The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is more budget-friendly with decent performance for general use, a lightweight design for portability, and longer battery life. However, for those who need higher performance for tasks like engineering, 3D rendering, or gaming, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5, though pricier, has a more powerful processor, better graphics, more RAM and storage, a larger and higher resolution display with a faster refresh rate. Keep in mind, the Legion Slim 5 is heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less ideal for long periods away from power outlets. 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 Slim 5
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9/10
7.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
313.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has less RAM and a less powerful CPU than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5, which translates to moderate performance differences in general use; while the IdeaPad is lighter and has longer battery life, making it more suitable for portability, the Legion Slim 5 offers a higher-resolution and larger screen, a more robust build quality, and better heat management, thus making it better for more demanding tasks and multitasking.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has modest graphics capabilities making it suitable for lighter gaming and entry-level 3D tasks, while its screen has a standard refresh rate and satisfactory quality. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is equipped with a more powerful GPU and higher screen refresh rate, greatly enhancing gaming and 3D experiences, plus it has a superior CPU and better screen quality, though this comes at a higher cost and possibly reduced battery life.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
8.0/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is considered fair for engineering and design due to its entry-level CPU, basic integrated GPU, and standard screen quality, which may constrain performance in demanding engineering tasks. Conversely, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 offers better suitability for such tasks due to its more powerful CPU, dedicated high-end GPU, and higher quality screen, although it is heavier and therefore slightly less portable.
Screen Quality
6.4/10
7.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
313.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the IdeaPad 3's screen offers adequate resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks, but the Legion Slim 5 presents a clearer and brighter display, enhancing the user experience. In engineering and design, the Legion Slim 5's superior color gamut coverage allows for more accurate color work, while the IdeaPad 3's limited color range may be less suitable for professional color grading or detailed graphical tasks. With respect to 3D uses, neither laptop's screen excels due to modest refresh rates, but both provide sufficient resolution and panel quality to handle basic 3D viewing tasks.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has 7 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
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a price of $490 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 costs $1,000.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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
7.4/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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 Legion Slim 5 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 Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 acknowledges that a gaming laptop doesn’t have to be as thick as possible and can still ensure adequate cooling when the muscles need flexing. To this end, in the Slim 5 Gen 8, it finds a neat balance of refined, trimmed-down design that still lets its internals cruise (even above their max power ratings). Lenovo then added in some high-end build quality with an altogether excellent keyboard that’s useful for both work and play."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" or the Lenovo Legion Slim 5
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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