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Updated January 10, 2024·
If performance is a priority and you engage in tasks that demand a capable processor and graphics, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 with its AMD processor and integrated Vega graphics could handle your needs better, although it's heavier and less compact, making it less ideal if portability is essential. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, on the other hand, offers better portability and a unique 3:2 aspect ratio display which some find better for productivity tasks but has less onboard storage and a less powerful processor. The Surface may also offer a somewhat better build quality and design, as is typical with the Surface lineup. If battery life is crucial, consider that the Lenovo has a larger battery capacity which could translate to longer usage times between charges. However, the lighter weight and smaller size of the Surface Laptop Go 3 might be more convenient for travel or moving from place to place. Both run Windows 11 Home and are similarly priced, so your decision should be based on your most important criteria between performance, portability, and specific feature preferences like screen size and aspect ratio. 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 Slim 3
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.1
6.8
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both only fair for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both considered fair for engineering and design due to their standard CPUs and RAM, which may struggle with highly demanding tasks, though they are adequate for entry-level work; the Surface Laptop's slightly superior screen and portability make it a better option for on-the-go use, while the IdeaPad's larger screen and discrete GPU may give it a slight edge in visual-intensive tasks, albeit at the cost of increased size and weight. Both laptops have decent keyboards and speakers, with the tradeoff being that the Surface Laptop Go 3 has less fan noise and heat but also reduced battery life compared to the IdeaPad Slim 3.
Screen Quality
6.4
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, and engineering and design.
If you're primarily using your laptop for everyday tasks like browsing the web or working with documents, a laptop like the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 with higher resolution and brightness offers clearer and more vibrant visuals. For engineering and design purposes, the same machine provides better color accuracy thanks to its wider color gamut. However, both the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and the Surface Laptop Go 3 are not ideal for gaming or 3D applications because they don't have high refresh rates that can provide the smooth motion crucial for these activities.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$390
$797
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a price of $390 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $797.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 offers sufficient RAM and a capable CPU for everyday tasks, with a larger screen that serves well for productivity and content consumption, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to the highly portable Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which has a better battery life and build quality, but comes with less storage and a smaller screen that might limit multitasking and media experience. Both laptops provide fair screen quality, adequate storage, and are decent for general computing needs, though you'll find Lenovo to be better for longer work sessions at a desk and Microsoft to be ideal for on-the-go usage with more frequent travel.
Gaming and AI
5.9
6.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are considered fair for gaming and 3D primarily due to the average integrated GPUs, with the former housing an AMD Ryzen 3 7330U Vega 6 and the latter featuring an Intel i5-1235U Iris Xe, which are sufficient for light gaming but not for high-end graphics-intensive games. Both have screen refresh rates capped at 60Hz, which is standard for casual use but less desirable for high-refresh-rate gaming that would benefit from smoother visuals.
Content Creation
7.2
7.3
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 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
7.1
7.1
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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 Slim 3 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$390 | $797 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.52 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7330U | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
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Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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