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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" typically costs less and has a touchscreen, making it more suitable for general use and budget-conscious customers. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, while usually a bit pricier, is equipped with a better graphics card and higher refresh rate display, catering to gamers and those engaged in 3D rendering or other GPU-intensive tasks. 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 5 15"
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
7.2
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
341.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5, with its fair screen quality, makes a decent choice for everyday tasks such as browsing and document editing due to an adequate combination of panel type, resolution, and brightness that meets the needs of general users without excelling. However, for engineering and design work where precise color representation is crucial, its color gamut coverage is merely acceptable, limiting the accuracy needed for professional work. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers better color accuracy, crucial for engineering and design, but its refresh rate doesn't meet the high standards required for smooth visuals in Gaming and 3D applications, resulting in a less optimal experience for those specific tasks.
Battery
11.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good portability, though the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$690
$549
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has a price of $690 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 costs $549.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
341.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" boasts a solid balance between performance and battery life with an efficient CPU and sufficient RAM for smooth multitasking, topped with an impressive battery life that outlasts the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, making it suitable for longer work sessions without the need for charging. However, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, while slightly heavier and with shorter battery life, delivers better graphics performance thanks to its dedicated GPU and a high refresh rate screen, making it favorable for both gaming and tasks that may benefit from enhanced visual rendering.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.5
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has an integrated GPU which is less powerful than the dedicated Nvidia RTX 2050 GPU found in the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, making the latter better for gaming and 3D tasks despite both having fair performance in these areas. Additionally, while the screen quality and CPU performance are somewhat important, the superior GPU and potentially higher screen refresh rate in the Gaming 3 play a more crucial role in delivering a smooth gaming and 3D experience.
Engineering and Design
6.7
7.2
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 to be good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has an integrated GPU and a standard CPU, which are adequate for engineering and design but may not handle the most demanding tasks, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a more powerful dedicated Nvidia GPU and a high-performance CPU, making it better suited for intensive engineering and design applications that require greater processing and graphics power.
Content Creation
7.3
7.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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
7.3
7.3
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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.
Build Quality
7.6
7.2
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good 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 5 15" and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" | Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$690 | $549 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.2'' x 0.67'' | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.08 lbs | 5.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.18" | 10.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57 Wh | 60 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 341 nits | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | August 2021
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is convincing due to its long battery life. The device scores points especially with its large battery and long battery runtimes combined with its low consumption. The CPU and GPU perform in the test as one would expect, and in line with what was familiar from the somewhat smaller 14-inch sister model, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14."
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | October 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the most powerful RTX 3050 Ti laptops. If you disregard the mediocre quality of the case in terms of the material and workmanship, Lenovo has created a successful budget gaming laptop with the IdeaPad Gaming. Thanks to high TDPs and constant performance development, the Core i5-12500H and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti are able to show their full power, while in contrast, the (mostly slower) competitors deliver a better battery life. However, hardly any of the alternative laptops are able to reach the image quality of the Gaming 3. Most of the competitors are left behind in terms of the color space and brightness."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" or the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
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.
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