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Updated August 22, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers a balance of performance and price, suitable for general use and gaming with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 2050 GPU. It has a 120Hz refresh rate, which is beneficial for smoother gameplay, and a decent battery life for its class. However, it's less portable due to its weight and thickness, and the screen aspect ratio is the standard 16:9, which might not be as comfortable for productivity tasks compared to the taller 16:10 aspect ratio of the LOQ 16i. On the other hand, the Lenovo LOQ 16i, while slightly more expensive, provides a larger 16-inch display with a higher resolution and a more productivity-friendly 16:10 aspect ratio. It also comes with more RAM, which will be advantageous for multitasking and more demanding applications. The RTX 4050 GPU is more powerful than the 2050, offering better performance for 3D rendering, gaming, and machine learning tasks. The LOQ 16i is also more portable with a slimmer design, though it has a shorter battery life compared to the IdeaPad Gaming 3. If you prioritize portability, a larger and taller display, and superior performance for demanding tasks, the Lenovo LOQ 16i is the better choice. However, if you're looking for a more affordable option with a longer battery life and are okay with a bulkier design and less powerful GPU, then the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 would be more suitable for you. 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 portability
Advantages of the Lenovo LOQ 16i
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.5
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo LOQ 16i is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.2
7.9
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo LOQ 16i and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for engineering and design, though the Lenovo LOQ 16i is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
7.2
7.2
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the Lenovo LOQ 16 for engineering and design, while the Lenovo LOQ 16 has a better screen for gaming and AI, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo LOQ 16 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
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good portability, while the Lenovo LOQ 16i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$549
$1,360
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a price of $549 and the Lenovo LOQ 16i costs $1,360.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Lenovo LOQ 16i 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.
Content Creation
7.4
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo LOQ 16i and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
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 LOQ 16i 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
7.2
7.4
The Lenovo LOQ 16i 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the Lenovo LOQ 16i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | Lenovo LOQ 16i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $1,360 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1.02'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.1 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.49" | 10.92" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 60 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 329 nits | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | 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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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 LOQ 16i
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | September 2023
"Gaming laptops with an RTX 4060 are available starting from about 1,000 Euros (~$1,060), even in 16-inch format. For the supposedly affordable Lenovo LOQ 16 (1,500 Euros, ~$1,591), the manufacturer particularly saves in the equipment and materials compared to the more expensive Legion series. In addition, the LOQ is slightly heavier and more bulky. What remains is anything but a laptop full of difficult compromises. Instead, this is a more than solid gaming laptop that focusses on the 3D performance.Q is slightly heavier and more bulky."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 or the Lenovo LOQ 16i
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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