When choosing between the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, consider your needs and budget. The IdeaPad 3 is more wallet-friendly and relatively light, making it suitable for everyday tasks and general use, and it has a solid battery life. On the other hand, the ThinkPad Z16 comes at a premium price but offers a higher-quality OLED touchscreen, more powerful processor, increased memory and storage, and is better for demanding engineering tasks and creative work with its superior display capabilities. However, the Z16 is heavier and has slightly less battery life, which could affect portability if you're often on the go. Choose the IdeaPad for basic use and the ThinkPad Z16 if you need a high-performance laptop for complex tasks and can invest more. 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 ThinkPad Z16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
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
8.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
313.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
6.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a less powerful GPU and a lower screen refresh rate which makes it fair for gaming and 3D tasks, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 includes a more capable GPU and a higher-quality, sharper display which translates to a better experience in gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
8.4/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 outperforms the IdeaPad 3 14" for engineering and design use because it has a more powerful CPU, significantly more RAM, and a superior GPU, which are very important for such tasks. Additionally, the ThinkPad Z16 boasts a higher-quality OLED screen with better resolution, color coverage, and brightness, enhancing visual work, whereas portability and keyboard quality, which are somewhat important, are also better in the ThinkPad.
Content Creation
7.1/10
8.5/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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
8.5/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
313.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When choosing between the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 and the ThinkPad Z16, consider that the ThinkPad Z16 has a higher-resolution display that makes text and images clearer, which is essential for engineering and design due to the need for precision and color accuracy. Its superior color gamut coverage allows designers to see colors more accurately, a critical aspect for professional creative work. However, both laptops lack high refresh rates, which limits their effectiveness for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion is a key component of the visual experience.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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.
Build Quality
6.5/10
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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
$1,120
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a price of $490 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 costs $1,120.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" to have very good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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."
"Lenovo’s ThinkPad Z16 tries has some success in its effort to tweak the ThinkPad formula. The laptop is attractive, yet still tame, and material quality is on par with the best Windows competition. I also like the smooth, responsive haptic touchpad and the wide range of modern connectivity. Yet the Z16 doesn’t fix ThinkPad’s typical weakness: value. Starting around $1,550, and more typically near $1,700, the Z16 finds itself facing alternatives that have better performance or an improved display for the same price, or less."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
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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