Lenovo has made some heavy updates to its mid-range IdeaPad Gaming 3 series for 2022, which includes two models equipped with the 12th-generation Intel AMD Ryzen 6000 series, each with a 15.6-inch and 16-inch option. It should be noted that the 16-inch option for each of the processors you choose has a 16:10 aspect ratio display with the option to go up to 2560 x 1600, like the Legion 5 Pro, which is more desirable because it offers more vertical space for browsing, games Or anything else you would like to do on your computer. The only thing they are not particularly great for is watching movies or TV shows, which are traditionally shown in a 16: 9 aspect ratio.
Although each of these IdeaPad Gaming 3 laptops looks the same in all CPU options, the specs are different in some respects internally. Ranging from Intel-based options, known as the IdeaPad Gaming 3i, each supports Intel’s Core i7-12700H processor to Nvidia’s RTX 3060 (105W total graphics power) or Intel’s new discrete graphics.
As for memory, this model supports up to 32GB of DDR4 3,200MHz RAM and up to 1TB of PCIe NVMe M.2 storage. It supports Thunderbolt 4 in all configurations, except the equipped RTX 3060, oddly enough. You can get the display in QHD resolution (2560 x 1440) with any of the sizes of the 3i, the smallest of which reaches a brightness of 350 nits, while the 16-inch screen can probably reach 500 nits.
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For AMD-based laptops, they can be configured with up to Ryzen 7 6800H processor, along with Nvidia’s RTX 3050 Ti (total graphics power of 85W). So the graphics get a little less attention here. The storage mode is the same, though you can get up to 32GB of faster DDR5 4,800MHz RAM in it. As you might expect, its USB-C port does not support Thunderbolt 4. Beyond the screens, the 15.6-inch version supports up to FHD, while the 16-inch model can support WQHD with the same display specifications as I mentioned above .
Apart from these differences, the 15.6-inch IdeaPad Gaming 3 and 3i share the same dimensions (thickness 21.8 mm, weighing about 5.2 pounds). The 16-inch models are 20.9 mm thicker and weigh about 5.5. pound. The 15.6-inch models will be available in gray or white, while the 16-inch option is only in gray. The base models of the 15.6-inch model include a 45Wh three-cell battery, with the option to charge a 60Wh four-cell battery if you get more power-hungry graphics. The 16-inch model comes with a 71Wh four-cell battery.
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With this specification in mind, any configuration that appeals to you looks like a big increase from the 2020 model I reviewed. Even compared to the newer 2021 models, the new model features finer branding, refined design, more CPU options, better graphics and better displays. A larger, taller monitor is a spec I’m happy to see dripping from Lenovo’s more expensive Legion 5 Pro series. But all this leads to slightly higher pricing.
The 15.6-inch IdeaPad Gaming 3i with Intel starts at $ 989.99 and will be launched in April. The starting price for the 16-inch model is set at $ 1,489.99, and Lenovo expects it to launch in June. As for AMD-based models, the 15.6-inch model starts at $ 929 and is expected to launch in May, while the 16-inch IdeaPad Gaming 3 will launch in June starting at just $ 1,139.99.