When choosing between the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 and the MSI Stealth AI Studio, consider your primary activities. The MSI offers higher performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, and gaming, but comes at a higher price and may be bulkier, reducing portability. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is more budget-friendly, lighter, and could suffice for general use like web browsing and office applications, with generally longer battery life due to less demanding components. If your work involves intensive tasks or you need a very powerful system, you might lean towards the MSI. If your focus is on everyday tasks with mobility and cost as priorities, the Lenovo might be the better choice. 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 Stealth 18 AI Studio
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
313.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is more affordable and portable with sufficient CPU and RAM for basic tasks but has moderate screen quality and battery life; in contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offers a high-end CPU, abundant RAM, superior screen quality, and longer battery life, better supporting demanding applications and multitasking, which justifies its higher price and less portability. While the MSI leads in performance and display, it may also feature more robust storage, keyboard, speakers, and cooling, but could be noisier under load than the Lenovo.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
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
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a modest GPU and a standard screen refresh rate that can handle casual gaming and basic 3D tasks, while the MSI Stealth packs a high-end GPU with a fast screen refresh rate, delivering a premium experience for demanding games and 3D applications. The CPU and screen quality of the MSI are also superior, enhancing overall performance and visual clarity, which are less pronounced but still contribute to its excellence in gaming and 3D capabilities compared to the Lenovo.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
9.1/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3, while adequate for some engineering and design tasks, may fall short due to its less powerful CPU, GPU, and lower amount of RAM, which can limit the speed and complexity of work you can perform, and it has a less impressive screen quality which matters for detail-oriented tasks. The MSI Stealth, on the other hand, boasts a high-end CPU and GPU, more RAM for demanding software, and superior screen quality, but it's more expensive, heavier, and may have louder operating noise, which could affect its portability and user comfort during long work sessions.
Content Creation
7.1/10
8.5/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
313.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a decent resolution and acceptable brightness, making it suitable for daily tasks, but its panel type may not offer the best color reproduction or viewing angles. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts a high-resolution, bright display with a premium panel type, ensuring crisp and vibrant visuals ideal for detailed work in engineering and design, plus it covers a wide range of color gamuts, providing color accuracy required for professional tasks. However, both laptops have lower refresh rates, which means they're not optimized for gaming or 3D purposes, possibly resulting in less fluid motion and rendering compared to models specifically designed for those activities.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a price of $490 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
"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."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
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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