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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is a budget-friendly option that offers basic performance suitable for general use like browsing the internet, using office applications, and watching videos; however, the display quality and processing power are limited. On the other hand, the MSI GE66 Raider is a high-end laptop with premium features, including a much more powerful processor, advanced graphics for gaming, 3D, machine learning tasks, and a higher-resolution screen, but with a higher price tag and less portability due to increased weight. The IdeaPad is a cost-effective solution for everyday tasks, while the Raider excels in performance-intensive environments but requires a bigger investment and is harder to carry around. 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 MSI GE66 Raider
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.2
8.4
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is fair for general use mainly due to its modest CPU, less RAM, standard screen resolution, and lower battery life, making it suited for basic tasks and lighter workloads. On the other hand, the MSI GE66 Raider is very good for general use because it boasts a powerful CPU, substantial RAM, a high-resolution screen, and better battery life, catering well to more demanding applications and multitasking.
Gaming and AI
5.8
8.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 struggles with gaming and 3D tasks because it has a lower-tier integrated GPU, which is significantly less powerful compared to the high-end Nvidia GPU found in the MSI GE66 Raider, which excels in those areas. Furthermore, the MSI has a higher screen refresh rate enhancing gaming and 3D visual performance, while the Lenovo's basic screen is designed for less demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.8
9.1
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI GE66 Raider is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a basic Intel i3 processor, integrated graphics, and a lower-quality TN display with a very basic resolution, making it ill-suited for demanding engineering tasks that require high-performance CPUs, powerful GPUs, and high-resolution screens. In contrast, the MSI GE66 Raider is equipped with a high-end Intel i9 processor, a top-tier Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, and a superior IPS screen with a much higher resolution, all of which are crucial for intensive engineering and design activities.
Content Creation
6.3
8.4
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GE66 Raider 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
8.4
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI GE66 Raider 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
8.2
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The MSI GE66 Raider has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering laptops for general use, the MSI GE66 Raider's high resolution and bright display provide clearer and more vibrant visuals compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3, whose display might be duller and less sharp. For engineering and design, the MSI's wider color gamuts ensure more accurate color representation, crucial for detailed graphic work, whereas the Lenovo's narrower color gamuts may not render colors as precisely. However, the MSI falls short in 3D gaming due to a lower refresh rate leading to less smooth motion, while the Lenovo's screen quality isn't suited for high performance in any of these specializations.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has good portability, while the MSI GE66 Raider has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
8.5
The MSI GE66 Raider 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
$3,199
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a price of $360 and the MSI GE66 Raider costs $3,199.
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Key similarities
Battery
5.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI GE66 Raider has 6 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and the MSI GE66 Raider compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" | MSI GE66 Raider |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$360 | $3,199 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.75 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.26" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.98" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1115G4 | Intel i9-12900HK | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 35 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 347 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.9/10 | |
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 | 6.3/10 | |
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 | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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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."
MSI GE66 Raider
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" or the MSI GE66 Raider
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.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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