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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a larger screen and a significantly lower price, which may appeal to those seeking value for general use. However, its heavier weight affects portability compared to the MSI Prestige 15. The MSI, while pricier, offers stronger performance for 3D rendering or engineering tasks thanks to its dedicated Nvidia graphics card and more RAM, with the benefits of a lighter build for easier travel. Both have the same screen resolution and type. If your priority is high portability and performance for demanding applications, consider the MSI Prestige; if you prefer a bigger display and a lower price for everyday tasks, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 may suit you better. 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 MSI Prestige 15.
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.6
7.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The MSI Prestige 15 is better suited for engineering and design than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" because the Prestige 15 offers double the RAM and a more powerful dedicated Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU, essential for resource-intensive tasks common in these fields. Additionally, the screen of the Prestige 15 has better color accuracy and contrast, which benefits design work, while still maintaining a more portable form factor and longer battery life than the larger IdeaPad 3.
Screen Quality
6.7
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and the MSI Prestige 15 have similar screen quality.
For general use, both the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 and the MSI Prestige 15 offer screens with sufficient resolution, brightness, and a panel type that provides clear images and comfortable viewing. When it comes to engineering and design, these laptops' displays cover a range of colors well, helping ensure that the work on the screen matches the intended design outputs. However, both fall short for gaming and 3D applications, as their screens do not have the high refresh rates required for the smooth motion that these activities typically demand.
Battery
9.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 15 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" both have good portability, though the MSI Prestige 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.4
The MSI Prestige 15 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
$1,044
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a price of $784 and the MSI Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Prestige 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" suits general use due to its larger screen, comfortable keyboard with a number pad, and longer battery life, making it ideal for tasks where screen real estate and uninterrupted usage are important, despite being less portable and heavier. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 15, with a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, better screen resolution, and dedicated graphics, offers smoother multitasking and media creation capabilities, in a more compact and lighter form factor, though it sacrifices some battery life and screen size compared to the IdeaPad.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.3
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Prestige 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Content Creation
7.4
7.5
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 15 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
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and MSI Prestige 15 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 MSI Prestige 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" | MSI Prestige 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$784 | $1,044 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | 14.1'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.49 lbs | 3.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.71" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.79" | 9.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | Intel i5-1240P | |
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 | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 45 Wh | 82 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 298 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
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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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."
MSI Prestige 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | December 2022
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" or the MSI Prestige 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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