The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is a budget-friendly option with moderate storage and performance, suitable for general use like web browsing, office tasks, and light multimedia consumption. It offers a good balance between portability and battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE78 is a premium laptop with significantly higher performance due to its advanced processor and graphics, making it well-suited for intensive gaming, 3D modelling, machine learning, and demanding engineering software. It also has more storage and memory, but it's heavier and less portable, with a reduced battery life compared to the Lenovo. The MSI has a larger and better-quality display as well, which is ideal for tasks requiring detailed visuals. Choose the Lenovo for cost-effective, everyday use, or the MSI if you need top-tier performance for specialized tasks and are fine with a higher price and lower 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 MSI Raider GE78
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Best in class 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
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9/10
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
313.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The MSI Raider GE78 outshines the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use primarily due to its more powerful CPU and increased RAM, which contribute to faster and more efficient multitasking and overall performance. Additionally, the MSI has superior screen quality, with a higher display resolution and wider color coverage, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life than the Lenovo, making it less portable.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
9.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
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 MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The MSI Raider GE78 outpaces the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 in gaming and 3D applications mainly due to its higher-end Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, which delivers considerably more graphics power and better screen refresh rate for smoother visuals, whereas the Lenovo has a modestly powered integrated AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Vega 7 GPU and a standard refresh rate. Additionally, the Raider GE78's higher screen quality and better CPU contribute to a more immersive and responsive gaming experience, although it is heavier and less portable compared to the lighter, more compact IdeaPad 3.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
9.4/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is fair for engineering and design due to its modest CPU, adequate RAM, integrated GPU and average screen quality. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for these tasks, as it features a high-end CPU, substantial RAM, powerful dedicated GPU, and superior screen quality; however, it is less portable and could be noisier due to its advanced hardware.
Content Creation
7.1/10
8.8/10
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 MSI Raider GE78 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
8.5/10
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
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 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
8.6/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
313.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 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 has a screen that offers adequate resolution and brightness for typical tasks and web browsing, but its limited color gamut may not render the full spectrum of colors needed for precise engineering and design work. The MSI Raider GE78 boasts a high-resolution, bright display with a wide color gamut, making it well-suited for detailed design tasks requiring color accuracy. However, both laptops may not satisfy gamers or professionals in 3D fields due to lower refresh rates that can't deliver the smooth visuals needed for fast-paced games or fluid 3D animations.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 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
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
8.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 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
$4,386
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a price of $490 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
"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."
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" or the MSI Raider GE78
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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