I bought one last month (Aug 2023) from MicroCenter Indy Grand Opening ($180). I got the low end version (4GB/128GB). Got it home, upgraded to 16GB/1TB, and put the 128GB drive back for emergencies. Installed Debian 11. Works well for what it is, and I'm using it for Ham Radio / Digital Radio, etc... Good piece of hardware, so far, especially for price to value.
I have researched laptops for 2 weeks looking to buy one and was totally confused. I was going to buy a new version Lenovo for around 600 plus dollars, but every review had some very negative things to say about the computer. Then I came across your review and a few others and I said who cares if it's a few years old with these specs. I am waiting for it to arrive, and I am sure I will not be disappointed. Use the computer for office type work at home, bills, network browsing etc. Thank you for your review on this particular model and the processor. I had it in my head that I was going to get an intel processor, but you changed my mind.
thanks, I spent days looking for a good laptop that I can invest in for work, and you did a great job making this video and providing all the info I needed (although mine is an i5 - 12th gen) to go and buy it. Your Video is very well made/edited/explained.
Hey there, Thanks for the detailed review of the Lenovo Ideapad 3 14-inch! It's great to hear your thoughts on this laptop. I appreciate the thorough breakdown of its specifications and features. It seems like Lenovo has done a good job with this model, especially in terms of its 14-inch form factor, which offers a nice balance between portability and usability. I agree with your assessment that the keyboard and display quality are crucial factors in a laptop, and it's good to hear that Lenovo has improved in these areas. The option to upgrade the RAM is also a nice touch for those who might need more memory down the road. It's a bit disappointing to hear about the poor speaker quality, but as you mentioned, using headphones can be a viable workaround for most users. The microphone options and smart mic settings sound intriguing, and I look forward to your separate video showcasing them. Overall, it sounds like the Lenovo Ideapad 3 14-inch is a solid choice for college students, travelers, and professionals in need of a compact yet powerful laptop. Your review has certainly piqued my interest in this model, and I'll consider it for my next laptop purchase. Thanks again for the informative review, and I'm looking forward to your future videos!
I bought the 15.6 inch ideapad 3, cpu is a lower tier r3 5300u, I got say it's a well around budget laptop, it has a lot useful features which normally don't exist at this price range, camera private shutter, backlit keyboard, fingerprint scanner, slim screen frame, m.2 ssd, the only downside is the TN display
Thank you!! Awesome review!! I need a 14 inch for studies and travel, that has enough in/out put and backlit keyboard, processing power for light spreadsheet and coding and good battery life. I can pass on having a MacBook or Razer (all due respect) lol this hits all the bullets. This is the one.
Great review. How does this 14"idea pad compare to Dell Inspiron 14"? Which other laptop in this price range would you recommend mainly for portability, business workflow and TH-cam viewing. Not gaming and TH-cam viewing? I have reservation on the fingerprint marks and grime it leaves on the computer.
I just got a black friday deal on the IdeaPad 3i 14" Windows 11 Home 4gb, 128ssd, Core i3 for $250 bucks new in the box! Score! I already ordered another 8gb ram for a total 12. 128ssd is enough internal as I use an external for the big stuff. My daily driver is a 17" Asus (LOVE IT!!!!!!). So the Lenovo is more for travel and donut shops.
I'm looking at buying the 15 inch version. Nice machine for the money. Main reason I'm buying this laptop is because it has the full size SD Card Slot. Otherwise I would have bought an Asus Vivobook 16 Oled. Yep.... I'm turning down an Oled due to the lack of an SD Slot. That's what happens when you don't cater to photographers!
Thank you very much for this impressive review, I just want to ask if the 4 GB one is good enough to handle college related tasks and If it is worth a of price 199£? This is the full name: IdeaPad 3i 14" Laptop - Intel® Celeron®, 128 GB SSD, Blue
The one I’m getting says it’s the 3i ideapad and I was wondering would it be able to run Minecraft? It’s i5 intel core and has 8gb of ram with 512gb ssd. It’s on Walmart for $460 with tax. Do think it’s a good laptop for just mainly school and Minecraft?
@@huckleberryhuber-rees9234 on an older version of Minecraft, yes you’re correct. But the newest version is harder to run on slow laptops. I want the newest version and not older.
"unless you want to use wi-fi in any room the router isn't in". I have an Ideapad from several years ago. I have to routinely check how to fix the problem and it looks like many people have the same issue with Lenovo. It's a great laptop and it has lasted me a long time but I have no idea what is going on with the wi-fi card.
