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Updated January 16, 2024·
When deciding between the HP Pavilion 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", consider your priorities. The HP Pavilion 15 offers a larger screen but has a lower-quality TN panel and lower resolution than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14". The Lenovo features a higher-quality IPS panel at full HD resolution, providing better color and viewing angles, which can be important for media consumption and multitasking. If portability is important, the lighter and more compact Lenovo might be the better choice. On the other hand, if storage and touchscreen capability are more critical, the HP has a larger storage capacity and a touchscreen. The HP Pavilion is slightly heavier and thicker, influencing portability and comfort. Both laptops have the same processor, but the Lenovo's battery life is longer, thus better for on-the-go use without frequent charging. Choose the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for a more portable and better display experience or the HP Pavilion 15 for larger storage and a touchscreen benefit. 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 Pavilion 15
- Good for general use
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
- Good for software development
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Software Development
6.6
7.1
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is good for software development, while the HP Pavilion 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
5.3
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The HP Pavilion 15's screen may suffer from low resolution and dim brightness, impacting the clarity and vibrancy needed for everyday activities. Its color range likely falls short for engineering and design work, where accurate color representation is crucial. For gaming and 3D applications, the laptop's display possibly lacks a high refresh rate, which is critical for smooth motion and a responsive experience.
Battery
3.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 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
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the HP Pavilion 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$500
$390
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The HP Pavilion 15 has a price of $500 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $390.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
6.9
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Pavilion 15 to be good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
6.0
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1366 x 768
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 HP Pavilion 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The HP Pavilion 15 is limited in gaming and 3D because of its basic Intel UHD Xe G4 graphics and a lower-quality TN screen with standard refresh rates, which are not ideal for high-end gaming. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a better AMD Vega 7 GPU and a higher-quality IPS screen, offering improved gaming and 3D performance, though both still have standard screen refresh rates and their CPUs are somewhat less important for these tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.2
6.1
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The HP Pavilion 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
7.1
7.1
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Pavilion 15 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.
Build Quality
6.2
6.5
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and HP Pavilion 15 both have only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the HP Pavilion 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HP Pavilion 15 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $390 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2020 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.5'' x 0.71'' | 12.8'' x 8.5'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.75 lbs | 3.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.1" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.53" | 8.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1115G4 | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 45 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HP Pavilion 15
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Alex Cox | August 2022
"The HP Pavilion 15 carries a fair amount of power and a sharp display in its handsome slimline shell. It's not perfect, but it's a hard worker. This is wonderfully designed and totes a heck of a lot of desktop power, with the added benefit of a decent webcam and a full-sized keyboard. If you're getting down to business on a budget, it's a great fit."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marvin Gollor | February 2023
"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 Pavilion 15 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.
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