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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is often significantly less expensive than the ThinkBook 13s, making it a budget-friendly choice. It features a 15.6-inch screen, suitable for those preferring a larger display but it's heavier, affecting portability. With an AMD Ryzen 3 processor and Vega 6 graphics, it's decent for general use, but not ideal for intensive 3D tasks or engineering work. The ThinkBook 13s, while more expensive, offers a higher resolution screen, better performance with an Intel i7 processor and Iris Xe graphics, and is lighter – enhancing portability. It is more suited for engineering, 3D rendering, and heavy multitasking with its higher RAM. Both laptops have similar storage capacity and IPS touchscreens, but the ThinkBook provides a better overall build quality, battery life, and a backlit keyboard, making it a more premium option versus the more basic IdeaPad Slim 3. 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 Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for general use, though the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a more modest CPU and less RAM compared to the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, which includes a more powerful CPU and double the RAM, contributing to the latter's better performance for general use. While both have solid state storage and decent screen quality, the ThinkBook 13s also boasts superior screen resolution, longer battery life, and better portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, further enhancing its suitability for general use compared to the IdeaPad Slim 3.
Engineering and Design
6.1
7.5
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is better suited for engineering and design thanks to its more powerful Intel i7 processor, double the RAM, and superior integrated Iris Xe graphics, which can significantly improve performance in resource-intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.2
7.8
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is somewhat better.
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
7.7
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for software development, though the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is somewhat better.
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
6.4
7.2
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 may have a lower resolution or less vibrant display, making it suitable for everyday tasks but less so for activities needing precise color representation or visual detail. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s likely offers a higher resolution and better color accuracy, which benefits engineers and designers who require true-to-life color reproduction for their work. However, for 3D applications and gaming, where fast refresh rates are crucial to keep up with quick moving graphics, both laptops fall short, as they are not built with the high refresh rate displays that these activities typically demand.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
13.3in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
7.6
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
$650
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a price of $650 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.9
6.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkBook 13s to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s are fair for gaming and 3D applications because they both feature integrated graphics; the Ideapad with AMD Ryzen Vega 6 and ThinkBook with Intel Iris Xe, which are adequate for light gaming, but not for more graphics-intensive games or professional 3D work. Both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, which is suitable for casual gaming, but they may not satisfy hardcore gamers or professionals needing high screen refresh rates; the ThinkBook has a higher screen quality which is beneficial for better visuals in games and 3D applications.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | Lenovo ThinkBook 13s |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$650 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | 11.7'' x 8.3'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.52 lbs | 2.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 11.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 8.3" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7330U | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 336 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chin | July 2021
"The best thing about the ThinkBook 13S is that it’s a good deal. Business buyers looking for ThinkPad-level performance and software without ThinkPad pricing will probably find the ThinkBook a solid option. While nothing about it is really spectacular, it’s certainly unusual to see the ThinkBook’s screen resolution at a sub-$1,000 price, and its performance will be more than adequate for most office tasks. The generous port selection, 16:10 aspect ratio, physical webcam shutter, and clear audio are certainly icing on the cake."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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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