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Updated January 10, 2024·
When choosing between the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, consider that the Lenovo often offers a little better value for its price but comes with a bulkier design, making it less portable than the Surface Laptop Go 3. The Lenovo's AMD Ryzen processor is well-suited for general use and multitasking, and may offer modest gaming capabilities, while the Microsoft's Intel processor with Iris Xe graphics is generally better for graphics-related tasks and offers a slight edge in portability and premium build quality due to its smaller and lighter design. If you require a touchscreen, the Surface Laptop Go 3 includes this feature, unlike the Lenovo. Battery life could be an important consideration as well since the Lenovo has a larger battery capacity, which may lead to longer times between charges compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop which is equipped with a smaller battery, although actual battery life will depend on usage patterns. 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 3
- Good for general use
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.1
6.8
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" with an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U CPU and integrated Vega 7 GPU offers adequate power for engineering tasks, paired with a full HD screen that is fair for design work; however, it's heavier and has a less premium build compared to the more portable Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which also provides fair computing performance with its Intel i5-1235U CPU and Iris Xe graphics, albeit with a lower resolution screen that could limit the detail seen in design applications.
Screen Quality
6.4
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
313.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, engineering and design, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a display that works well for basic tasks and engineering due to adequate resolution and brightness, but it falls short for gaming and 3D work because it lacks high refresh rates critical for smooth visuals. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a higher quality display with better color accuracy and brightness, making it suitable for general use and professional design work, while it still isn't ideal for gaming and 3D because of the limited refresh rate. Both laptops are not optimal for gaming or 3D as they don't meet the high refresh rate demand, which is essential to reduce motion blur and provide a more fluid experience.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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 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
$390
$797
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a price of $390 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $797.
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Key similarities
General Use
6.9
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
313.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 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 3 to be good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" offers a slightly larger screen with higher resolution, which might be better for multitasking and media consumption, but the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is more portable due to its smaller, lightweight design and also offers a touchscreen, which can enhance user interaction with the device. While both have similar processing power and memory, the IdeaPad 3 has a longer battery life, making it more suited for use without frequent charging, whereas the Surface Laptop Go 3, despite its shorter battery life, has a higher portability score and better screen color coverage, making it a potentially better choice for users on the go who need a vibrant display.
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.1
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 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both equipped with integrated GPUs that are suitable for light gaming and 3D applications, but won't provide the high performance of dedicated gaming GPUs. Both have the same screen refresh rate, which is adequate for casual gaming but may not be enough for fast-paced games; the Lenovo has slightly higher screen resolution and brightness, while the Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a higher quality display in terms of color coverage.
Content Creation
7.1
7.3
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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
7.1
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$390 | $797 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.8'' x 8.5'' x 0.78'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.1 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.76" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.49" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 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 | 337 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 3
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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.
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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