If you prioritize performance for tasks such as 3D rendering or engineering, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 may suit you better due to its more powerful processor and greater RAM. However, it is less portable and more expensive. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is more affordable, lighter, and therefore easier to carry around, which could make it ideal for general use and tasks that don't require as much power. The battery life of the Flex 5 is slightly longer than the IdeaPad, which could be beneficial if you frequently work unplugged. The Flex 5 also includes a touchscreen with a higher resolution, offering better display quality and interaction but at a higher cost. 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 Lenovo Flex 5 16
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
11.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers better performance for general use with more RAM, a higher quality screen, and a superior processor than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", but it is less portable and has slightly lower battery life. The Flex 5 also has a 2-in-1 design that can be used as a tablet, adding versatility, while the IdeaPad 3 offers a more portable design due to its lighter weight and compact size, which may be valuable for users constantly on the move.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
6.1/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is equipped with a more powerful Intel i7 processor, double the RAM, and better integrated graphics compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", which has an AMD Ryzen 5 processor with less RAM and graphics performance; these differences make the Flex 5 more suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks. Additionally, the Flex 5's screen offers higher resolution and color accuracy, crucial for detailed design work, whereas the IdeaPad 3, while lighter and slightly more portable, has a lower-quality display and fair keyboard quality, reducing its effectiveness in those same tasks.
Screen Quality
7.3/10
6.4/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16's better screen quality for general use can be attributed to its higher resolution and brightness, along with an IPS panel that provides wide viewing angles. For engineering and design, this same model leads due to a broader color coverage, capturing more hues accurately which is essential for detailed work. In contrast, for gaming and 3D applications where refresh rate is paramount, both fall short as neither is designed with high refresh displays, thus making them less ideal for fast-paced visuals and rendering.
Battery
11.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$779
$490
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a price of $779 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $490.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is equipped with an Intel Iris Xe GPU and a 60Hz refresh rate, suitable for casual gaming and 3D work; the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" also shares a similar 60Hz screen refresh rate but comes with AMD Vega 7 graphics, affecting its efficiency in handling gaming and 3D tasks compared to more powerful GPUs. Both laptops are not designed for intensive gaming, though they can manage less demanding titles due to their moderate CPU and screen quality; they also offer good battery life but may not satisfy gamers seeking a high refresh rate or top-tier screen performance.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.1/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
7.5/10
7.1/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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.
Build Quality
7.0/10
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Flex 5 16 to have good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Flex 5 16 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
"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 Lenovo Flex 5 16 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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
100,695
Recommendations made
21,818
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.