lenovo series 3 gaming review
Lenovo's IdeaCentre 3 makes our current Editors' Choice-winning budget desktop look like a mid-tier PC, both in terms of capability and price. Shop Lenovo Gaming. It’s easy to dismiss the IdeaPad Gaming 3’s faults when you consider its price, but the reality is Lenovo could have done a better job here. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. It’s great that it includes a powerful processor and high refresh rate display, but without a better graphics card, those benefits go to waste. Neither are the brightest of displays, topping out at 250 nits, but the bezels surrounding it are minimal, and the colors and viewing angles look sharp. The IdeaPad Gaming 3 features a decent number of ports: two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, one USB 3.1 type-C port, as well as a 3.5mm combo audio jack, HDMI 2.0 and LAN. After playing Control and Tetris Effect for about an hour, it automatically switched to battery-saver mode at the 30-percent level, which renders most games unplayable. Please refresh the page and try again. If you’re shopping for a gaming laptop, you’ll find good specs like Intel’s powerful 10th Gen six-core i7 H-series processor, a fast PCIe-based SSD, and a 120Hz refresh rate display in many of the costly, high-end models currently available. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Lenovo is also offering two 1080p IPS panels for this model: a 60hz and 120hz display. If you’re shopping for a gaming laptop, you’ll find … It’s where you can toggle an option to automatically switch to performance mode when a game boots up (it puzzlingly is off by default, meaning gaming performance isn’t great without it switched on). The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i is a solidly built, fully featured budget gaming laptop, but its price is a bit too high for its graphics performance. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, As audio blasts from your IdeaPad Gaming 3, while you kick some serious butt in your favorite PC game, Lenovo claims you don't have to worry about overheating. Lenovo confirmed to me that both the RAM and M.2 SSD storage can be upgraded by unscrewing the bottom shell of the laptop, so at least you can remedy this issue yourself if you choose. With the Legion Series, Lenovo brings to you gaming laptops that are both affordable and yet powerful enough to run most of the gaming titles like FIFA, GTA V, Fortnite, PUBG, etc. Gaming 3 is also outfitted with Lenovo Q-Control 3.0, which uses machine learning to monitor tasks running in the background. While you wait for the IdeaPad Gaming 3 to hit store shelves, check out our best cheap gaming laptops list. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" Laptop, 14.0" FHD 1920 x 1080 Display, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics, Narrow Bezel, Windows 10, 81W0003QUS, Abyss Blue at Amazon.com. The Bottom Line The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i is a solidly built, fully featured budget gaming laptop, but its price is a bit too high for its graphics performance. 1. Unfortunately, this model suffers in the graphics department, perhaps the most important aspect of a laptop designed for gaming. Best for Gaming Impressive gaming performance in a stylish, convenient package. Despite this, it can run everything I currently want to play at a playable frame rate, so long as I’m willing to turn down the eye candy to maintain 60fps at 1080p. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, We check over 130 million products every day for the best prices, Best USB Type C accessories and cables in 2021. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 (14-inch) has a keyboard made for work and enough power for some fun, but the IdeaPad 3 is let down by a poor screen and relatively short battery life More gaming laptops have been surprising us -- namely the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 -- with record-setting longevity. Lenovo ThinkPad X230 Lenovo is poised to launch the IdeaPad Gaming 3 next month, which might be right up you're alley if you're a new PC gamer who's not ready to blow all your hard-earned cash on a premium gaming rig. Hi, thanks for choosing the Lenovo Legion Gaming Desktop. I cannot wait to test the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 on how well it can handle high-octane gaming experiences, especially when it comes to thermals. Laptop Mag is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Below you can compare the scores of Lenovo Ideapad 3 (15) with the default settings (left), and with the “Gaming and Web design” profile (right). Unfortunately, it’s