Is Lenovo IdeaPad 3 good enough for Students?

Lenovo is a brand that leads the market of affordable laptops by offering a blend of productivity and the latest technology. For students, Lenovo laptops have always been an ideal choice, thanks to their affordability and modern hardware. When it comes to picking the best laptop for students, the Lenovo Ideapad series is the line you must explore. If you are a student looking for a wide display, the IdeaPad 3 is the right model for you.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an economical choice for students who are on a budget but don’t want to cut short the basics. This 15.6-inch laptop features AMD parts instead of the Intel but comes with a promise of high-speed performance. Moreover, you would get a keyboard that is ideal for writing and taking notes during lectures.

Like most modern Lenovo laptops, it features an FHD display and SSD storage. However, to cut the price short, Lenovo has compromised in some areas: storage and memory quantity. Still, it carries enough “oomph” that can help you accomplish your projects and carry out your day to day tasks.

We have reviewed Lenovo IdeaPad 3 in detail to find out whether it is good enough for Students. So, if you are in search of an affordable student laptop, continue reading.

Specs List

Processor: AMD (Quad-Core) Ryzen 3-4300U / 2.7GHz Max. Turbo Speed 3.7GHz

Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) Resolution

RAM: 4GB Storage: 128GB SSD

Graphics: AMD Radeon RX Vega 5 Integrated

Battery Timing: Up to 8 hours

Weight: About 4.8lbs (2.2kg)

Operating System: Windows 10 S (64-bit)

SKU: 81W4006VUK

Design

The design of this budget laptop resembles other affordable models of the Lenovo Ideapad series. There is no glossy feel and its body lacks exclusive markings and other unique design features. The IdeaPad 3 features a sleek unibody chassis and the model we reviewed came in burgundy colour.

Coming to its build, the body is made of metal and plastic to cut the price while making it sturdy where needed. The metallic lid provides stability and can withstand casual knocks and bumps, whereas the rest of the body is plastic. The material is durable and looks like Lenovo has designed it keeping mind the needs of students.

We were able to open it with a single hand, it requires a little effort though. Upon lifting the lid, you’ll notice that the burgundy colour is extended to its keyboard deck. The keys and area around the display are however black with slightly narrow side bezels. Though, there is much space below the screen that looks a bit odd.

Display

In a short sentence, the display of Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is good for the classroom environment and study use. It delivers satisfactory performance and comes with a 15.6-inch wide display that features a 1080p FHD screen. Being one of the affordable Lenovo laptops, it lacks some modern features and doesn’t offer high-quality results.

The lack of anti-glare technology may affect your productivity under bright lighting or direct sunlight. Nevertheless, at its price, this is a sound display that is suitable for video lectures, online classes, and presentations. On the bright side, colours on this display appear bright and lively, thanks to Radeon RX Vega 5 graphics card. The maximum screen brightness on the IdeaPad 3 is 250 nits, which is average if we consider the industry standards.

Keyboard

The keyboard on the IdeaPad 3 is similar to other models of the Lenovo Ideapad series. It offers a comfortable typing experience without causing finger fatigue. This presence of a large display means you would get a full-size keyboard with a Numpad. Furthermore, the keys are curved, well-placed, but offer clicky feedback.

The key travel is less than the average distance of 1.5-2.0mm, as we notice its keys cover a distance of 1.4mm. The actuation force is 70g which we found ideal for writing and you won’t experience any lags.

Connectivity

The port selection is an area where Lenovo has cut the corners to save costs and to make it affordable. However, the company has covered all the basic ports on this model like other budget Lenovo laptops. Like many other Lenovo Ideapad series models, it houses a traditional USB 2.0 port along with two USB 3.0 ports.

Additionally, there is an HDMI 1.4 connection, an SD card reader slot and a 3.5mm mic/headphone jack for connectivity and communication purposes. For wireless connectivity, there is Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi 5 support that let the user connect with the world.

Performance

The IdeaPad 3 is one of the AMD-powered Lenovo laptops and features Ryzen 3-4300U with Radeon RX Vega 5 graphics card. For those who are not familiar with AMD CPUs, this one is equivalent in performance to the Intel Core i5-8259U processor. It is based on Renoir architecture and a high-speed CPU which is ideal for thin, lightweight laptops.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 could handle the computing needs of students from middle to high school. It can easily run web-based applications, light editing software and word processing programs. Thanks to its large display, you can work using the split-screen feature and watch diagrams in detail.

From online learning to presentations and watching movies, Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is good enough for students. The only drawback is that it can’t run heavy games at high settings and brightness levels. Otherwise, its performance exceeds its specs and you would get real value for your money.

Battery life

The battery life of this laptop from the Lenovo Ideapad series is below average. According to the company, you would get up to 8 hours of battery life when it is fully charged. But we know that laptops usually fall short from the claims and this one is no different.

We evaluated its battery life by running the Wi-Fi test and were able to achieve about 7 hours and 15 minutes on a single charge. Ignoring its potential, this is a decent battery performance which means you could accomplish tasks, take notes during lectures and will have enough juice left in your Lenovo IdeaPad 3.

Verdict: Is Lenovo IdeaPad 3 good for Students?

Yes! If you are a fan of the Lenovo Ideapad series and/or has previously used one, you would love it. It is arguably one of the best Lenovo laptops for students that you could buy at Laptop Outlet. High-end AMD components, large display and 1080p FHD panel are some of its best features that you would like the most.