Older Ideapads and Thinkpads had some issues with their wifi chips. Replacing the internal wifi card resolved the issue, alternatively buying a USB Wifi card for $20 on Amazon resolves the issue too. For what its worth we have not witnessed this same problem on newer Lenovos.
This is a great laptop, but never ever in my life have I knew a group of friends to sit together and watch a movie. Really on any laptop especially a 14 inch laptop lol. But OK. Maybe in 2004 whenever laptops were the “thing”. 😂🎉
New subscriber here. My laptop just broke. Literally like 2 minutes ago 😒 and I have a 8 page paper due Monday. YES, TOMORROW. I just ordered this for pick later on today all because of your review. Great job! And thanks for the information.
I've got an Asus TUF 15.6" 2018 (? maybe 2019), Radeon RX560X, Ryzen 5 3500U, 16GB RAM (added one 8gb stick), 256GB SSD, FX505DY-WH51. I'm looking for an upgrade and this laptop seems to be better in every way except the 15.6" screen. I'm a web developer. Would you recommend changing for the Lenovo one?
The Lenovo would be a fine laptop for web development! 14" is a sweet spot for screens, of course 15.6" is a little bigger, but nevertheless I dont think you'll yearn too bad for screen realestate with the 14".
@@ComputerStuff Thanks for the fast and kind response! Just one more question: would I miss anything else apart from the size? Also, do you have any other recommendation for a laptop for web development and light gaming, specially old games?
@@rodrigorivera1304 I dont think you'll miss anything else and for old games this should run those no problem. The biggest take away is that this isn't a gaming computer, so no RDR2 at max settings, but you could do minecraft and Fortnite and things without too much issue. If you intend on getting into any kind of serious gaming you'll want to look for something with a dedicated Nvidia or AMD graphics card.
Ideapad 3, 1 and other Lenovo branded laptops (without any Sub-Branding like Ideapad) are not worth anyone's money IMHO. Ideapad 5 / Yoga 6 is the lowest I am comfortable recommending for my friends and colleagues, below this price point, buying a last year's used/refurb laptop is the way to go.
@@biegebythesea6775 Brands within a brand. Each big brand has 10-20 smaller laptop brands which are "sub-brands" each including 3-10 models. Apple MacBook is like a laptop sub-brand in of itself, whereas Lenovo is a parent company to multiple sub-brands like Ideapad, Yoga, Thinkpad, Tab and Legion.
Thanks for this review. I went out and bought a 14" IdeaPad 3 the day after watching and I am totally impressed.
Great to hear! Enjoy, Peter!
Does it run roblox without lag?
Are you still impreessed? Thinking of buying it
@@ashy944 LOL. What is "roblox"?
@@ashy944 im pretty sure it does :D
I bought one last month (Aug 2023) from MicroCenter Indy Grand Opening ($180). I got the low end version (4GB/128GB). Got it home, upgraded to 16GB/1TB, and put the 128GB drive back for emergencies. Installed Debian 11. Works well for what it is, and I'm using it for Ham Radio / Digital Radio, etc... Good piece of hardware, so far, especially for price to value.
Glad to hear you're having a good experience with it!
I have researched laptops for 2 weeks looking to buy one and was totally confused. I was going to buy a new version Lenovo for around 600 plus dollars, but every review had some very negative things to say about the computer. Then I came across your review and a few others and I said who cares if it's a few years old with these specs. I am waiting for it to arrive, and I am sure I will not be disappointed. Use the computer for office type work at home, bills, network browsing etc. Thank you for your review on this particular model and the processor. I had it in my head that I was going to get an intel processor, but you changed my mind.
Glad to hear it helped with the buying process! Have a great day Dorrie!
thanks, I spent days looking for a good laptop that I can invest in for work, and you did a great job making this video and providing all the info I needed (although mine is an i5 - 12th gen) to go and buy it. Your Video is very well made/edited/explained.
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!
Hey there,
Thanks for the detailed review of the Lenovo Ideapad 3 14-inch! It's great to hear your thoughts on this laptop. I appreciate the thorough breakdown of its specifications and features. It seems like Lenovo has done a good job with this model, especially in terms of its 14-inch form factor, which offers a nice balance between portability and usability.
I agree with your assessment that the keyboard and display quality are crucial factors in a laptop, and it's good to hear that Lenovo has improved in these areas. The option to upgrade the RAM is also a nice touch for those who might need more memory down the road.
It's a bit disappointing to hear about the poor speaker quality, but as you mentioned, using headphones can be a viable workaround for most users. The microphone options and smart mic settings sound intriguing, and I look forward to your separate video showcasing them.