pretty easy to mistake this app for bloatware, since it constantly hounds you about McAfee virus protection unless you either sign up or delete it from the hard drive. To use the IdeaPad Gaming 3, you have to agree to: Final tally: four mandatory agreements and 15 optional ones. © Just being able to run games isn’t quite enough to recommend this as the gaming laptop to buy — even if it’s aimed at people on a strict budget. Thank you for signing up to Laptop Mag. The next figure shows how well the display is able to reproduce really dark parts of an image, which is essential when watching movies or playing games in low ambient light. : https://dalportodev.com/giveaways Is the Lenovo L340 Still Worth it in 2020? But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. The IdeaPad Gaming 3 looks like a budget-friendly gaming laptop, but it’s not the worst offender. The clear sound that emanates from the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 speakers is powered by Dolby Audio. The IdeaPad Gaming 3 features a decent number of ports: two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, one USB 3.1 type-C port, as well as a 3.5mm combo audio jack, HDMI 2.0 and LAN. ... especially compared to some of 2020's best gaming hardware such as the 30-series graphic cards, but it doesn't feel that way in a game. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15ARH05 is a new gamer-oriented laptop with a 15-inch 120Hz screen, AMD Ryzen Renoir Octo Core Ryzen 7 processor, NVIDIA GTX graphics card and SSD storage. Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. See our ethics statement. It's a great laptop for anyone looking to get started with PC gaming without breaking the bank. Our online store includes all things under gaming such as gaming laptops/notebooks, gaming desktop PCs, gaming accessories & monitors and AR/VR accessories for true gaming experience. But you’ll also find all of that in Lenovo’s new IdeaPad Gaming 3, a machine that costs a bit less than $1,000 even at its most expensive configuration. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming is a truly affordable gaming laptop. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15.6" Full HD Gaming Notebook Computer, Intel Core i5-10300H 2.5GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB, Windows 10 Home, Onyx Black 4.3 out of 5 stars 5 You can snag the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 in two colors: onyx black and chameleon blue. The one I tested has a 120Hz refresh rate, though the less expensive options have a 60Hz display. 15.6-inch anti-glare screen is clear and crisp, and keyboard is backlit. It’s possible to buy a $919 configuration built with the slightly better GTX 1650 Ti, though not without dropping down to the slightly worse Intel Core i5 10300H processor. This includes Persona 4 Golden, Risk of Rain 2, more demanding games like Control, Hunt: Showdown, and the particle effect-laden Tetris Effect. The island-style keyboard also offers you 1.5mm of key travel. Giving away free Steam keys! The IdeaPad Gaming 3's footprint and the screen-to-body ratio have improved compared with the previous generation. In addition to the top-end Legion 7 and mid-range Legion 5, Lenovo will be launching the low-end IdeaPad Gaming 3 to round up the price range.The system will directly supplant the … The entry-level gaming notebook also features quick charging. As an observer who hasn't yet gotten her hands on the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 laptop, the Windows 10 Home-equipped device seems like a perfect mix of two machines: a productivity notebook that can meet your non-gaming needs and an entry-level gaming rig ideal for new gamers. For example: This is a particularly disappointing oversight, partly because it’s the bottleneck of this experience when it comes to gaming, and also because there are other gaming laptops at this price point that use the superior GTX 1660 Ti or RTX 2060 from Nvidia or the RX 5600M from AMD. Lenovo. Outfitted with up to a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 H-Series mobile processor, up to a 512GB SSD, 8GB of RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is for entry-level gamers seeking a portable device that meets the minimum requirements for smooth-sailing gameplay. We are pleased to hear the features and performance of the Legion Desktop are meeting your gaming and computing needs so well. Lenovo Legion Y545 - Performance and gaming The Y545's spec sheet reads almost identical to the Helio 300's, save for storage space. For portability, the IdeaPad Gaming 3 weighs 4.9 pounds, which would make your