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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers better performance for 3D, machine learning, and gaming due to its more powerful GPU, and it has a larger screen which is great for immersive experiences but at the cost of being heavier and having a shorter battery life. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14 is more portable, has double the RAM for smoother multitasking, and is slightly more affordable, making it a better option for general use and lighter workloads whilst being easier to carry around. 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 for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
- Very good portability
- Good speakers
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.2
6.6
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, with a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX GPU, is better suited for demanding engineering and design tasks; its screen is also adequately bright, with good color coverage which is crucial for design accuracy.
Screen Quality
7.2
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a high-resolution display with bright and clear output, making it suitable for everyday tasks and engineering software, but it lacks a high refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth visuals in fast-paced gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Modern 14 offers decent resolution and brightness for daily activities and CAD work, though it may not provide the wide color gamut professionals require for color-sensitive tasks. Neither laptop is ideal for gaming or 3D rendering due to the lower refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion and slower response times in visually demanding scenarios.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 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
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and MSI Modern 14 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers better performance for general use due to its superior CPU and dedicated graphics card, while the MSI Modern 14 excels in portability and battery life with a lighter build and more compact size, making it easier to carry and use on the go, despite having a less powerful integrated graphics solution. Both laptops provide ample RAM and storage for everyday tasks, high-quality IPS screens with full HD resolution, but the IdeaPad's larger screen and higher refresh rate may offer a smoother visual experience where the Modern 14 counters with a higher pixel density for sharper images.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.0
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers better gaming and 3D performance due to its Nvidia RTX 2050 GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 120Hz, compared to the MSI Modern 14 which uses integrated AMD Ryzen 5 7530U Vega 7 graphics and has a standard 60Hz refresh rate. However, the MSI Modern 14's higher screen pixel density may offer better screen quality, and its lighter weight makes it more portable than the heavier IdeaPad Gaming 3.
Content Creation
7.4
7.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and MSI Modern 14 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
7.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and MSI Modern 14 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
7.0
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and MSI Modern 14 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$549
$525
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a price of $549 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.1 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.49" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 329 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
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."
MSI Modern 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 or the MSI Modern 14
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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