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Updated January 12, 2024·
When selecting between the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", consider the following: the Lenovo offers a larger screen and is significantly less expensive, making it a good choice for those who need a bigger display for general use and don't mind a heavier and larger device. However, the Microsoft Surface Laptop is more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, and it has a higher resolution touchscreen display. It also has more memory, which may be beneficial for more intensive tasks and multitasking. If you prefer a device that is easier to carry around and potentially more capable for demanding applications but don't mind spending more, the Surface Laptop could be the better option. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13".
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.7
7.2
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Lenovo IdeaPad and the Microsoft Surface Laptop have screens with respectable resolution and brightness, which make for clear and visible images, as well as panels that provide wide viewing angles and consistent colors, making them suitable for everyday activities like browsing and video streaming. Their screens also offer wide color gamuts, crucial for engineering and design tasks, ensuring that colors are accurately represented for professionals who work with visual content. However, for gaming and 3D applications that demand smooth motion, neither laptop may be ideal due to lower refresh rates, which can result in less fluid visuals during fast-paced scenes.
Battery
9.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a price of $784 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers a large screen and a full keyboard with a number pad for comfortable use, but its size and weight decrease portability in comparison to the more compact Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", which offers a higher-resolution touch screen and better portability but has half the RAM of the Lenovo, potentially affecting multitasking performance. Both have ample storage and capable CPUs for everyday tasks, though the Lenovo's battery life is slightly better, it's offset by the premium build and speaker quality of the Surface Laptop, which might also run quieter and cooler.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3's larger screen is hampered by a lower-quality GPU, suitable for less demanding games, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5's smaller, high-resolution touch screen and better GPU offer a crisp, more interactive experience for similar gaming and 3D use, with neither excelling in higher-end gaming due to both having standard screen refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
6.6
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to be good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 with an AMD Ryzen processor and Vega GPU, paired with a larger screen offers fair performance for engineering and design due to its lower RAM compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5, which with its Intel i7, Iris Xe GPU, higher RAM, and a high-resolution screen provides better detail and multitasking capabilities necessary for such tasks, despite having a smaller display.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$784 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.49 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.71" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.79" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | Intel i7-1255U | |
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 | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 45 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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