Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i 15" (Intel) review
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i 15" (Intel) — from 2021, 2.25 kg, performance 55.
Technical specifications
| Type | Gaming |
| Release year | 2021 |
| Screen | 15.6" · 1920x1080 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 11300H , Intel Core i7 11370H , Intel Core i7 11390H |
| Graphics | GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile 4GB , GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile 4GB , GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile 4GB |
| Max. RAM | 16 GB |
| Weight | 2.25 kg |
| Battery | 45 Wh |
Performance scores
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i 15": the entry ticket, priced like one
The IdeaPad Gaming 3i 15 (2021, Intel) at $590 pairs an Intel Core i5 11300H with a GTX 1650 Mobile carrying 4GB, and 16GB of memory. It was the cheapest way into Lenovo's gaming line in its year, and nothing about the sheet has changed that identity since.
Where it holds up
Photo design posts 75 (high) — the strongest absolute axis — with office at 65.25 (high) and value at 67 (high) endorsing the price of admission. The recommended-bar checks pass for Overwatch, GTA V, Rainbow Six Siege, Photoshop and Visual Studio Code: every bar the sheet measures, cleared. The 2.5kg-class chassis and 45Wh battery describe an honest budget build, and the verdict's "balanced profile" label fits a machine with no failed axes.
Where it falls short
Memory is the named weakness: 16GB against a 64GB gaming-class median — a quarter of the norm, the budget build's signature. The 45Wh battery sits 36.6% below the class median, and performance at 54.81 (mid) runs 25.8% below peers. Portability at 32.5 (low) is the 15-inch gaming tax. The GTX 1650 holds its bars without offering a single number that excites.
Price and depreciation
At $590 the class rate reads 13.44% per year with no cohort anchor for a projection — rate-only framing for 2021 gaming hardware. Five years of curve are already in the price; what remains applies to the smallest base in the gaming set.
Alternatives to consider
The IdeaPad Gaming 3 AMD at the same $590 posts photo design at 93 (top) and gaming at 66 (high) — the stronger sheet at price parity. The Legion 5i Pro Gen 6 at the same price adds an RTX 3050, a top-band photo score and the batch's second-best value figure; between budget options, that is the one the data prefers.
Bottom line
Fairly priced for the class. The IdeaPad Gaming 3i is the straightforward entry ticket — every recommended bar passing from a GTX 1650 at $590 — with a quarter-median memory ceiling and a small battery as the costs the price already reflects.
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⭐ What stands out
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memory capacity is lower than typical gaming class (+75%) (comfort).
budget segment of category -
battery capacity is lower than typical gaming class (+36.6%) (standard).
budget segment of category -
overall performance is lower than typical gaming class (+25.8%) (mid).
budget segment of category
🎮 What it can run
⚙️ Configuration analysis
Top configuration handles modern AAA games at high settings, video editing, and heavy multitasking.
🤔 How to choose
Universal advice for any use case.
- Reliability vs price: reliability (median 53) ↔ price (median 749.6).
- Weight vs CPU: mobility (median 29) ↔ overall performance (median 73.9).
- Upgradeability vs battery: upgradability (median 100) ↔ battery life (median 2.5).
IdeaPad Gaming 3i 15" (Intel): verdict
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