ASUS VivoBook 15 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 3: Which should you buy?

Ultimately, the ASUS VivoBook 15 will appeal more to people who like having a wide range of great specs to choose from, people who want to make use of Windows Hello biometrics, and people that don't mind having to deal with an older Bluetooth version and middling battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3, on the other hand, is ideal if you want to maximize battery life and enjoy the benefits of SD card storage while still achieving good productivity performance. It's not as capable as the ASUS VivoBook 15, but it's far from unreliable.

ASUS VivoBook 15 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 3: Power or battery life?

When it comes down to specs and performance, the ASUS VivoBook 15 comes out on top with a considerable advantage. Several high-end processors are available on the device (including the 11th Gen Intel i7-1165G7 and 5000-series AMD mobile chips), and you can also configure it with Intel Xe Graphics, and NVIDIA GeForce MX350, or an NVIDIA GTX 1650 Ti. This will be enough horsepower for a solid gaming experience, let alone productivity work — something that the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 isn't capable enough to support natively.

The device also comes with an option for 16GB of RAM, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 can only have a maximum of 12GB. Finally, all models of the ASUS VivoBook 15 come with a Windows Hello-compatible fingerprint reader, and some even come with support for Wi-Fi 6. This gives the laptop an overall edge when it comes to security and connectivity, although the fact that some of the configurations come with the aging Bluetooth 4.2 standard is a bit frustrating (higher-end ones feature Bluetooth 5.0).

Don't count the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 out, though. Even though it isn't as powerful as the VivoBook, it's still wholly capable of handling most forms of productivity work just fine without any issues whatsoever thanks to its 10th Gen Intel CPUs. It also has a full eight-hour battery life that trumps the VivoBook's five-to-six-hour maximum, too, giving it an edge in terms of longevity. For people who can't always be near a charging station, this is quite a big advantage. The device also features an SD card reader for extra storage and a touchscreen for additional flexibility, which some may want (or need) to have.

ASUS VivoBook 15 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 3: Which should you buy?

While both of these laptops are solid options for people who aren't interested in premium options, the thing that will determine which one is best for you is whether or not you value additional computing power over two to three extra hours of battery life. The ASUS VivoBook 15's wide range of highly performant specs will help you get work done faster, and some of them even make it possible to have a solid gaming experience on the device. It also comes with a fingerprint reader and Wi-Fi 6 availability, which is awesome.

With that said, the laptop's five to six hours of battery life will undoubtedly force many people to throw it on the charger in the middle of the workday, which may or may not be inconvenient for you depending on where and how you like to work. This is an issue that the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 doesn't have thanks to its eight-hour battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3's inclusion of an SD card reader and a touchscreen also make it more of a versatile option for people who want extra storage or touch functionality. It ultimately all comes down to what you're looking for in your next laptop.

For more excellent options, make sure you check out our roundup of the best Windows laptops as well as our list of the best cheap laptops.