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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is a more budget-friendly option with a large 17-inch screen, suitable for general use and has decent performance for everyday tasks. It's not a touchscreen, which might be a drawback if you prefer hands-on interaction. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, on the other hand, is pricier, but offers a more versatile 2-in-1 design with a 14-inch touchscreen, better performance for 3D work, engineering tasks, and stronger build quality. It also includes features like a high refresh rate screen and hardware ray tracing, making it ideal for creators and gamers. Both have similar storage, but the Surface Laptop Studio has more RAM for multitasking. If portability matters, the Surface Laptop Studio is lighter and may be easier to carry around despite its smaller display. 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 Studio.
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.6
7.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" with its AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and integrated Vega 7 graphics, while having a large screen, isn't as powerful and vibrant for engineering and design tasks as the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio which boasts a more robust Intel i7 CPU and a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU, providing better performance and a high-quality touchscreen with a flexible hinge suitable for design work. Additionally, the Surface Laptop Studio's higher resolution and color accuracy make it better for detailed graphics work, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the bulkier IdeaPad.
Screen Quality
6.7
8.0
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers an ample screen size with decent resolution and brightness, making it suitable for browsing and video streaming, which is typically enough for general use. For engineering and design, however, the limited color gamut can hinder the accuracy required for professional color work, despite its resolution being beneficial for detailed projects. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, with its higher resolution and brightness, along with a wider color gamut, delivers a more vibrant and precise visual experience for both general use and design tasks, although its lower refresh rate may not be ideal for the smooth visuals demanded by 3D gaming.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" both have good portability, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a price of $784 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers a solid balance for general use with a decent CPU, ample RAM, and satisfactory screen quality, but its larger size means less portability and it has a moderate battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, however, steps up with a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a high-quality, versatile display with superior brightness and resolution, though its higher performance components may lead to shorter battery life and it's generally costlier.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3, with its integrated Vega 7 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, offers modest performance for gaming and 3D tasks, proving just enough for less demanding games. Conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, despite its more capable Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 120Hz, still qualifies as 'fair' in gaming due to potential CPU limitations and the balance of portability with performance.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
7.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$784 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.49 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.71" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.79" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 45 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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 Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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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