If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option for everyday tasks like browsing, office applications, and light media consumption, the HP Pavilion 15 could be a solid choice, due to its slightly lower price. However, if you prefer better gaming performance, graphic design, or video editing capabilities, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, despite its higher cost, would better meet your needs with its gaming-oriented hardware. Keep in mind the Lenovo is likely to be heavier and might have shorter battery life, affecting its portability compared to the HP Pavilion 15. 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
The HP Pavilion 15 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3.
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good battery life
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
7.2/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good for engineering and design, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is more suited for engineering and design due to its superior AMD Ryzen processor and dedicated Nvidia graphics card, which are better for demanding tasks and visualization, along with a higher-quality IPS screen. In contrast, the HP Pavilion 15, while having more RAM, is limited by a weaker Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics, alongside a lower resolution TN screen, which impacts performance and display quality for engineering applications.
Software Development
6.6/10
7.3/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
5.3/10
7.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, a laptop with a bright, high-resolution display ensures crisp text and vibrant images, which the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers but the HP Pavilion 15 lacks. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3's coverage of color gamuts makes it suitable for engineering and design tasks that demand color accuracy, while the HP falls short in this aspect. However, due to its lower refresh rate, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 does not perform as well for 3D applications and gaming, where a high refresh rate is crucial for smooth motion, unlike laptops designed specifically for these purposes.
Battery
3.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 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
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The HP Pavilion 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good portability, though the HP Pavilion 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
7.2/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good build quality, while the HP Pavilion 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$600
$549
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The HP Pavilion 15 has a price of $600 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 costs $549.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for general use.
The HP Pavilion 15 offers a solid balance for general use with ample storage, substantial RAM, and a lightweight design for easy portability, although its screen quality and CPU are more modest compared to gaming-focused laptops. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, despite having a more powerful CPU and a significantly better screen for vivid images and high refresh rates, is less portable and offers a shorter battery life, which might make it less suited for users needing to work for long hours away from a power source.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
6.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and HP Pavilion 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.
Content Creation
7.1/10
7.4/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and HP Pavilion 15 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.
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How the HP Pavilion 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the most powerful RTX 3050 Ti laptops. If you disregard the mediocre quality of the case in terms of the material and workmanship, Lenovo has created a successful budget gaming laptop with the IdeaPad Gaming. Thanks to high TDPs and constant performance development, the Core i5-12500H and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti are able to show their full power, while in contrast, the (mostly slower) competitors deliver a better battery life. However, hardly any of the alternative laptops are able to reach the image quality of the Gaming 3. Most of the competitors are left behind in terms of the color space and brightness."
Get a great deal on the HP Pavilion 15 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 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.
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