First Look: In Lenovo's IdeaPad Gaming 3, 2022 AMD & Intel CPUs Anchor a Fresh Design

pcmag.com:

Lenovo has refreshed its mainstream-priced IdeaPad Gaming 3 laptop with several variants, including AMD and Intel options at two sizes each.

We last reviewed the IdeaPad Gaming 3i in 2020, and this version shares some design language, but it’s been fused with Lenovo’s Legion gaming line and split into two screen sizes. The AMD-based version is called the Gaming 3, and the Intel version the Gaming 3i. Each will be available in variants at 15 and 16 inches.

We were able to get an in-person look at this system prior to its announcement—watch our hands-on rundown in the video below.

While this machine does look much like the previous Gaming 3, some refinements are clear. The general chassis shape is similar, and sticks to a plain look with some angular edges. Both sizes are available in the Onyx Gray color, but the 15-inch version also comes in a Glacier White.

The biggest change is the rear, which opts for a Legion-like rear block that contains many of the ports and a strip of extra thermal hardware inside. The ventilation is also visibly different, with a new grille design at the back end.

The 15-inch model version weighs 5.29 pounds, which isn’t particularly portable nor especially heavy for a gamer at this screen size. It’s perfectly fine for a gaming system, particularly a more mainstream offering that will spend most of its life plugged in, and that isn’t adding cost by going for ultra portability. The 16-inch version is only a bit heavier, at 5.5 pounds.

Obviously, the display sizes are the main differences between the two. The 15-inch version is technically a (standard) 15.6-inch display in a 16:9 aspect ratio. The Intel version maxes out at QHD resolution, while the AMD model tops out at full HD. Both will be