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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 21, 2024·
When choosing between the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, consider how you'll use the laptop. The Lenovo is more affordable and suitable for everyday tasks like browsing the web, working on documents, and streaming video. The MSI, on the other hand, has higher performance for demanding activities like 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming, but it comes with a higher price tag. It also likely has a shorter battery life due to more powerful components. If you need a laptop that's easy to carry around, the Lenovo is lighter, whereas the MSI is heavier and less portable due to its larger and more powerful build. 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 Stealth 18 AI Studio
- 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
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.2
8.4
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 often comes equipped with more modest hardware and a display that's adequate for everyday tasks, making it lighter and offering decent battery life for on-the-go use. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts a high-performance CPU and RAM, along with superior screen quality, catering to demanding applications and better overall user experience, although it may be heavier and have shorter battery life due to its powerful components.
Gaming and AI
5.8
8.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" may struggle with demanding games and 3D applications due to its less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio excels in these areas because it is equipped with a high-end GPU and a screen designed for higher refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth visuals and gaming performance, though this usually comes at a higher price and may impact battery life.
Engineering and Design
5.8
9.1
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a less powerful CPU, less RAM, and a less capable GPU, which makes it less suited for the demanding tasks of engineering and design work; its screen quality also falls short for precision tasks. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is equipped with high-end performance components like a top-tier CPU, ample RAM, and a robust GPU, and boasts a high-quality screen that is essential for detailed engineering and design projects.
Content Creation
6.3
8.5
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.2
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.4
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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 not provide the clarity and vibrance needed for any use due to its lower resolution and brightness, which can affect the enjoyment of content and productivity in various tasks. The MSI Stealth, with a higher resolution and broader color coverage, offers sharper images and accurate colors critical for professionals in engineering and design who rely on precise color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the MSI's possibly lower refresh rate would not be as smooth for fast-paced visuals compared to screens designed with higher refresh rates that provide a more fluid experience.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
8.0
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a price of $360 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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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 Stealth 18 AI Studio 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 Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$360 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.75 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.26" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.98" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1115G4 | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
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 | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
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 Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
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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