entry-level gaming rig a portable notebook you can lug around on your commute and travels. And after the success of introducing the Ideapad Gaming series last year, Lenovo is trying to hit harder than ever in 2020. Lenovo improved the gaming laptop's thermals by adding an extra heat pipe dedicated to the discrete GPU. Although we haven't tested this specific model ourselves, the combination of a Core i5 CPU and GTX 1660 Ti means this should be a great mid-range gaming rig, capable of … By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. The trackpad on the keyboard is 30% larger than its predecessor and is juiced up with Windows Precision Drivers for zippier usage as you whiz through applications on your IdeaPad Gaming 3. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. And when it comes to playing games like Minecraft and Fortnite, you'll get consistent, smooth motion that makes precision that much easier. NY 10036. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a great value for money entry level laptop that brings the latest 10th gen processors from Intel, and GTX 1650 and 1650 Ti GPUs. If you are looking for a gaming laptop for less than $2,000 or $1,000, Lenovo is just the brand for you. Both will shine to 250 nits of brightness. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. 2.8 gigahertz Quad-Core Intel i7 processor and 16GB of RAM offer solid gaming performance. The IdeaPad Gaming 3's blue-backlit keyboard features dedicated media keys, plus full-sized arrow keys and a number pad. I'll also be looking forward to finding out the IdeaPad Gaming 3's battery runtime in our real-world testing. See more of the games you love thanks to the Lenovo Series 3 's GTX 1650 graphics card. Best Brand for Gaming Laptops. Pop open the lid and you'll find a 15.6-inch screen with three-sided narrow bezels and a built-in 720p webcam, which features a TrueBlock privacy shutter -- a security feature that's typically found on more premium laptops. Starting at a low $729.99, you can snag the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 in May. This budget-friendly laptop is able to run most modern games at a playable frame rate, and if you’re looking for something that’s useful for getting work done on, it has a decent selection of ports, a responsive Windows Precision trackpad, and a full-size backlit keyboard with satisfying key travel. Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge, Lenovo’s IdeaPad Gaming 3 is almost a good $1,000 gaming laptop, The LTE-enabled Apple Watch Series 5 has hit its lowest price yet, Here are the best Amazon Echo deals right now, The Echo devices get discounted regularly, Here are this week’s best gadget deals all in one place, Save on Final Fantasy VII Remake and more, Here are the best AirPods deals you can get right now, Sign up for the Lenovo Legion 5 AMD review: A gaming laptop that nails the basics Reviews The Lenovo Legion 5 AMD with the newer Ryzen 4000 series mobile processor offers good gaming … A strong processor and fast SSD don’t make up for a weak GPU. You will receive a verification email shortly. Lenovo's IdeaPad Gaming 3i series is aimed at customers who are looking for the cheapest possible gaming laptop. So, what’s the catch? I’d probably go for that model if I was intent on getting this laptop, though. Value and Selection (14/15) Lenovo offers laptops in just about every category, taking care … If you just want to be able to play Fortnite, or some games in your Steam backlog, but don’t care about running each title at its maximum settings, you won’t be disappointed here. The IdeaPad Gaming 3’s design doesn’t stray too far from what you might expect for a budget gaming laptop. What’s more, getting to enjoy the glory of this laptop’s 120Hz refresh rate display was something I rarely got to do — and only after I made big sacrifices to visual features that I usually enjoy cranking to the max, like shadows, anti-aliasing, and post-processing. The IdeaPad Gaming 3 also sports dual thermal vents for better airflow. Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 3 Performance. The Lenovo IdeaPad L340 is a budget friendly entry level gaming laptop, but just how well does it perform in different games? The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a budget-friendly pick for new gamers. It also monitors your device’s thermals to control its fans and optimize battery runtime. Lenovo Legion Gaming Desktop Review. In terms of performance, the laptop started to chug when I pushed its 8GB of RAM to the limits with too many Chrome tabs and Affinity Photo projects. New York, Also, this is where you can update this laptop’s BIOS and other hardware that the Windows Update tool doesn’t target. Lenovo Legion Y740 Review: A Ray Tracing Desktop Replacement Lenovo's line of Legion laptops and desktops are designed for gamers, but one complaint levied … The line starts at $840 for a Core i5-based configuration with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU powering a 15.6-inch, 60Hz display. There’s also a 720p 1-megapixel webcam at the top of the screen, complete with a webcam cover if you want some privacy. When this laptop is plugged in with the included 135W charger, it keeps cool and relatively quiet. I reviewed the top-end $989 configuration that features Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1650 4GB graphics. To see what the Lenovo P1 Gen 3 can do, we put it through a series of resource-intensive tests when outfitted with an Intel Core i7-10850H (2.7 Ghz), 32GB of DDR4 3200 RAM, a 1TB Samsung PM981a NVMe SSD and an NVIDIA Quadro T2000 GPU (4GB GDDR5). I’d either hold out for a deal on a more expensive option or consider Dell’s new $880 G5 15 SE, which features AMD’s comparable 7nm Ryzen 5 4600H processor and superior RX 5600M graphic chip. No matter what activity you’re doing, you’ll be looking at the 15.6-inch FHD IPS display. Features NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti graphics and hybrid drive storage. Another option worth toggling is the Rapid Charge, which lets the battery charge to 80 percent in just an hour. Visit our corporate site. If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. Experience gaming like never before on the IdeaPad Gaming 3i powered by 10 th Gen Intel ® Core™ H-Series processors. The IdeaPad Gaming 3 didn’t raise much of a stutter while running my loadout of work applications, which includes running Spotify, Affinity Photo, Slack, and anywhere from 10-20 Google Chrome tabs in perpetuity. newsletter, Features that unlock better performance are off by default, Request for your region and keyboard layout, Privacy settings, including online speech recognition, find my device, inking and typing, advertising ID, location, diagnostic data, and tailored experiences, Add the device to your Lenovo ID for support, updates, and more, Screen: 15.6-inch FHD IPS panel with 120Hz refresh rate, 250 nits, Processor: Intel Core i7-10750H six-core 45W TDP processor, Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD (user-upgradeable), Ports: one USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 port, two USB Type-A 3.1 Gen 1 ports, one HDMI 2.0 port, Ethernet, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a proprietary charging port, one Novo hole for restoring the machine, Cameras: 720p 1-megapixel webcam with privacy shutter. Look out for our full review of the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 laptop in the coming weeks. It’s a hulk of plastic that, for the money, actually looks presentable and low-profile. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 claims to offer up to 8 hours of battery life. Plus, I’m not so confident about how it’ll hold up for games coming later this year, like Cyberpunk 2077 and PC versions of games made for the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles launching later in 2020. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Lenovo is now your destination for the latest computers, gear, and all things gaming. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. There was a problem. You’ll want to dig into Lenovo’s included Vantage software to get the most out of this machine. Able to render more of the scene at once, you'll be able to see your opponents far off in the distance. laptops and netbooks :: 3 series :: ideapad gaming 3 15imh05contentdetail - Lenovo Support US Lenovo IdeaPad 3 (15”) Gaming in-depth review Naturally, budget gaming laptops attract a lot of interest. Also, while connected to power, you can hit the Fn + Q keys to flip between the performance profiles at any time, letting you manually amp up the graphics card and processor performance. The Lenovo Yoga C740 is a slim, all-metal 3-pound laptop with long battery life that's a fine fit for office or school work. But each time I ran into some slowdown in a game, it served as a moment to reflect on Lenovo’s strange decision to pair a very capable processor and fast PCIe-based storage with this weak GPU. The design of the IdeaPad Gaming 3 gives off a premium notebook feel. The relatively small 45Wh battery was able to last around four hours with my batch of work apps, though as expected, it didn’t hold up for too long while I played games. In doing so, the company has opted for mid-range hardware from Intel and Nvidia.