If you’re looking for a laptop with 8GB of memory and don’t plan on upgrading it yourself, it’s advised to choose a 16GB model in dual-channel mode. With an Intel Core i5-11300H processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 dedicated GPU, 8GB of memory, and 1256GB of storage split between a 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD and a 1TB 2.5-inch 5400rpm hard drive, our Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i is equipped with all the necessary components. If you’re looking for a laptop with 8GB of memory and do plan on upgrading it yourself, our Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i has options for processors with up to Core i7-11390H. ..
The Core i7s are faster than the i5s, but they don’t offer as much performance difference as you might expect. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 can play most games at low settings and can get about 60 frames per second at 1080p depending on the GPU configuration. With high settings, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 will deliver a more consistent 60 frames per second or more than the GTX 1650. The RTX 3050Ti is just slightly superior to the RTX 3050, offering a maximum of a few frames per second more in graphically demanding games.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i review: Design
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is immediately noticeable due to its small weight. It feels like it weighs nothing at all, even though it only weighs 1.6kg (3.5lbs). And you wouldn’t hesitate to throw it in your bag on the way to work, the gym, or your neighborhood cafe. However, it isn’t too tiny; at slightly more than 32 x 24 cm, under 0.8 inches (2 cm), and with a 14-inch screen, it’s a respectable size for both work and play. ..
The plastic finish on the keyboard is deceiving, as it looks like metal. However, once you touch it, it becomes clear that it is plastic. This design may be popular among people who value appearances, but observers will be able to see the deception. ..
The keyboard is small and feels crowded. The keys are relatively close together, but they are at least pleasantly large. Typing is generally not a problem, but keep in mind that there is no number pad or backlight.
The built-in 0.3MP webcam has a physical shutter, a simple but useful feature that’s missing from even many high-end laptops, like the Latitude 9410 2-in-1. The touchpad is a good size (7 x 10.5cm). You can use Windows Hello to securely sign in if you’d like by using the webcam. Finally, even though the laptop cannot be opened with one hand, we were surprised to discover that the lid can be rotated a full 180 degrees, laying the keyboard flat on its back.
Keyboard and touchpad
Lenovo’s budget laptop is a good choice for people who need a laptop that can handle basic tasks and doesn’t have a lot of features. The keyboard is comfortable and the trackpad is responsive, but the laptop is not very light or thin.
Display
The device we received had a 15.6-inch FHD 120 Hz IPS panel for the display. Although FHD 165Hz and a 16-inch WQHD 165Hz display are options, 120Hz is excellent. We obtained an average brightness of 337 nits throughout our display benchmarks, which is not awful. The display received a good sRGB rating with 98.9% sRGB coverage. Even the DCI-P3 coverage was 75.4%, which is respectable for a cheap gaming laptop. ..
The Lenovo Legion Y530 is a budget-friendly laptop that sacrifices some of the features found on more expensive models in order to keep costs down. The video quality is poor, the audio is subpar, and the bass is almost completely absent. However, there are some good features included such as 1.5W speakers and a fast processor.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i review: Audio
The microphones pick up the voice more effectively since they are placed adjacent to the webcam rather than at the edge or next to the keyboard. The audio is of decent quality. The laptop must be on a horizontal surface in order to get an acceptable volume and sound quality from the speakers, which are located in the front end. The speakers produce average sound; there are no low frequencies, and they are overloaded with loud, multi-instrumental music. However, if you stick to watching movies and participating in video conferences, those activities will be sufficient.
Graphic and gaming
3DMark is a popular benchmarking tool that measures graphics performance. It uses gaming-style 3D graphics to measure how well a computer can render particles and lighting. The two tests it uses are Sky Diver and Fire Strike. Sky Diver is better suited for midrange PCs while Fire Strike is designed to showcase high-end PCs. The outcome of the test is an exclusive score. ..
The Superposition test, like 3DMark, renders and pans through a complex 3D scene while evaluating the system’s performance. In this instance, it is rendered using the Unigine engine, providing a different 3D workload scenario to provide a second opinion on the graphical prowess of each laptop.
The synthetic tests are useful for assessing overall 3D ability, but genuine retail video games are the gold standard for assessing gaming performance. Modern, high-fidelity games like Far Cry 5 and Rise of the Tomb Raider include built-in benchmarks that show how a system performs in real-world gameplay at various settings. We use the best and medium image quality settings for the games while running them at 1080p resolution.
The IdeaPad Gaming 3i is a laptop that falls short in comparison to other gaming laptops on the market. Its performance is good for gaming, but it is not as good as other laptops that are available for less money.
Performance
The Lenovo Ideapad 3i is a great laptop for the majority of tasks. However, we wouldn’t recommend using it for demanding business software or resource-intensive tasks like photo masking, video filtering, 3D modeling, or HD gaming.
The Lenovo Ideapad 3i is a powerful laptop that is perfect for routine tasks like responding to emails, browsing the web, watching YouTube videos, writing essays and reports, and using programmes like Google Calendar. While browsing the web, we had no trouble opening multiple tabs and never experienced any significant slowdown or crashes. The Ideapad 3i was content to run multiple streaming applications at once, including Netflix and Spotify. ..
Overall, our daily operations were not significantly disrupted, though occasionally websites with a lot of high-resolution images would take a little longer to load and software downloads would be slower than we were accustomed to on more expensive laptops. Also, Windows 10 Home is set up on the Lenovo Ideapad 3i in S mode, which is the system’s least processor-intensive setting. This limits you to only downloading apps from the Microsoft Store and using Edge for web browsing. Although you do have the choice to disable it, be prepared for things to move a little more slowly after that. ..
Battery life
Lenovo’s IdeaPad Gaming 3i falls short in battery life, with a claimed 7-hour runtime only lasting 5 hours and 32 minutes in PCMark’s battery test. Acer’s Nitro 5 outlasted it with 10 hours and 1 minute. Battery life is less crucial for gaming laptops that are typically plugged in, but the IdeaPad Gaming 3i would still be popular with gamers and non-gamers if it had better battery life. ..
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i review: Heat
We found that the IdeaPad Gaming 3i’s plastic casing caused it to overheat, even after streaming a 15-minute 1080p film. The keyboard and touchpad’s middles were also measured at 89 and 77 degrees, respectively. The machine’s lower back, centre left side, right in front of the air vents reached 105 degrees at its warmest.
Configuration options
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i 15 is available for as low as $585 after discounts. It has 11th generation Intel Core processors, an FHD display, a built-in fingerprint reader, and a USB-C port. Those changes will cost you extra money, but they can be well worth it. For more choices, see our list of the top Lenovo laptops.
Conclusion
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is a great gaming laptop that can also be used as a general-purpose home laptop if you don’t plan to be away from a wall outlet for an extended period of time. The Acer Nitro 5 is an even better gaming laptop that offers about the same performance, but it only has a 60Hz display. But the Lenovo IdeaPad looks and feels more upscale than the Nitro and Dash laptops, despite the fact that the former is somewhat less expensive and the Asus offers greater sound and longer battery life.
