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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize a larger screen and more storage space, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" with its 15.6-inch display and larger storage capacity will suit your needs. It also offers a more powerful AMD processor that is better for intensive tasks, but keep in mind it's heavier, making it less portable. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is more compact with its 12.4-inch display, and significantly lighter, which is ideal if you are on the go. However, it has less storage space and a less powerful Intel processor, but it still performs well for everyday tasks and casual use. 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 IdeaPad 1 15"
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.4
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, screen quality hinges on clear images and easy readability, which means a brighter display and higher resolution typically lead to better experiences; the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" offers just enough for basic tasks, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3's superior brightness and resolution enhance general use significantly. Engineering and design professionals need accurate color representation for their work, and while the Surface Laptop Go 3 doesn't reach the highest color standards, it outperforms the IdeaPad in displaying a broader range of colors. Gamers and those working with 3D applications often look for smooth motion, where refresh rate is key; neither laptop excels in this area, but their resolution and panel types are more forgiving for non-gaming 3D tasks.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 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.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" with a more powerful CPU, higher RAM, and larger screen ranks better for general use due to its capability to handle various tasks smoothly, despite being less portable and having shorter battery life compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which offers excellent portability and slightly better screen colors but sacrifices some performance due to a less powerful CPU and less RAM.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" offers fair gaming and 3D capabilities with its AMD integrated graphics but is limited by its standard screen refresh rate; similarly, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3's Intel integrated graphics provide fair performance for light gaming and 3D tasks while also being constrained by an average refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
6.6
6.8
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
12.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" with its AMD Ryzen 7 and 12 GB of RAM has a stronger CPU and more memory compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3's Intel i5 and 8 GB of RAM, which may result in better performance for engineering and design tasks, although the Surface Laptop Go 3, being lighter and having a higher resolution screen with a more favorable aspect ratio, offers better portability and potentially better screen quality for detailed work. While both laptops have integrated graphics, which may not be optimal for GPU-intensive tasks, the IdeaPad's larger screen might be more comfortable for long work sessions, but its battery life and portability fall short compared to the Surface Laptop Go 3.
Content Creation
7.4
7.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
12.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
7.3
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
12.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Cost
$741
$788
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a price of $741 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $788.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$741 | $788 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2022 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.57 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.29" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 12 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 42 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
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LaptopMedia
Alex Iliev | April 2023
"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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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