If a more portable option is essential and battery life is crucial, then the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" would be a better choice. However, if higher performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming is a priority and having a larger, faster-refreshing display is desired, then the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 would be better suited to those needs despite its heavier weight and lesser battery life. Both laptops are similarly priced and can handle general tasks, but you should align your choice with what you value more: mobility and battery life or performance and gaming capabilities. 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 3 14"
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
6.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is somewhat better.
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.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
7.2/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is considered better for engineering and design use than the IdeaPad 3 14" because it has a more powerful CPU and a dedicated GPU, which significantly enhances performance for demanding tasks. While both laptops have decent screen quality, the Gaming 3's larger screen and higher screen quality would provide a better visual experience for design work, despite being less portable and potentially louder due to its gaming-oriented design.
Screen Quality
6.4/10
7.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
313.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
If you primarily use your laptop for tasks like browsing the web or working with documents, both the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 and the IdeaPad Gaming 3 will serve you well with their adequate resolution and brightness. However, should your work involve engineering or design, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 would be more suitable due to its better coverage of color gamuts, providing more accurate colors for professional work. On the other hand, for a smooth gaming or 3D experience, neither laptop is ideal; the Gaming 3, despite its name, falls short due to a poor refresh rate, which is key for fluid motion in fast-paced games and 3D applications.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.2/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 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.
Cost
$490
$549
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a price of $490 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 costs $549.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 to be good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a less powerful CPU and GPU compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, which means it may not handle demanding tasks as well, but it is lighter and has better battery life, making it more portable. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, while heavier and with slightly shorter battery life, offers better performance due to a more powerful CPU and GPU, and a higher-quality screen, which makes it a better fit for more intensive use beyond general tasks.
Content Creation
7.1/10
7.4/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.1/10
7.3/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops
"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."
"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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" or the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 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.
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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