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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is slightly less expensive and offers a larger 17.3-inch screen, making it suitable for those who want a bigger display for multitasking or media consumption. However, it has less impressive graphics and processing performance compared to the Slim 7 16, which boasts a more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor, a more capable Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card, and greater RAM. The Slim 7 also provides a higher-resolution display, making it better for tasks requiring sharp visual details, like photo editing or gaming. It is more portable with a smaller 16-inch screen and slightly lighter weight, which is beneficial for frequent travelers or for those who carry their laptops around regularly. Choose the IdeaPad 3 if you want a larger screen and are okay with moderate performance, or go for the Slim 7 for better performance and portability at a slightly higher price. 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 17"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Slim 7 16.
Advantages of the Lenovo Slim 7 16
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.6
7.5
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 has a more powerful CPU and GPU, double the RAM, and a higher quality screen, which significantly elevate its performance and visual clarity for engineering and design tasks over the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17". Although the Slim 7 16 is slightly better for portability and has superior keyboard and speaker quality, both have relatively low operating noise, which is less crucial but still beneficial in a professional setting.
Screen Quality
6.7
8.3
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 and Slim 7 have adequate resolution and brightness, with the Slim 7 offering sharper clarity and more vivid colors due to its better panel technology which enhances the overall viewing experience. In engineering and design, the Slim 7’s wider color gamuts ensure more accurate color representation, which is crucial for detailed work, while the IdeaPad 3, despite its sufficient screen space, falls short in color precision. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops lack high refresh rates, which are essential for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals, making them less suitable for these specific tasks.
Build Quality
6.5
7.8
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$784
$1,440
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a price of $784 and the Lenovo Slim 7 16 costs $1,440.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers a large screen and ample storage for everyday tasks, with decent battery life and a comfortable keyboard, making it a solid general-use computer at home due to its size and weight. The Lenovo Slim 7 16" features a more powerful CPU, double the RAM for better multitasking, a higher quality display, and is more portable with longer battery life, excelling in general use both for on-the-go and at-home scenarios, despite being at a higher price point.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has an integrated GPU suitable for casual gaming and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, making it less optimal for fast-paced games, whereas the Lenovo Slim 7 16" features a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a higher 165Hz screen refresh rate, providing better gaming and 3D performance, especially for demanding titles. Despite this, both have capable CPUs and good screen quality, with the Slim 7 offering a higher resolution and touchscreen functionality, further enhancing its suitability for gaming and multimedia tasks.
Content Creation
7.4
7.6
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for content creation.
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
7.2
7.6
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
9.0 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim 7 16 has 9.5 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and the Lenovo Slim 7 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" | Lenovo Slim 7 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$784 | $1,440 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | 14'' x 9.7'' x 0.69'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.49 lbs | 4.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.71" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.79" | 9.68" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 9.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 45 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 500 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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LaptopMedia
Alex Iliev | December 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" defies expectations. Indeed, it is just a minor upgrade over last year. However, this doesn’t make the laptop any less terrific. It’s got a great performance, courtesy of the Ryzen 5x25U processors. In addition, you get a pretty good battery life. Perhaps, the 2-hour decrease in video playback, compared to last year is not great, but still, 10 hours of Web browsing and 7 hours of video playback is okay for 17-inch notebooks."
Lenovo Slim 7 16
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PCMag
Eric Grevstad | March 2022
"At $1,011, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Pro is a real bargain among full-sized laptops, with a handsome 16-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio touch screen, a speedy CPU, a comfortable keyboard, ample memory, and a roomy solid-state drive. It's not a blazing gaming rig or mobile workstation, but it doesn't pretend to be. Its biggest negative is that it may be hard to find—during our review, it sold out and was marked "Temporarily Unavailable" on Lenovo's site."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" or the Lenovo Slim 7 16
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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