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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is more budget-friendly with good performance for gaming, featuring a larger 15.6-inch display but with standard resolution and color coverage. Its AMD and Nvidia hardware is capable but less powerful than the more costly Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, which boasts a smaller, higher-resolution touchscreen that's better for creative tasks and premium build quality. The Surface Laptop Studio 2 also comes with significantly more RAM and storage, a more advanced Nvidia RTX graphics card, and a design favoring portability and versatility, making it excellent for intensive tasks, including 3D rendering and engineering software. Choose the Lenovo for budget gaming and general use, or opt for the Microsoft if you need top performance and can invest in a high-end device to accommodate professional creative or engineering needs with a highly portable form factor. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2.
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- 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
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 stands out with significantly more RAM and a higher resolution touchscreen that allows for flexible use as both a laptop and a tablet, making it very good for general use. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, while offering a larger screen and good portability, has less RAM and a lower screen resolution without touch capabilities, making it simply good for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.7
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 provides superior gaming and 3D performance compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 due to its higher-end Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card, which outperforms the RTX 2050 in the Lenovo, resulting in smoother and more visually complex gaming experiences. Additionally, both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, but the Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers higher screen resolution and quality, enhancing the visual detail and sharpness in games and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.2
8.7
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is superior for engineering and design use primarily due to its stronger CPU and GPU, significantly more RAM, and higher resolution touchscreen that can also serve as a drawing tablet, enhancing design work. While the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers decent performance with a capable CPU and GPU for engineering tasks, its lower RAM and standard screen quality limit its suitability for highly intensive workloads and design precision compared to the Surface Laptop Studio 2.
Content Creation
7.4
8.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
8.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
7.9
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 provides a decent display with adequate resolution and brightness, but may lack the sharpness and color quality offered by the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, which has a higher-resolution panel with superior brightness, delivering crisper and more vibrant visuals. In the realm of engineering and design, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 edges out with better color replication due to more comprehensive color gamuts, making it ideal for professionals who need precise color accuracy for their work. However, both fall short for gaming and 3D applications as they lack the high refresh rates required for smooth visuals, with the Lenovo facing limitations due to its poorer screen quality in comparison.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a price of $549 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
14.4in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.1 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.49" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 64 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 | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 329 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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