Overall, it sounds like the Lenovo Ideapad 3 14-inch is a solid choice for college students, travelers, and professionals in need of a compact yet powerful laptop. Your review has certainly piqued my interest in this model, and I'll consider it for my next laptop purchase.
Thanks again for the informative review, and I'm looking forward to your future videos!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Excellent Review, I've just ordered one myself. Thank you so much.
Hope you enjoy it!
I bought the 15.6 inch ideapad 3, cpu is a lower tier r3 5300u, I got say it's a well around budget laptop, it has a lot useful features which normally don't exist at this price range, camera private shutter, backlit keyboard, fingerprint scanner, slim screen frame, m.2 ssd, the only downside is the TN display
His tn panel is that bad ?
For the price point at any tier, you just cant beat Lenovo and Asus.
Great review, very thorough, and super helpful.. Thumbs Up..
Much appreciated!
Thank you!! Awesome review!! I need a 14 inch for studies and travel, that has enough in/out put and backlit keyboard, processing power for light spreadsheet and coding and good battery life. I can pass on having a MacBook or Razer (all due respect) lol this hits all the bullets. This is the one.
Glad to hear! Enjoy the laptop. Loving the 14" form factor.
underrated ytbr
Thanks Atomicman!
Great review. How does this 14"idea pad compare to Dell Inspiron 14"? Which other laptop in this price range would you recommend mainly for portability, business workflow and TH-cam viewing. Not gaming and TH-cam viewing? I have reservation on the fingerprint marks and grime it leaves on the computer.
Thankyou for your video , I need a laptop for zoom and this laptop is on sale right now :)
Great choice!
I bought this laptop today from amazon for 379$ prime day deal
Especially apple, put the usb slot back on .
USB Type A?
@@ComputerStuff yeah.
I just got a black friday deal on the IdeaPad 3i 14" Windows 11 Home 4gb, 128ssd, Core i3 for $250 bucks new in the box! Score! I already ordered another 8gb ram for a total 12. 128ssd is enough internal as I use an external for the big stuff. My daily driver is a 17" Asus (LOVE IT!!!!!!). So the Lenovo is more for travel and donut shops.
Awesome video,how quick does it load ( as in from switch on to able to use browser )up from when you switch it on,
If computer is in sleep, almost instantly. But if cold start up, maybe 20 seconds.
Hey could you tell us the model number? The other 14" IdeaPad on Amazon could only take a max of 12 GB 🐏. Thanks.
Amazinh thanks
Emulation IS GREAT on the 5500U !
Is this still one of the best 2 years later?
My preferred 14" now is the Dell Inspiron 14
I'm looking at buying the 15 inch version. Nice machine for the money. Main reason I'm buying this laptop is because it has the full size SD Card Slot. Otherwise I would have bought an Asus Vivobook 16 Oled. Yep.... I'm turning down an Oled due to the lack of an SD Slot. That's what happens when you don't cater to photographers!
Fair enough!
You should do a review on the computer in the back 😋😉😊
hah! It caught fire a few years ago when we were running a demo on it. Stunk the office up something fierce!
@@ComputerStuff That's truly a shame 😅😉
Witch model is this one?
What is the model number?
What is the model number
Good for day trading/crypto?
Yes 100%
Found the version with Ryzen 5 and 512 SSD for $249. Worth it in May 24 ?
Yes not bad price.
Do you think this will be good for software engineering courses in University?
Yes!
I REALLY WANTED TO SEE THE BACK-LIT KEYBOARD, BUT YOU DIDN'T REALLY SHOW.
DO THE ACTUAL "LETTERS" LIGHT UP??
OR...JUST BEHIND THE SQUARE KEYPAD?
SQUARE BEHIND THE KEYPAD!!!!!!
@@ComputerStuff - Thank you!
They should make the "letters" lite up too! 👍
No, that makes too much common sense.🤔 😂
What do you think about Music production on this?
I think it would be just fine for that!
Thank you very much for this impressive review, I just want to ask if the 4 GB one is good enough to handle college related tasks and If it is worth a of price 199£?
This is the full name:
IdeaPad 3i 14" Laptop - Intel® Celeron®, 128 GB SSD, Blue
I'd probably bump to 8GB if you're using for college.
This machine Vs Toshiba dynabook c50 j which is better
This
Since u said the speakers are bad
Is it still bad if u mainly use earbuds or headphones?
Not at all, if you're using earbuds or headphones you'll be fine!
@@ComputerStuff is it good for gaming too?
Anything behind 2016
Stuff like indie games and valve games from steam
@@Toro563 Yes I dont see why it wouldn't run those types of games just fine.
