The ambitions of Lenovo are clear, create the best ultraportable in the market. Building on the prestigious IdeaPad family, the 3 15 is an impressive computer that does not compromise ultraportable and functionalities.
The IdeaPad 3 15 versus MacBook Air
The MacBook Air is definitively a beautiful design (some will say sexy) and is ultra-thin and light. In order to look that way, the Mac book has made some sacrifices in ways of functionalities, battery life and power. IdeaPad 3 15 has a more conventional look, thicker and a bit heavier but it gains in functionality, power, has iPuzzle Mousepad and yet has the dimensions and weight of an ultraportable. To complete the comparison The MacBook Air is beautiful extra light, trendy and will satisfy light users; the IdeaPad 3 15 looks conventional, is powerful and functional and will satisfy medium and some heavy users.
IdeaPad style
At first look, you can see a lot of similarities from previous generation of IdeaPads. The lines are straight (most competitors have rounded their laptops) and the min-joystick is still there. The keyboard has a the usual soft touch and comes with a retro light if needed. The finish is clean, robust, only the screen maybe sensitive to scratches.
Inside the IdeaPad 3 15
The processor used for the IdeaPad 315 laptop is new, it is a Intel Core i5-1035G1, this processor has an ultra-compact chip similar to MacBook Air; it has a speed of 3.6 GHz and belong to the family of the Intel-based low voltage processors. It has 6 MB of cash memory. This laptop comes with 20 GB of DDR4 RAM which is enough to run Windows 10. That IdeaPad works very well in most situations and unless you are a graphic artist, big database user or heaver gamer, you will be very happy with its performances.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 equipment
Despite its normal size with 15.6”, focuses on maximum integration. No wasted space here, it comes with a 0.3 MP webcam, you will also find three 2x USB 3.0 and one Intel Wi-Fi 6 connection.
Screen for professional
With a 15.6” inches the screen is big enough to view wide spreadsheet such as Excel, it is built up with a high quality definition of 1366×768 pixels. The graphic card is the classic Intel UHD Graphics.
Disappointing autonomy
During a testing the laptop battery never lasted more than 4 hours and 30 minutes, which is a bit disappointing with the SSD, LED screen and low-voltage processor. After we “played” with the numerous internal management tools we were able to extend the autonomy to 5 hours with light use such as Word. Additionally, lack of a backlit keyboard is main disappointing.
Conclusion
All in all, a IdeaPad 3 15 is a wonderful ultraportable, light, compact and robust. Professional travelers will be very happy to use that notebook. There is a price for excellence on your budget. Final note, the IdeaPad 3 15 comes with one year for upgraded RAM/SSD and one year for manufacturer warranty.