color spaces like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB means your work will be represented with more accurate and vibrant colors. However, for 3D gaming, which demands a fast refresh rate to keep action smooth, both laptops might fall short, but the Lenovo's larger screen could offer a slightly more immersive experience at the cost of reduced portability.
Build Quality
8.5/10
6.0/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$741
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has a price of $1,400 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" costs $741.
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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
10.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Dragonfly Pro 14" to have very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
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How the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" compare to other laptops
"I’d say that the HP Dragonfly Pro checks off most of the boxes for this freelancer. It feels nice to use, is zippy and responsive, has great speakers, and even has a relatively sane price. Although it’s an unorthodox choice to pick AMD for this kind of machine, it’s clear that when Ryzen is given a chance to shine, it can kick a lot of butt."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
Get a great deal on the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 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.
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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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