@@ComputerStuff thanks mate
Can I use it for work at the office?
Yes of course!
Please help ) Is this laptop better than Lenovo thinkpad e14 gen 2? Thank you!
I'd probably go with the ThinkPad.
The one I’m getting says it’s the 3i ideapad and I was wondering would it be able to run Minecraft? It’s i5 intel core and has 8gb of ram with 512gb ssd. It’s on Walmart for $460 with tax. Do think it’s a good laptop for just mainly school and Minecraft?
any computer can run Minecraft buddy
@@huckleberryhuber-rees9234 on an older version of Minecraft, yes you’re correct. But the newest version is harder to run on slow laptops. I want the newest version and not older.
@@endureexistence you should still be good.
Would probably be really enough, even if you put some shaders on
"unless you want to use wi-fi in any room the router isn't in". I have an Ideapad from several years ago. I have to routinely check how to fix the problem and it looks like many people have the same issue with Lenovo. It's a great laptop and it has lasted me a long time but I have no idea what is going on with the wi-fi card.
Older Ideapads and Thinkpads had some issues with their wifi chips. Replacing the internal wifi card resolved the issue, alternatively buying a USB Wifi card for $20 on Amazon resolves the issue too. For what its worth we have not witnessed this same problem on newer Lenovos.
This is a great laptop, but never ever in my life have I knew a group of friends to sit together and watch a movie. Really on any laptop especially a 14 inch laptop lol. But OK. Maybe in 2004 whenever laptops were the “thing”. 😂🎉
HEY!!!!!!! .......... Don't age me......... :P. (we used to huddle around laptops in the dorms all the time)
Does this model have a touch screen?
They make models with touch screens, yes.
I bought a ideapad 3 today mine is 14 inch FHD too but it’s not AMD. Its intel core i3 and it’s 128 gb
Nice!
@@ComputerStuff yeah I don’t know what the difference is between intel core i3 and AMD though
@@Doll_lover_23 There's a small performance difference but ultimately both are solid choices!
Does it have good battery?
Yes
New subscriber here. My laptop just broke. Literally like 2 minutes ago 😒 and I have a 8 page paper due Monday. YES, TOMORROW. I just ordered this for pick later on today all because of your review. Great job! And thanks for the information.
Sorry to hear about your laptop Becky! Thanks for subbing and watching!
Do i get this or the ASUS chromebook CX1400
This. I dont recommend chromebooks.
@@ComputerStuff what about the acer aspire 1
@@clarky8954 Don't recommend that either. Most Aspire 1s are running Celeron CPUs which are dreadful.
@@ComputerStuff is Hp a good laptop brand
@@clarky8954 It is not. They are notoriously unreliable - that said we have reviewed some recent HP models that we do like.
I've got an Asus TUF 15.6" 2018 (? maybe 2019), Radeon RX560X, Ryzen 5 3500U, 16GB RAM (added one 8gb stick), 256GB SSD, FX505DY-WH51. I'm looking for an upgrade and this laptop seems to be better in every way except the 15.6" screen. I'm a web developer. Would you recommend changing for the Lenovo one?
The Lenovo would be a fine laptop for web development! 14" is a sweet spot for screens, of course 15.6" is a little bigger, but nevertheless I dont think you'll yearn too bad for screen realestate with the 14".
@@ComputerStuff Thanks for the fast and kind response! Just one more question: would I miss anything else apart from the size? Also, do you have any other recommendation for a laptop for web development and light gaming, specially old games?
@@rodrigorivera1304 I dont think you'll miss anything else and for old games this should run those no problem. The biggest take away is that this isn't a gaming computer, so no RDR2 at max settings, but you could do minecraft and Fortnite and things without too much issue. If you intend on getting into any kind of serious gaming you'll want to look for something with a dedicated Nvidia or AMD graphics card.
The battery life and the speaker on mine is terrible
Sorry to hear :\
Ideapad 3, 1 and other Lenovo branded laptops (without any Sub-Branding like Ideapad) are not worth anyone's money IMHO.
Ideapad 5 / Yoga 6 is the lowest I am comfortable recommending for my friends and colleagues, below this price point, buying a last year's used/refurb laptop is the way to go.
thanks for this. what is sub-branding?
@@biegebythesea6775 Brands within a brand. Each big brand has 10-20 smaller laptop brands which are "sub-brands" each including 3-10 models. Apple MacBook is like a laptop sub-brand in of itself, whereas Lenovo is a parent company to multiple sub-brands like Ideapad, Yoga, Thinkpad, Tab and Legion.
I hate that laptops and phones don't come in black anymore. Batman must be pissed?
LOL