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Updated January 10, 2024·
If budget is a concern and you plan to use your laptop primarily for gaming or demanding applications, the IdeaPad Gaming 3 could be a better option as gaming laptops typically offer higher performance graphics and processing power suitable for such tasks. However, if you are looking for a machine that is lighter and more portable for everyday use or work-related tasks, and are willing to invest a bit more, the IdeaPad Slim 5i might be more appropriate. The Slim 5i usually offers better battery life and a sleeker design but may not have the same level of performance as a gaming laptop for graphically intensive tasks. Consider what your primary use for the laptop will be to guide your decision. 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 Gaming 3
- Good overall display quality
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
- The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3.
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.2
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
315.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a display that excels in resolution and brightness, which benefits general use and engineering tasks, but its lower refresh rate isn't ideal for gaming where smooth motion is key. The IdeaPad Slim 5i offers adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and sufficient color accuracy for some engineering and design work, but falls short for gaming and design due to limited color range and sluggish refresh rates. Neither laptop is optimized for 3D applications and gaming, as they lack the high refresh rate preferred for those activities, although they can manage general use and less color-critical engineering work without issue.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good portability, though the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$549
$828
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a price of $549 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i costs $828.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
315.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.3
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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.
Engineering and Design
7.2
7.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 2050 graphics card and AMD Ryzen 7 processor, is well-equipped for engineering and design tasks that require strong graphics and computation capabilities, though it is heavier and has a standard screen aspect ratio and refresh rate. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i's lighter weight and higher screen aspect ratio with an Intel Iris Xe integrated GPU and Intel i5 processor make it suitable for less graphically intensive engineering work, offering better portability and a 16:10 screen for more vertical workspace.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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
7.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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.
Build Quality
7.2
7.6
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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 Gaming 3 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $828 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.1 lbs | 4.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.49" | 9.88" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i5-1335U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 56.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 329 nits | 315 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
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Dig into reviews and images
HT Tech
Robin Sinha | February 2021
"The device is made for average work loads and if your work has a lot to do with online browsing, using apps that are not power-hungry and streaming videos. The looks are really good and the device in itself is not a heavy one. And with Intel 11th-gen Core processor, you might sail through most of your work without complaints."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
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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