Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i review
The Lenovo Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i ranks as the #420 laptops globally, achieving a LibraScore of 73. Across all metrics, this product stands out most for its #548-ranked features among 565 laptops. Consider the Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen 4 or Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Aura Edition, which offer higher scores while staying in the same price range.
Is it Worth it?
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i is a budget-friendly gaming laptop that delivers an impressive performance for its price tag. While it makes some compromises, such as poor color scaling and average battery life, it excels in areas crucial to gamers, including high refresh rates and respectable resolutions. The keyboard is also a highlight, offering a comfortable typing experience. However, the speakers are underwhelming, and the laptop's thermals can be loud during intense gaming sessions. Ultimately, the Gaming 3i is worth considering for those seeking an entry-level gaming machine without breaking the bank. With prices often dipping below $1000 during sales, it offers great value for its capabilities. If you're willing to overlook some of its flaws, this laptop provides a solid gaming experience that's hard to beat at its price point.
Build
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i's build is a mixed bag. The design is relatively cheap and finicky, with some rough edges. However, the build quality is decent, and it feels sturdy enough for daily use. The keyboard is a highlight, providing a comfortable typing experience. Ports are plentiful, making it suitable for multi-monitor setups. Unfortunately, the battery life is average, and the speakers are underwhelming, producing flat sound. Despite these drawbacks, the laptop's performance and thermals are respectable, allowing for smooth gaming sessions. Overall, while not perfect, the IdeaPad Gaming 3i's build provides a solid foundation for its intended purpose: delivering an entry-level gaming experience. A better alternative might be Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen 4, featuring a next-level build.
Display
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i's display is a mixed bag. While it excels in refresh rate and resolution, making it suitable for gamers, it compromises on color accuracy. The screen's inability to produce vibrant colors and nuanced details is disappointing. However, the high refresh rate and respectable resolution make up for this shortcoming, providing a smooth gaming experience. The display's brightness is average, but sufficient for most environments. Overall, while not perfect, the Gaming 3i's display serves its purpose as an entry-level gaming machine. It may not impress graphics enthusiasts, but it gets the job done for casual gamers. You may find Lenovo Legion 5i a better fit, thanks to its superior display.
Performance
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i delivers respectable performance for its price. The 12th gen i7 chip provides raw horsepower, making CPU-intensive games run smoothly at high settings. Games like Guild Wars 2 and Fortnite also perform well, with consistent 60+ FPS and 90+ FPS respectively. However, the 4GB vram limits the GPU's capabilities, causing frame drops in demanding titles. Overall, this laptop is designed to provide a comfortable gaming experience, not to max out graphics, making it suitable for entry-level gamers. If you’re after a better performance, Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5 could be the ideal option.
Battery and Charging
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i's battery life is average, with a maximum of 6.5 hours on low intensity activities. However, mobile gaming will yield around 1-1.5 hours. The 60Wh battery is not impressive in this regard. In terms of charging, the laptop comes with a standard 65W charger that can top up the battery relatively quickly. The power brick itself is compact and unobtrusive. Overall, the battery life is decent but not exceptional, and gamers may need to find alternative means to keep their device powered during extended sessions.
Connectivity
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i boasts an impressive array of connectivity options, including all the high-end ports needed for a multi-monitor experience. The laptop features a wide range of USB-A and USB-C ports, HDMI, and an Ethernet jack, making it easy to connect peripherals and devices. For an improved connectivity, Lenovo V15 Gen 4 is worth considering.
Features
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i boasts high-end ports for multi-monitor setups, a great keyboard, and a display prioritizing refresh rate and resolution over color accuracy. It also features decent battery life and respectable thermals, making it an entry-level gaming machine that delivers on its promise. You might want to check out Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen 4, featuring an upgraded features for a superior experience.
Support and Maintenance
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i's support and maintenance experience is decent, but with some caveats. The laptop's thermal performance is respectable, keeping its cool under sustained gaming sessions. However, the fan can get loud and noisy during intense activities, reaching levels of over 60 decibels. Battery life is average, lasting around 6.5 hours on low intensity activities. The speakers are underwhelming, but overall, the laptop's design focuses on utility for gamers.
Pros
1. The laptop has a relatively cheap design, but Lenovo gives you maximum utility with the gaming 3i.
2. The keyboard is great and essential for a comfortable experience.
3. The display focuses on what gamers care about most, which is a high refresh rate (60Hz) and a respectable resolution (1920x1080).
4. The laptop's general performance and thermals are quite respectable.
Cons
1. The design build is relatively cheap and finicky.
2. Color scaling on the display is very poor.
3. Battery life is pretty average.
4. The speakers are pretty underwhelming and sound flat.
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