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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is a budget-friendly option with a larger 15.6-inch screen, providing basic performance suitable for everyday tasks such as web browsing, document editing, and media consumption. It also offers a comfortable keyboard and good battery life for its price. However, it has a lower resolution display and less powerful processors, making it less ideal for demanding tasks. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, while more expensive, comes with a smaller but higher-resolution 13.3-inch display, a more powerful processor, and double the memory and storage of the IdeaPad, which are beneficial for multitasking, faster performance, and better visuals. Additionally, its higher build quality, port selection, and professional features like a fingerprint reader make it more suitable for business users or those needing a more capable device. It's also lighter and more portable, yet it doesn’t compromise on battery life. In short, choose the IdeaPad 3 if budget is your primary concern and you need a machine for basic tasks, or the ThinkBook 13s if you require higher performance, a better screen, and more professional features, and you're willing to invest more. 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 ThinkBook 13s.
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
- 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
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
- 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
336.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a basic CPU and RAM setup suitable for routine tasks, a lower resolution TN screen, and offers a fair battery life and portability, making it a reasonable choice for general use. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s features a more powerful CPU and double the RAM, a higher resolution IPS screen with better color accuracy, longer battery life, and excellent portability, which justifies its higher suitability for general use.
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is considered poor for gaming and 3D because it has a lower-end Intel UHD GPU and a display with a basic refresh rate and low resolution, providing subpar visual experiences for gaming and 3D applications. Conversely, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is rated fair for these tasks due to its superior Intel Iris Xe GPU and a higher-resolution screen, offering better graphics performance and image quality, though still not at the level of dedicated gaming laptops.
Engineering and Design
5.8
7.5
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" with an Intel i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a lower resolution TN display is not as well-equipped for demanding engineering and design tasks as the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, which boasts a much higher performance Intel i7 processor, double the RAM, and a higher resolution IPS display with better color accuracy. While the IdeaPad offers a larger screen size, the ThinkBook's superior hardware, smaller size, and better portability make it a more suitable option for such specialized work.
Content Creation
6.3
7.8
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
7.7
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
7.2
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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 has a lower resolution, less vibrant colors, and is not bright enough, which makes it less suitable for tasks where clarity and color accuracy are key, such as browsing, document editing, or multimedia consumption. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s offers a higher resolution and brighter display with more accurate colors, making it ideal for engineering and design work where precision in color representation is important. However, for gaming and 3D applications that demand quick image changes, neither laptop has a high enough refresh rate to provide the smooth visuals that are often preferred in these fast-paced environments.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has 8 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
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.6
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a price of $360 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s costs $1,000.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" | Lenovo ThinkBook 13s |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$360 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | 11.7'' x 8.3'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.75 lbs | 2.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.26" | 11.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.98" | 8.3" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1115G4 | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 35 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 336 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 3 | |
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."
Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chin | July 2021
"The best thing about the ThinkBook 13S is that it’s a good deal. Business buyers looking for ThinkPad-level performance and software without ThinkPad pricing will probably find the ThinkBook a solid option. While nothing about it is really spectacular, it’s certainly unusual to see the ThinkBook’s screen resolution at a sub-$1,000 price, and its performance will be more than adequate for most office tasks. The generous port selection, 16:10 aspect ratio, physical webcam shutter, and clear audio are certainly icing on the cake."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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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