When considering the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17", the main tradeoffs are screen size, performance, and price. The 15" model is less expensive and offers a smaller, more portable design, which may be suitable for users who prioritize carrying their device around easily. It has a basic display and processor that are adequate for general use. On the other hand, the 17" model is somewhat more expensive, comes with a larger screen with improved resolution, and packs a more powerful processor that can better handle intensive tasks, such as light engineering work or multimedia consumption. If you frequently work on your laptop for long hours and need a larger screen for better visibility, or you need more computing power for demanding applications, the additional cost of the 17" model could be worth it. However, its larger size may reduce portability, and it could be less convenient to carry around compared to the 15" version. 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 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17".
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
Good for general use
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
6.2/10
7.3/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is fair for general use due in part to its lower-quality TN screen and less capable processor, making it less suited for demanding tasks and less pleasant for media consumption. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is rated good for general use because it offers a better screen with an IPS panel and higher resolution, more powerful processor, and overall better performance, though it is less portable and heavier, which could affect its convenience for on-the-go users.
Engineering and Design
5.8/10
6.6/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a less powerful Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics, which may struggle with engineering software, while the 17" version has a stronger AMD Ryzen 5 processor and better Vega graphics, providing fair performance for such tasks. Additionally, the 17" model offers a larger, higher-resolution IPS display that enhances screen quality for design work, compared to the smaller, lower-resolution screen on the 15" model.
Content Creation
6.3/10
7.4/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
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
6.3/10
7.2/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
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
5.2/10
6.7/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the 17" IdeaPad ensures a more pleasant viewing experience with its larger screen and likely higher resolution, providing clearer images and easier multitasking capabilities, while the 15" model's smaller size and lower resolution can make for a less crisp and immersive experience. Engineering and design professionals would find the 17" favorable due to its potentially better color accuracy and wider color gamuts, essential for precision work, whereas the 15" may fall short in displaying true-to-life colors. Gamers, however, might find both lacking due to the lower refresh rates which result in less fluid motion, although the 17" could offer a slightly better experience with its probable modest improvements in resolution and panel quality.
Battery
5.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 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.
Cost
$360
$784
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a price of $360 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" costs $784.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" both have only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an enduring office notebook with a powerful Ryzen APU. Lenovo's office all-rounder easily handles office and internet applications as well as modest games - the Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM make this possible. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The emission values are okay, but the noise emissions should be lower under medium to full load. The relatively light notebook (approx. 1.6 kg) achieves practical battery runtimes of about 10 to 11 hours."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" defies expectations. Indeed, it is just a minor upgrade over last year. However, this doesn’t make the laptop any less terrific. It’s got a great performance, courtesy of the Ryzen 5x25U processors. In addition, you get a pretty good battery life. Perhaps, the 2-hour decrease in video playback, compared to last year is not great, but still, 10 hours of Web browsing and 7 hours of video playback is okay for 17-inch notebooks."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
100,995
Recommendations made
21,883
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.