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Updated January 10, 2024·
If portability is a priority, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 with its lighter weight and longer battery life for typical usage suits everyday tasks and general use, although it has lower processing power and a standard display resolution. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, while heavier and with a slightly shorter battery life, offers significantly better performance for more demanding tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering, and comes with a higher resolution display. It's also equipped with professional-grade graphics and more ports, making it ideal for intensive tasks but less convenient for frequent travel. 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"
- Good portability
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is appreciated for general use due to its adequate processing power, suitable memory, good screen quality for daily tasks, lighter weight, and longer battery life, making it more portable and user-friendly for day-to-day activities. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, while also good for general use, offers significantly superior performance with a more powerful CPU, double the memory, exceptional screen resolution and color accuracy, though it is less portable due to its heavier weight and somewhat reduced battery life, targeting professional users who need top-tier capabilities even away from a power source.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" with its integrated AMD graphics is fair for gaming and 3D tasks due to less powerful graphics capabilities, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 features a dedicated Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU which is significantly more powerful, making it good for gaming and 3D work. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, but the ThinkPad's better GPU, and by extension, screen resolution, largely dictate its superior performance.
Engineering and Design
6.6
8.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is fair for engineering and design use because it has less powerful CPU and GPU, lower RAM, and a screen with lower resolution and color accuracy than desired for such tasks. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for these uses due to its high-end CPU, professional-grade GPU, double the RAM, and a superior quality screen, making it more suited for demanding software and detailed work despite being less portable and noisier under load.
Content Creation
7.4
8.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good.
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
8.4
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good.
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
6.7
8.2
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3's screen, with its ample resolution and brightness, makes it comfortable for general tasks like browsing and document editing. For engineering and design professionals, the IdeaPad 3's color coverage meets the basic requirements but falls short compared to the ThinkPad P16, which offers wider color gamuts necessary for precise color work. However, both laptops lack high refresh rate screens, which are crucial for smooth visuals in gaming and working with 3D applications, making them less ideal for those specific needs.
Portability
Good
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has very 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
$1,449
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a price of $784 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 costs $1,449.
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Key similarities
Battery
9.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has 10 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 17" and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" | Lenovo ThinkPad P16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$784 | $1,449 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | July 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.49 lbs | 6.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.71" | 14.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.79" | 10.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | Intel i7-12800HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 45 Wh | 94 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 569 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 ThinkPad P16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | February 2023
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" or the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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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