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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize cost savings and basic tasks like web browsing or office applications, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" offers a budget-friendly option with sufficient performance for everyday use. However, if you require a laptop for more demanding tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering software, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro's higher cost reflects its advanced processing power, superior graphics, and a higher-resolution display, along with a more robust build that supports these intensive uses. 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"
- Good portability
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Pro 5
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.2
7.8
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
340.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.6/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 offers just enough performance for basic tasks with its lower-end CPU and RAM, adequate for general use; however, the screen quality might not be as appealing due to its lower resolution and brightness compared to the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, which boasts a high-resolution, brighter display and more powerful processor and memory, enhancing both work efficiency and multimedia experience. The Legion also has a larger battery which could lead to longer usage times, yet this also makes it less portable and more expensive than the lighter, more budget-friendly IdeaPad 3.
Gaming and AI
5.8
8.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good 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
8.5
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3's lower-grade CPU, minimal RAM, and basic integrated GPU are inadequate for demanding engineering tasks and design software, while its screen's lower resolution and quality offer less clarity and color accuracy. Conversely, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5's high-performance CPU, ample RAM, superior dedicated GPU, and high-resolution, color-accurate screen make it highly adept for engineering and design work, at the expense of being heavier and less portable.
Content Creation
6.3
7.8
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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
7.6
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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
8.0
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
340.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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 display lacks sharpness, brightness, and viewing angles due to its basic panel, making it less vibrant and clear for any use. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 offers a higher quality panel with better brightness and resolution, which renders it suitable for engineering and design work as it likely covers more color gamuts, essential for color-critical tasks. However, for Gaming and 3D, the Legion Pro 5 falls short on providing a high refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth motion and a more immersive experience.
Battery
5.0 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has 3.5 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.4
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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
$1,320
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a price of $360 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 costs $1,320.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" | Lenovo Legion Pro 5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$360 | $1,320 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | 14.3'' x 10.3'' x 0.97'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.75 lbs | 5.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.26" | 14.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.98" | 10.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1115G4 | AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 3.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 35 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 340 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | February 2023
"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."
Lenovo Legion Pro 5
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | July 2023
"It doesn't quite match its Legion Pro 7i sibling as an Editors' Choice winner, but Lenovo's AMD-powered Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 is a stylish, well-built gaming laptop with solid performance at both 1080p and its sharper native resolution. It's cheaper than some comparably equipped machines and better than some similarly priced ones. That's a recipe for success, even without its frequent availability of discounts or sales. A brighter screen and longer battery life would be nice, but even as is the Legion Pro 5 earns a solid recommendation."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" or the Lenovo Legion Pro 5
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.
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