Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15-inch ZDNET's key takeaways The IdeaPad Slim 3i is on sale at Costco for $669.
It's an affordable 15-inch laptop with a full-size keyboard and nice selection of ports.
The battery isn't spectacular, and its display is lackluster. View now at Costco
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Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim 3i is an affordable, versatile laptop with a competent set of hardware for students or professionals. It's got a full-size keyboard (something that's not all that common for a 15-inch), a nice selection of I/O, and a lightweight build in a dark blue colorway.
However, the $500-$999 price range is increasingly crowded with some impressive laptops, making competition fierce and forcing comparisons across manufacturers (while highlighting design or feature flaws).
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The IdeaPad Slim 3i avoids any overt flaws of this sort, but might be overshadowed by competitors with more compelling features. Still, on brand recognition alone, Lenovo's IdeaPad lineup consists of reliable, versatile machines, and the Slim 3i is no exception.
The laptop comes with an Intel Core Ultra 5 210H processor, 16GB of non-upgradable DDR5 5600 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 QLC SSD. The integrated Intel GPU is enough for everyday tasks and light gaming, but not much more than that. Overall, there's not a lot of customization here, but the hardware is sufficient for everyday work or home use.
It also has just enough ports. You get two USB-A slots, one USB-C with power delivery, an HDMI, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack. The card reader is an interesting choice here, since this laptop isn't exactly primed for working with large video files, but it does afford some additional use cases.
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
Despite the laptop's solid build, one of the first things that gives away its price point is the display. It's not bad, but the thick bezels, max 300 nits of brightness, and matte IPS screen don't exactly scream premium. It is a touchscreen, though, and the 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) resolution gets the job done.
The screen exhibits some effects you might see on similarly priced LCDs, like the dimming and brightening that occurs when swapping windows, or when going from an app in dark mode to one that's much brighter, like a Google Doc, for example.
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The full-size keyboard is a positive point, in my opinion. If you want access to a number pad and appreciate Lenovo's signature design, it doesn't disappoint here. Key travel is satisfying enough, and although the plastic keys themselves are smooth and lack any sort of texture, they still feel good.
Another small thing I really like: the large rubber stopper on the bottom of this laptop makes for one of the most stable laptops I've ever used, staying absolutely stationary on whatever surface it's on. Normal use of the laptop results in essentially no screen wobble whatsoever.
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
In terms of performance, the IdeaPad Slim 3i gets the job done for basic tasks but might stutter with more demanding workflows. Program installations can take a few minutes, and running lots of tabs might result in some slowdowns. During my testing, for example, there was some performance dip while multitasking during a video call.
It's possible to do some gaming on this laptop, as long as you're not running anything too demanding. The Intel Core Ultra 5 210H processor will be fine for anything on the low end as well as cloud gaming through Nvidia GeForce Now, but it's not designed for top-tier titles.
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Similarly, the battery on the IdeaPad Slim 3i isn't bad, but I can't help but compare it to its competitors with better longevity, especially those with better performance (like the MacBook Air M2), or lighter form factors (like the Asus Zenbook A14), both at comparable price points.
During my testing, I got a little over nine hours during our online streaming test at half brightness over Wi-Fi. In regular, sustained use during the workday, it didn't quite make it through the full day, with the battery tapping out just before the eight-hour mark. I should note, however, that you could potentially get more out of the laptop with better power management -- I was running at max brightness the entire day.
ZDNET's buying advice
I'd recommend the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i to consumers who like Lenovo laptops and want an inexpensive, 15-inch device for everyday tasks. With its full-size keyboard, port selections, and approachable price point, it's especially good for students.
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The price point it sits in, however, is increasingly competitive, with competing laptops that are more impressive than the IdeaPad Slim 3i. The previously mentioned Asus Zenbook A14 is just a few hundred bucks more, lighter, and faster, with an OLED display and marathon battery.
Similarly, with MacBooks seeing some steep price points this year across the board, the 15-inch MacBook Air M4 -- Apple's latest and greatest lightweight Mac -- is only around $300 more.