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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If affordability is a top priority, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" may be more appealing. However, if you're looking for a laptop with a more premium build and potentially better portability, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 could be worth the extra cost. Consider also the tasks you'll perform; for general use, the Lenovo might suffice, but if you require more robust performance, perhaps for professional applications, the Surface Laptop Go 2 may offer better performance. Additionally, the Surface tends to have a higher quality display, which might be important for media consumption. As for battery life, the Surface Laptop Go 2 typically offers long-lasting power, which could be beneficial if you're frequently on the move. Remember, though, that these features come at an added expense compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3. 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 battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Good for general use
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.4
6.9
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
313.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 outshines the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 due to its higher resolution and brighter screen, which enhances readability and media consumption. When it comes to engineering and design, the Surface Laptop Go 2’s screen displays colors more accurately, covering a wider color gamut essential for precise visual work. However, neither is ideal for Gaming and 3D as both have limited refresh rates, not offering the fluid motion required for an optimal gaming experience, despite the acceptable resolution and panel types.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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.
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Key similarities
General Use
6.9
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
313.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 to be good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" offers good portability with decent battery life but comes with a lower screen quality and less stellar speakers compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 which boasts excellent portability due to its smaller size and lighter weight, however, it compromises on battery life and comes with less storage capacity. Both machines feature sufficient CPU and RAM for general use, but the IdeaPad 3 has better heat management which could be a consideration if prolonged use is expected.
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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
6.5
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and integrated Vega 7 GPU, which may handle engineering and design applications but could be limited by its fair screen quality and color coverage. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 boasts a high-quality screen with better color coverage and is very portable due to its smaller size and lower weight, yet its Intel CPU and Iris Xe graphics might offer similar constraints in performance as the Lenovo for demanding engineering tasks.
Content Creation
7.1
7.1
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.0
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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.
Cost
$490
$495
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a price of $490 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $495.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$490 | $495 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.8'' x 8.5'' x 0.78'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.1 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.76" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.49" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 45 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 313 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marvin Gollor | February 2023
"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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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