Deal | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 with latest Intel CPU, 16 GB RAM, 120 Hz panel is 46% off

With the release of the Intel Wildcat Lake CPUs, it has become possible for Windows laptop OEMs to craft budget laptops that bring a nice mix of performance, power efficiency, and price. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15 Gen 11 was one of the first Intel Wildcat Lake-based Windows laptops to come out, intending to be a quality value offering.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 11 largely succeeds in offering a decent Windows experience while keeping the price down. This price has now become even better thanks to Best Buy selling the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15 Gen 11 for just $699.99. The retailer mentions that this price is a big $600 cheaper than the full list price.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 11 on sale rocks an Intel Core 7 350 Wildcat Lake CPU, 16 GB of DDR5 memory, 512 GB of storage, and a 15.3-inch 1200p IPS display. The display covers 100% sRGB, has touch input, a matte coating, and a smooth 120 Hz refresh rate. A 50 Wh battery powers the whole machine.

We have reviewed this exact configuration of the IdeaPad Slim 3 15 Gen 11 in detail. From the display, port selection, and performance to battery life, our review takes a look at all facets of the laptop. So, be sure to give our findings a thorough read.

As a short summary, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i puts up a strong showing when it comes to display quality with a colorful 120 Hz IPS panel with touch support and 400 nits of brightness. The laptop also impresses with its cool and quiet operation as well as decent battery life. We measured more than 11 hours of runtime in our WLAN test. 

The performance of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i was also sufficient for the workloads the laptop is intended for.

That said, the IdeaPad Slim 3i has obvious issues, a side effect of budget constraints. For instance, while the RAM is expandable, there is only one SO-DIMM slot. This single-channel memory configuration is a performance bottleneck. Similarly, the on-board Wi-Fi 6 chip is not that fast. 

There is also the issue of the laptop only supporting a small M.2 2242 SSD, which is often more expensive than its full-sized M.2 2280 counterpart. For instance, a 1 TB M.2 2242 Gen 3 SSD currently retails around $150 on Amazon.

All things considered, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i at the current sales price is a pretty solid affordable Windows laptop for students and working professionals alike.