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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, being less expensive, offers a larger screen, a dedicated Nvidia graphics card conducive to gaming and graphic-intensive tasks but is heavier and bulkier, which affects portability. It's suitable for gaming and basic engineering applications. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is pricier, more portable with a lighter and thinner build, and has a touchscreen and higher-quality webcam and speakers. The ThinkPad's integrated AMD graphics suffice for everyday tasks but don't match the Gaming 3's performance for demanding 3D and machine learning applications. The ThinkPad has a longer battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go users who prioritize battery over gaming capabilities. 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 ThinkPad Z13.
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.2
7.0
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and ThinkPad Z13 both offer high resolution and brightness with appropriate panel types, which make them suitable for general use by providing clear and vivid visuals. Their displays cover a wide range of colors, essential for engineering and design tasks that demand color accuracy. However, for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion is crucial, their lower refresh rates do not provide the optimal experience that dedicated gaming laptops would offer.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has 10 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
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a price of $549 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is equipped with a solid processor and ample RAM, making it quite capable for a variety of tasks, including gaming, and its larger screen with good color coverage suits general multimedia uses. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 offers greater portability with its lighter weight and higher battery life, includes more RAM for better multitasking, and a sharper, higher resolution touchscreen that enhances interactivity and productivity for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.3
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
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
9.1/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, with its Nvidia RTX 2050 graphics card and a 120Hz screen refresh rate, offers better gaming performance and a smoother visual experience than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, which is equipped with an AMD Radeon 680M GPU and a 60Hz refresh rate, despite both being fair options for gaming and 3D. However, the ThinkPad Z13 might have better screen quality and a more powerful CPU, influencing its capability for less demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.2
7.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, with its higher-end Nvidia GPU and ample RAM, offers robust performance for engineering design and tasks that benefit from advanced graphics processing, although it has a standard screen resolution and quality. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has a clearer and sharper display due to its higher screen resolution and pixel density, combined with a capable CPU and integrated graphics, which suits engineering tasks well, plus it is more portable and has a higher-quality keyboard, enhancing its value for users who prioritize mobility and typing experience.
Content Creation
7.4
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
7.7
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.1 lbs | 2.78 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 11.59" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.49" | 7.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | AMD Ryzen 7 6850U | |
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 | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 51.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.3" | |
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 | 379 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 9.1/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
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 ThinkPad Z13
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Brian Westover | September 2022
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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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