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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming or intensive 3D or machine learning tasks, the MSI Bravo 15 with its stronger dedicated graphics card is better suited for your needs. However, if you prefer a larger screen and longer battery life for general use and do not need advanced graphics capabilities, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers these features at a more affordable price. Keep in mind, the MSI Bravo 15 is less portable due to its shorter battery life and slightly heavier weight. Both laptops have similar storage and RAM, support for the same operating system, and comparable build quality. 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 for software development
- Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Bravo 15
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Bravo 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
6.6
7.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI Bravo 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The MSI Bravo 15 is more suitable for engineering and design due to its stronger Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, facilitating advanced calculations and rendering tasks, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has an integrated AMD Vega 7 GPU which is less capable for such intensive work. Additionally, the Bravo 15 has better screen quality with a higher contrast ratio and refresh rate, enhancing visual clarity and smoothness important for design work, despite being less portable and noisier under load compared to the IdeaPad.
Screen Quality
6.7
6.9
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a better screen than the MSI Bravo 15 for engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Bravo 15 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers a large screen with decent resolution and brightness, which is comfortable for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, thus making it suitable for general use. For engineering and design, its ability to display a wide range of colors is beneficial, though not at the professional level; however, its lackluster refresh rate undermines its performance for gaming and 3D applications. On the other hand, while the MSI Bravo 15 also provides adequate resolution and brightness for daily activities, its fair color range is less optimal for professional design work, and its insufficient refresh rate detracts from a smooth gaming and 3D experience.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Bravo 15 has 6 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.
Cost
$784
$862
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a price of $784 and the MSI Bravo 15 costs $862.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.1
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and MSI Bravo 15 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a larger screen with better colors and contrast, making it more suitable for general use where screen quality is highly valued, whereas the MSI Bravo 15, while offering powerful graphics capabilities and a high refresh rate which might draw power leading to a reduced battery life, is less portable due to it being geared more towards gaming. Both laptops have similar CPU and RAM, but the Lenovo offers a balance between performance and portability with adequate battery life.
Content Creation
7.4
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and MSI Bravo 15 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
6.8
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" to be good for software development, while the MSI Bravo 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" to have good portability, while the MSI Bravo 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
6.7
The MSI Bravo 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" both have only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and the MSI Bravo 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" | MSI Bravo 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$784 | $862 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.49 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.71" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.79" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 45 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 267 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
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."
MSI Bravo 15
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LaptopMedia
Nikolay Palaozov | July 2023
"Overall, the MSI Bravo 15 C7U is a great gaming device for the masses that isn’t too pricey. The capable hardware (for the price range), the 144Hz display, and the comfortable keyboard are one of the things that should attract buyers who don’t want to spend a fortune on a new gaming laptop."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" or the MSI Bravo 15
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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