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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming or 3D and machine learning work and are on a budget, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, with its dedicated GPU, could be the better option, although it is heavier and larger. Conversely, if you value a lighter, more portable device with higher screen quality, better battery life, and greater performance for engineering tasks and general use, the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i excels in these areas but comes at a higher price. Keep in mind that the Slim Pro 9i also boasts a higher resolution touchscreen, excellent color coverage, and more RAM and storage, which can benefit content creators and professionals handling heavy multitasking and high-resolution media. 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
- The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i.
Advantages of the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
618.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i excels in general use due to its superior Mini LED screen with higher resolution for crisper visuals, a more powerful CPU, and ample RAM for efficient multitasking, coupled with its lighter weight and higher portability. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, while good for general use with a capable processor and decent screen, offers less RAM and a lower-quality display, assuming heavier weight and reduced battery life making it less optimal for on-the-go usage compared to the Slim Pro 9i.
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.6
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is only fair.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is better for gaming and 3D applications because it has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a less powerful RTX 2050 GPU and a lower screen refresh rate of 120Hz, which means it won't handle graphics as smoothly. The Pro 9i also benefits from a stronger CPU and higher quality screen, adding to its superior gaming and 3D performance.
Engineering and Design
7.2
8.9
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i outperforms the IdeaPad Gaming 3 in engineering and design due to its higher-quality CPU, more RAM, and more powerful GPU, which enable better multitasking and faster processing in demanding software. It also boasts superior screen quality with a higher-resolution Mini LED display for more accurate color representation and detail, while still offering a respectable balance in portability and lower operating noise.
Content Creation
7.4
8.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.3
8.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.2
9.6
15.6in
SIZE
14.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
618.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers a balance with decent resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks and engineering applications, but its lower refresh rate affects its capability for smooth 3D rendering. The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i excels with higher resolution and superior brightness, along with a wider color gamut, which enhances the experience for both general use and professional design work. However, like the Gaming 3, the Slim Pro 9i's lower refresh rate limits its performance in gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is crucial.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.5in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good portability, though the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.0
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$549
$1,600
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a price of $549 and the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i costs $1,600.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | Lenovo Slim Pro 9i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $1,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | 12.9'' x 9.6'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.1 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 12.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.49" | 9.64" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-13705H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3072 x 1920 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 329 nits | 618 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | 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 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 Slim Pro 9i
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PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | August 2023
"The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is an impressive laptop with a brilliant Mini-LED display, a powerful 100-watt version of Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, and excellent connectivity. Having run the Cinebench benchmark again, we were impressed with the CPU performance. That makes the Slim Pro 9i is an easy recommendation, especially for those who care about GPU and CPU performance. It’s also a fantastic choice if you frequently view HDR movies and games on your laptop."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 or the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
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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