The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro.
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.2/10
7.5/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro stands out with better screen quality, more RAM, and a higher capacity battery compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" which has a lower-resolution screen, less RAM, and a smaller battery, affecting its performance and longevity. While both are suitable for general use, the IdeaPad 5 Pro's superior CPU and higher portability score complemented by a more robust build and quieter operation make it a more versatile and comfortable choice over the IdeaPad 3 15".
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
6.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is 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.
Engineering and Design
5.8/10
7.2/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" falls short for engineering and design use due to its less powerful Intel i3 processor, basic integrated GPU, lower resolution TN screen, and a smaller amount of RAM, which may struggle with demanding software and multitasking.
Content Creation
6.3/10
7.5/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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
7.4/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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
7.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro boasts a higher resolution and brightness which enhances viewing quality, whereas the IdeaPad 3 is less vibrant and sharp due to its inferior screen. When it comes to engineering and design tasks, the IdeaPad 5 Pro’s richer color gamut accurately displays a wider range of colors, essential for detailed work, unlike the IdeaPad 3 which appears more washed out and less precise. However, for Gaming and 3D applications where fast screen refresh is crucial, both models fall short, but the IdeaPad 5 Pro's better resolution and panel type may still provide a more visually pleasing experience despite the lower refresh rate.
Battery
5.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has 10 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 Pro 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
$1,162
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a price of $360 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro costs $1,162.
"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 Pro turns out a successful all-rounder that, aside from 3D applications, always strikes a good or very good figure. This begins with the elegant metal case that isn't particularly light but fairly robust, giving a high-quality impression. The input devices are also better than those of many competitors. Both the keyboard and the touchpad are attractive and comfortable. In addition, the performance of the Ryzen 5 6600HS is easily able to keep up with the Intel competitors."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
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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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
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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.
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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.