If you prioritize saving money and can manage with more basic computing tasks, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is significantly less expensive and offers satisfactory performance for everyday use such as browsing and office applications. It has a lower resolution screen and a less powerful processor compared to the IdeaPad 5. However, if you require a laptop for more demanding tasks like editing or multitasking, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5—with its higher-quality display, faster processor, and larger storage—would be a more suitable choice despite its higher price. The IdeaPad 5 is also slightly heavier, which could be a consideration if portability is important to you. Additionally, the IdeaPad 5 has a more premium feel and additional features that the IdeaPad 3 lacks, making it better suited for those who want a more advanced laptop for intensive use. 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 5 15".
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
Good for general use
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.2/10
7.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
341.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 offers a decent processor and enough RAM for everyday tasks, but its screen quality and battery life are limited, which could be less satisfying for prolonged use or when viewing content. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5, while bulkier and slightly heavier, comes with a stronger processor, double the storage, a higher resolution and brighter display, and significantly longer battery life, making it a better choice for more demanding general use and multimedia experiences.
Engineering and Design
5.8/10
6.7/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
6.3/10
7.3/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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
7.3/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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
6.5/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
341.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3's screen may disappoint due to its lower resolution and brightness, which results in less sharp and dimmer images for everyday tasks, affecting the overall viewing experience. For engineering and design, its limited color range won't display colors as accurately, making it less suitable for tasks that require precise color representation. When it comes to gaming and 3D work, this laptop's screen has a slower refresh rate, causing potential motion blur and less fluid visuals, which can detract from fast-paced games or smooth animation work.
Battery
5.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 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.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$360
$690
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a price of $360 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" costs $690.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor for gaming and 3D because it has a less powerful Intel UHD Xe G4 GPU which is not suitable for intensive graphics tasks, and its display is a lower-quality TN panel with a standard refresh rate, adversely affecting gaming and 3D performance. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" fares better due to a more capable AMD Ryzen 7 5825U Vega 8 GPU for improved graphic processing and an IPS display with higher resolution and brightness, offering a more vibrant and clear visual experience suitable for such tasks.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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 5 is convincing due to its long battery life. The device scores points especially with its large battery and long battery runtimes combined with its low consumption. The CPU and GPU perform in the test as one would expect, and in line with what was familiar from the somewhat smaller 14-inch sister model, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
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.
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