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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If performance is your priority, especially for tasks like 3D rendering or intensive engineering work, you should go for the Lenovo Flex 5 14. It's better equipped for demanding tasks with more storage and memory, although it's priced higher. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is more budget-friendly, lighter, and still suitable for general use, but it offers lower performance with less storage and memory, reducing its suitability for intensive tasks. Both laptops have similar screen sizes with good color representation, support for general use, and weights that support some degree of portability. However, battery life is slightly better on the Flex 5 14. 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 14
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall build quality
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Flex 5 14.
Key differences
General Use
7.7
6.9
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
277.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
11.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 offers superior general use capabilities due to its higher-end CPU, double the RAM, and a better screen quality with a higher resolution touchscreen, which are all very important for performance and user experience. While both are portable, the Flex 5 14 also has a slightly better battery life and notable features like a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader, making it more convenient and secure for everyday use compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3, which offers less storage and a lower-tier CPU but manages heat more effectively, an aspect to consider if long-term use in a single session is common.
Engineering and Design
7.0
6.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is better suited for engineering and design use due to its more powerful Ryzen 7 CPU, double the RAM, and higher GPU performance, along with a higher resolution and better color accuracy on the screen, enhancing visual work.
Screen Quality
6.4
6.4
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
277.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Lenovo Flex 5 and IdeaPad 3 offer sufficient resolution and brightness, but their panel types may not provide the most vivid colors or viewing angles desired by more discerning users. In engineering and design, where accurate color reproduction is crucial, these laptops may fall short as they likely lack wide color gamuts necessary for precise color work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, their poor refresh rates can lead to less smooth visuals, a downside for fast-paced or immersive experiences, although their resolution and panel type partially compensate by providing decent clarity and image quality.
Battery
11.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 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.
Cost
$950
$390
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has a price of $950 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $390.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is equipped with a slightly more powerful integrated Vega 8 graphics in the AMD Ryzen 7 processor and a 16:10 higher resolution display, compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" which has an integrated Vega 7 graphics in the AMD Ryzen 5 and a standard 16:9 full HD display; however, both have identical screen refresh rates of 60Hz, which are not ideal for the most demanding gaming and 3D scenarios.
Content Creation
7.6
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 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
7.4
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
6.5
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Flex 5 14 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Flex 5 14 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Flex 5 14 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$950 | $390 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | 12.8'' x 8.5'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.42 lbs | 3.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.32" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.85" | 8.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.5 Wh | 45 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 277 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Flex 5 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2021
"The highlight of the latest IdeaPad Flex 5 14 is clearly its AMD CPU. The octa-core Ryzen 7 5700U is insanely fast even when compared to the best Tiger Lake Ultrabooks in the market or even Core H CPUs in many gaming laptops. It's a lot of raw processing power for what is supposed to be a budget 14-inch convertible. If your daily workloads can benefit from extra multi-thread CPU performance, then look no further than the inexpensive AMD-powered Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14. For regular on-the-road browsing or video streaming, however, a slimmer and lighter 10th gen Core Yoga, Spectre, or XPS would be a more balanced option."
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 Lenovo Flex 5 14 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.
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