Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a gaming laptop that offers decent performance and features for a reasonable price. It is aimed at casual gamers who want to play some popular games at 1080p resolution without breaking the bank.
If you are a gaming enthusiast with tight pockets then Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 will be the right fit for you.
Let’s check out the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and see how it fares in terms of design, display, keyboard, performance, battery life, and more.
Review Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
Laptop reviews are based on many factors especially when it’s about to conquer the gaming world. I am here to show you the real compatibility of a Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3. Let’s see the quick information on a Lenovo Ideapad gaming 3.
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600H or Ryzen 7 5800H |
| Graphics card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, RTX 3050, or RTX 3060 |
| Memory | 8 GB or 16 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, upgradable to 32 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB or 512 GB of M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD, upgradable to 1 TB |
| Display | 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS panel with 120 Hz or 165 Hz refresh rate |
| Keyboard | Full-size backlit keyboard with numeric keypad |
| Touchpad | Large touchpad with integrated buttons and Windows Precision drivers |
| Ports | 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (data only), 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x headphone jack |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Audio | Dual speakers with Dolby Audio software |
| Webcam | HD (720p) webcam with privacy shutter |
| Battery | 45 Wh or 60 Wh battery, up to 9 hours of web browsing or video streaming |
| Power adapter | 135 W or 170 W power adapter |
| Cooling system | Dual-fan cooling system with multiple vents |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home or Windows 11 Home |
| Dimensions | 0.86 by 14.2 by 12.5 inches |
| Weight | 5.1 pounds |
| Price | $699.99 to $999.99 on Microsoft Store. |
Design and Build Quality
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a simple and sleek design that does not scream gaming. It has a matte black plastic chassis with some blue accents on the logo, keyboard, and vents. The laptop feels sturdy and durable, but also relatively light and thin for a gaming laptop. It measures 0.86 by 14.2 by 12.5 inches and weighs 5.1 pounds.
The laptop has a good selection of ports for connectivity. On the left side, there are two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, an Ethernet port, and a headphone jack. On the right side, there is a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port that supports data transfer but not charging or video output. On the back, there is an HDMI 2.0 port and a power connector.
The laptop also has a dual-fan cooling system that keeps the laptop from overheating during gaming sessions. However, the fans can get quite loud under heavy load, so you may want to use headphones or external speakers for better audio quality.
Display and Audio
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 by 1080 pixels) IPS display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The display delivers a relatively clear and smooth image quality for gaming and multimedia consumption. The colors are vivid and accurate, the contrast is decent, and the viewing angles are wide.
However, the display also has some drawbacks that may affect your gaming experience. The brightness is rather low, making it hard to see in bright environments or outdoors. The response time is also slow, causing noticeable ghosting or motion blur in fast-moving scenes. Moreover, the display does not support any variable refresh rate technology, such as FreeSync or G-Sync, to reduce screen tearing or stuttering.
The laptop has two bottom-firing speakers that produce decent sound quality for casual listening or watching videos. The speakers are loud enough to fill a small room, but they lack bass and clarity at high volumes. The laptop also has Dolby Audio software that lets you customize the sound settings according to your preference or scenario.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a full-size keyboard with a numeric keypad and blue backlighting. The keyboard offers a comfortable typing experience with good key travel, feedback, and spacing. The keys are also quiet and responsive, making them suitable for gaming or productivity tasks.
The keyboard also has some dedicated keys for quick access to some functions, such as volume control, microphone mute, camera privacy, Lenovo Vantage software, etc. However, the keyboard does not have any macro keys or customizable RGB lighting that some gamers may prefer.
The laptop has a large touchpad that supports Windows Precision drivers and multi-touch gestures. The touchpad is smooth and accurate, allowing you to navigate the screen easily and efficiently. The touchpad also has integrated buttons that are clicky and tactile.
Performance and Battery Life
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 256 GB SSD. These specifications are sufficient for running most games at medium to high settings at 1080p resolution with decent frame rates.
However, some games may require more memory or storage to run smoothly or load faster. Fortunately, the laptop has two RAM slots that support up to 32 GB of memory and an M.2 slot that supports up to 1 TB of SSD storage. You can easily access these slots by removing the bottom panel of the laptop.
The laptop also has good battery life for a gaming laptop. It has a 45 Wh battery (60 Wh on models with an RTX 3060) that can last up to 9 hours of web browsing or video streaming on a single charge. However, the battery life will drop significantly when gaming on battery power, so you may want to plug in the power adapter for optimal performance.
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Pros and Cons of Lenovo Ideapad 3
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Low price | 128GB SSD is cramping |
| Sufficient memory | Sluggish performance |
| Full HD display | Screen and keyboard need improvement |
| Wi-Fi 6 support | No USB-C port |
| Backlit keyboard | Average battery life |
Colors Offering
The colors available for the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 are:
- Coral Red
- Midnight Blue
- Blizzard White
- Platinum Grey
- Rose Pink
- Onyx Black
Customer Reviews
It might be possible you have trust issues that how you can trust me. Don’t worry I hunt the internet for you to explore the customer reviews. Customer reviews are crucial because they used it before and know the pros and cons of the thing. Let;’s explore some customer reviews.
The overall rating of the laptop is 5 star which mean that the Lenovo Ideapad 3 is fulfilling the needs of the customers and promises that the brand made to their customers.
80% of the customers are happy with the performance of the laptop as you see in the above picture it’s a perfect combo of gaming and work laptops.
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Final Thoughts!
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a good choice for gamers who are looking for a budget-friendly gaming laptop that can handle some popular games at 1080p resolution. It has a simple and sturdy design, a decent display, a comfortable keyboard, a smooth touchpad, and good battery life. It also has upgradeable memory and storage options to boost its performance.
However, the laptop also has some drawbacks that may affect your gaming experience, such as low brightness, a slow response time, loud fan noise, a lack of USB-C charging or video output, and a small SSD. You may also want to get 16 GB of memory instead of 8 GB to avoid stuttering or lagging in some games.
Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a good place to start your gaming journey, but you may want to look elsewhere if you want more features or performance for your money.