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Updated March 14, 2024·
If budget is a primary concern and you're mostly engaging in everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing, the more affordable Lenovo IdeaPad 3 could suit your needs well, despite potentially having shorter battery life and bulkier design than the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x. On the other hand, if you need a more robust and portable laptop with better performance for more demanding applications, and don't mind investing more, the ThinkBook 13x offers a higher-quality build and improved portability, making it a superior choice for business professionals or users frequently on-the-move. 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 13x.
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.2
7.9
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a basic CPU and adequate RAM, making it suitable for day-to-day tasks, whereas the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x, with its more powerful CPU and higher RAM, handles demanding applications better, and its superior screen quality, coupled with greater portability and longer battery life, offers an enhanced experience for users who need their device on the go. While both laptops have sufficient storage and decent keyboards, the ThinkBook 13x typically offers better speaker quality, quieter operation, and more effective heat management, justifying a higher price point.
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" may struggle with demanding gaming and 3D applications due to a less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x, with a better GPU and higher refresh rates, provides a more suitable experience for these tasks, although the screen size and quality are also factors that affect performance to a lesser extent.
Engineering and Design
5.8
7.9
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 often has lower-end CPUs, less RAM, and less powerful GPUs, which makes it slower for demanding tasks like engineering software, and its screen quality can be less crisp, impacting design work. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x typically offers better performance with higher-tier CPUs, more RAM, superior GPUs, and higher-resolution screens, suitable for detailed engineering and design tasks, though it may cost more and have a slightly less portable and noisier build.
Content Creation
6.3
8.0
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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
7.9
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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
8.2
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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 offer the vivid colors and sharpness needed for various tasks due to lower resolution and brightness, making everyday activities less visually stimulating. For engineering and design, the ThinkBook 13x excels by providing a wider color range, essential for precision in color-sensitive work. However, gamers and 3D designers might find the ThinkBook 13x lacking, as it doesn't have a high refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals in games and animation.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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
13.5in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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 13x 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
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a price of $360 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x costs $1,399.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" | Lenovo ThinkBook 13x |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$360 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | January 30, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | 11.6'' x 8.1'' x 0.5'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.75 lbs | 2.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.26" | 11.6" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.98" | 8.1" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1115G4 | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H | |
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 | 74 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 2880 x 1920 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 500 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 9.4/10 | |
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 | 1080p | |
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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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 Lenovo ThinkBook 13x
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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