MWC 2022 is here and with it comes a flurry of new announcements in the tech world, such as Lenovo's refreshed IdeaPad Gaming 3 line. New affordable gaming laptops are coming to a tech shop near you this summer.
The 16-inch IdeaPad Gaming 3i (Intel) will start at $1,489 and the AMD version will start at $1,139, but both are slated to launch sometime in June 2022. The 15-inch IdeaPad Gaming 3i (Intel) starts at $989 and is expected in April 2022, while the AMD model will start at $929 when it launches in May 2022.
- PSVR 2 first look officially revealed — PS5's next-gen VR headset
- The best VR-ready laptops of 2022
- Best gaming deals in February 2022
IdeaPad Gaming 3 / 3i specs and more
The Intel models, appropriately named IdeaPad Gaming 3i, can be configured with up to an Intel Core i7-12700H CPU, 32GB of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, and a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. Meanwhile, the AMD models can be outfitted with up to an AMD Ryzen 7 6800H CPU, 32GB of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, and up to a 1TB SSD.
As far as size and weight, the 15s come in at 5.3 pounds and 0.9 inches thick, while the 16s weigh in at 5.5 pounds and 0.8 inches thick (yes, the bigger laptops are slightly thinner). They look relatively standard for Lenovo's typical IdeaPad gaming designs, but the display now features super-thin bezels and a fancy webcam lip.
As far as ports go, each of them features two USB Type-A ports, one USB Type-C port (Thunderbolt 4 on the Intel versions), an HDMI 2.0 port, an RJ45 port, and a headphone jack.
Both 15s have the 15.6-inch, WQHD, 16:9, 165Hz display with 100% sRGB and 350 nits of brightness, while the 16s have a 16-inch, WQHD+, 16:10, 165Hz display with 100% sRGB and 500 nits of brightness.
The 15s can be configured with either a 45WHr or 60WHr battery, while the 16s are outfitted with a 71WHr battery. Unfortunately, we don't have battery life numbers yet, so we don't know how long they'll really last.
Outlook
We're excited to get our hands on the IdeaPad Gaming laptops to see if they can provide consumers the best gaming experience for the price. It's tough to find a gaming laptop that is both affordable and good. Cheap gaming laptops are typically staked with so many issues, from poor performance to an ugly ass display, so hopefully, these laptops don't fall into that category.
