Best overall
Featuring better specs across the board, a better display, stronger battery life, and more RAM and storage, the HP Pavilion Aero 13 is simply a better device. That being said, the laptop is also more expensive than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15, which will likely disappoint people who have a tight budget. It also doesn't have support for touch.
For
- Better specs and display
- Stronger battery life
- More RAM and storage
Against
- More expensive
- No touch support
Best budget
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 is the more affordable device in this matchup, making it a good pick if you're looking to get a competent device for a rock-bottom price. It also features support for touch. However, people who can spend a little more should opt for the HP Pavilion Aero 13, as it outclasses the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 in every way.
For
- Less expensive
- Has touch support
Against
- Worse specs and display
- Worse battery life
- Less RAM and storage
Both the HP Pavilion Aero 13 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 are great devices to pick up if you're looking for a competent sub-$1,000 laptop, but the HP Pavilion Aero 13 is simply better in every way because of its superior specs, display, and battery. Aside from the fact that it has touch support, the only thing that's more appealing about the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 is its lower price tag, which may appeal to people on an extremely tight budget.
Pavilion Aero 13 vs. IdeaPad 3 15: Performance or price?
Ultimately, when it comes to performance and features, there's really no contest here. The HP Pavilion Aero 13 simply wipes the floor with the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 across the board. Its 5000-series Ryzen processors outperform the 10th Gen Intel CPUs available with the IdeaPad 3 15 by a fairly large margin, and the device also comes with double the amount of RAM and several more options for SSD storage. It also has a more modern selection of ports, better connectivity overall thanks to the advantages of Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, and significantly better battery life. Both the 1900x1200 and 2560x1600 400-nit displays available on the Aero 13 are sharper and brighter than the 220-nit 1366x768 panel found on the IdeaPad 3 15 as well, though the IdeaPad's screen does support touch.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | HP Pavilion Aero 13 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 5600UAMD Ryzen 7 5800U | Intel Core i3-10110UIntel Core i5-1035G1 |
| GPU | AMD Radeon Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Memory | 16GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB SSD512GB SSD1TB SSD | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 13-inch 1900x1200 anti-glare display (400 nits)13-inch 2560x1600 anti-glare display (400 nits) | 15-inch 1366x768 touch display (220 nits) |
| Audio | Dual speakers by B&O with HP Audio Boost | Dual 1.5W speakers with Dolby Audio |
| Biometrics | Fingerprint reader | None |
| Ports | 1x USB-C2x USB-A1x HDMI 2.01x AC smart pin1x 3.5mm headphone/mic combo | 3x USB-A1x HDMI 1.4b1x SD card reader1x 3.5mm headphone/mic combo |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Battery | Up to 10 hours | Up to 7 hours |
| Dimensions | 11.72 x 8.23 x 0.67 inches | 14.25 x 9.98 x 0.79 inches |
| Weight | 2.20 pounds | 3.74 pounds |
The only real advantage that the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 has is that it's more affordable, with a price that's $125 less expensive than the cheapest configuration of the HP Pavilion Aero 13. This will be incredibly helpful for people on a very tight budget, especially since the IdeaPad 3 15 is by no means a weak or incapable machine. If you're looking for something that's both capable and dirt cheap, the IdeaPad may appeal more to you.
Pavilion Aero 13 vs. IdeaPad 3 15: Which should you buy?
While both of these laptops are great for people buying on a budget, we feel that the HP Pavilion Aero 13 will generally be the better option for most people since it comes with better specs and features for a price that's still very affordable. If you're able to spend a little more money, it's worth it to get considerably better performance, a much better display, and a full 10 hours of battery life per charge. It is, without a doubt, one of the best Windows laptops available in the sub-$1,000 space.
With that said, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 is a solid ultra-budget alternative that will still provide good performance for a rock-bottom price. If you're only able to spend a small amount of money on a new laptop, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 is a great choice since it can handle most work and school tasks without issues. It also comes with touch support, which some people may find valuable.
For more affordable options, check out our roundup of the best budget laptops.
Excellence on a budget
Featuring better specs across the board, a better display, stronger battery life, and more RAM and storage, the HP Pavilion Aero 13 is simply a better device. That being said, the laptop is also more expensive than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15, which will likely disappoint people who have a tight budget. It also doesn't have support for touch.
Spend small
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 is the more affordable device in this matchup, making it a good pick if you're looking to get a competent device for a rock-bottom price. It also features support for touch. However, people who can spend a little more should opt for the HP Pavilion Aero 13, as it outclasses the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 in every way.
