If you prioritize a higher performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro is the better choice; however, it's also more expensive, heavier, and has shorter battery life, making it less portable. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is a budget-friendly option that's lighter and offers longer battery life, making it more portable and suitable for general use, but it lacks the high-end specs for intensive tasks. Choose the Legion 7i Pro for demanding applications or the IdeaPad 3 for everyday use and better portability. 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 Legion Pro 7i
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
313.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
469.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 7i Pro outperforms the IdeaPad 3 14" for general use because it has a substantially more powerful processor and significantly more RAM for handling complex tasks smoothly, as well as a superior screen quality with higher resolution and brightness, enhancing the user experience. However, the IdeaPad is more portable due to its lighter weight and has a longer battery life, making it more suitable for those who prioritize mobility and usage time away from power sources over raw computing performance.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
9.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
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
9.3/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i outshines the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel i9 processor, significantly higher RAM, and advanced Nvidia RTX GPU which vastly improve processing, multitasking, and graphic rendering capabilities; additionally, the Legion Pro 7i boasts superior screen quality with higher resolution and color accuracy, essential for detailed design work. However, the IdeaPad 3 14" is more portable and quieter under load, traits that may appeal to users who prioritize mobility and a less intrusive operating noise over top-tier performance.
Content Creation
7.1/10
8.5/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is good.
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
8.2/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is good.
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
6.4/10
8.7/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
313.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
469.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" offers sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, but its color gamut and refresh rates aren't well-suited for color-sensitive engineering work or the high frame rates required for immersive gaming. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i's display features a wider color range and better brightness, enhancing visual precision for engineering and design, yet it falls short for gaming because of its lower refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth, fast-paced action. Overall, both laptops have strengths based on usage, with the IdeaPad 3 as an adequate entry-level choice and the Legion Pro 7i as a premium option for professional creatives, while gamers may need to look elsewhere for optimal screen performance.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has 5 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has very 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
$1,960
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a price of $490 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i costs $1,960.
"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."
"Passionate gamers who want to play demanding modern titles with maximum details and don't mind spending the moolah will find the Lenovo Legion 7 Pro to be the right choice. The bright, sharp, and color-accurate 16:10 QHD 240 Hz display makes for an immersive viewing experience. The hardware is housed in a stylish chassis that feels premium and scores well in terms of workmanship and stability. Other aspects such as sound quality, input devices, and connectivity also seem to be near-perfect."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" or the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i
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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