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Updated March 22, 2024·
When considering laptops like the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 and the MSI Stealth, remember that the Lenovo generally offers a more budget-friendly option with ample screen real estate, suitable for everyday tasks and light productivity. On the other hand, if you rely on high-performance for tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI Stealth will better meet your needs, albeit at a higher price point. The MSI's premium cost is justified by its superior processing power, graphics, and build quality. However, be aware that with more power, the MSI may also have less battery life and be less portable due to its weight and size compared to the more manageable Lenovo. Choose the Lenovo for cost-efficiency and casual use, or invest in the MSI if performance in demanding applications is a priority. 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 MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3, with modest CPU and RAM, offers adequate performance for everyday tasks, comes with a large screen and is budget-friendly but trades off portability and battery life, making it less ideal for on-the-go use. The MSI Stealth AI Studio, in contrast, has a powerful CPU and ample RAM, ensuring smooth performance for more demanding applications, and features high screen quality while also being more portable, albeit typically at a higher price point and shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.1
8.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a less powerful GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, which limits its gaming and 3D capabilities in comparison to more specialized laptops. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, on the other hand, boasts a high-end GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, making it better suited for demanding gaming and 3D applications, though it may come at a higher price point.
Engineering and Design
6.6
9.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a modest CPU, RAM, and GPU setup adequate for basic engineering tasks, yet its screen quality is not ideal for detailed design work, whereas the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offers superior CPU, RAM, and a high-end GPU, combined with excellent screen quality, making it highly suitable for demanding engineering and design applications. However, the MSI model is less portable due to its larger size and potentially noisier operation, but it compensates with a better keyboard and speaker quality for an overall enhanced user experience.
Content Creation
7.4
8.5
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.4
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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 17" offers decent resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks and engineering software, but its standard refresh rate limits its appeal for fast-paced gaming or 3D work which requires smoother visuals. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio's high resolution and color accuracy cater well to professionals in engineering and design, ensuring detailed and color-precise outputs essential in those fields. However, the lack of a high refresh rate screen on the MSI makes it suboptimal for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion and quick image rendering are key.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
8.0
The MSI Stealth 18 AI 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
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a price of $784 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$784 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.49 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.71" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.79" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 45 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 6/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 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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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."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" or the MSI Stealth 18 AI 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 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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