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Updated March 22, 2024·
Choosing between the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 depends on your needs and budget. The IdeaPad 3 is more affordable, suitable for everyday tasks like browsing, watching videos, and light productivity work. However, if you need a laptop for more demanding tasks like business use, the ThinkPad X13 offers stronger build quality, better performance, and enhanced security features but at a higher price point. The ThinkPad also tends to have better battery life and portability compared to the IdeaPad, making it a good choice if you travel frequently or work on the go. 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 ThinkPad X13.
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.2
8.4
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 typically comes with lower-end CPUs and less RAM compared to the ThinkPad X13, leading to slower performance, which can make it less suitable for more demanding tasks. The ThinkPad X13, with its superior screen quality, longer battery life, and lighter design, offers a better experience for on-the-go use and continuous work, justifying its higher price.
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.7
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 both have GPUs that can handle lighter gaming and 3D tasks but aren't suited for demanding graphics; the refresh rates are adequate for casual use but not ideal for high-end gaming that benefits from smoother visuals. While both have competent CPUs and decent screen quality, they lack the cutting-edge processing power and display characteristics that avid gamers and professionals in 3D graphics might seek.
Engineering and Design
5.8
8.0
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" generally has a less powerful CPU, less RAM, and a weaker GPU compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, which limits its capability for demanding engineering and design tasks that require high processing power and graphics performance. Additionally, the ThinkPad X13 usually offers a higher-quality screen, which is better for precision work in engineering and design, while still maintaining decent portability and a robust keyboard, making it more suitable for professionals in these fields.
Content Creation
6.3
8.2
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very 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
8.1
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very 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
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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 15" likely has a lower resolution and duller display, impacting its overall quality for all use cases; for engineering and design, limited color coverage may hinder the accurate representation of visuals. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13's superior resolution and brightness, combined with better color accuracy, make it well-suited for general use and demanding engineering tasks. However, its likely standard refresh rate limits its appeal for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion provided by higher refresh rates is crucial.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 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
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very 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
$1,459
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a price of $360 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 costs $1,459.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" | Lenovo ThinkPad X13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$360 | $1,459 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | 11.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.75 lbs | 2.87 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.26" | 11.88" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.98" | 8.46" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1115G4 | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 8.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 35 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 321 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
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 ThinkPad X13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | September 2023
"The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 G4 has very good input devices, a wide array of security features and ports as well as 5G in the tested configuration. It is more compact and lightweight compared with its predecessor, and it has improved speakers and a slightly better webcam. On the other hand, the fan is more annoying and the performance is barely improved. The battery is worse as well, but this is primarily attributable to the OLED screen - if this aspect is important, buyers should choose the IPS Low Power LCD."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" or the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
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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