The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" might seem appealing due to its lower price, but it's generally less powerful than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", which can handle more demanding tasks with greater ease. The IdeaPad 3 typically offers better performance, making it suitable for more intensive tasks like photo editing or multitasking with multiple apps. If your priority is simple tasks like web browsing or word processing and prefer a lower cost, the IdeaPad 1 is sufficient. However, for more consistent performance and potentially better longevity, investing more in the IdeaPad 3 can be beneficial. Remember that the less expensive model may also have a shorter battery life and lower build quality, while the pricier one is likely to be heavier, affecting portability. Choose based on the balance between your budget and computing needs. 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 14"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14".
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
6.1/10
6.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
239.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" are both only fair for general use, though the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is powered by a basic Intel Celeron processor and comes with 4 GB of RAM, a 64 GB storage drive, and a lower resolution TN panel, which contribute to its suboptimal performance and screen quality for general use, despite its good battery life and portability.
Engineering and Design
5.5/10
6.1/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
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
6.2/10
7.1/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
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
6.4/10
7.1/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" 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
6.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
239.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1's screen likely suffers in quality due to lower resolution and reduced brightness, which affects the clarity and visibility of content across all use cases. For engineering and design, the limited color gamut on the IdeaPad 1 does not suffice for precision in color work, something that the IdeaPad 3 likely improves upon with a better range of colors, though still not ideal for professional design standards. The gaming and 3D experience is hindered on both laptops as they may lack high refresh rates needed for smooth motion, with the IdeaPad 1's lower resolution and panel quality further detracting from the visual experience.
Build Quality
6.0/10
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" both have only fair build quality, though the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$153
$490
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a price of $153 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $490.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a basic Intel Celeron processor and basic integrated graphics, which limits its gaming and 3D performance, and its screen has a lower resolution and quality compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14". The IdeaPad 3, with its more powerful AMD Ryzen 5 processor and Vega 7 graphics, can handle gaming and 3D tasks more competently, and it features a higher-resolution IPS display for better image quality and viewing angles.
Battery
9.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has 9 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
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" compare to other laptops
"The IdeaPad 1 14 is a simple machine, but it’s well-designed and has nearly everything you’d expect from a no-nonsense laptop that allows you to check emails and get schoolwork or other light tasks done with relative ease. A "true" 128GB SSD (as opposed to an eMMC drive) and a roomy 14-inch full HD display are arguably the star attractions, with the comfortable keyboard and reasonably modern styling playing important backup roles."
"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 IdeaPad 1 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.
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.
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