This Lenovo laptop lasts 16 hours, but I'd still wait for a sale

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x is an ARM-based laptop computer with the brand new low-end Qualcomm Snapdragon X chip. Thanks to Snapdragon, this machine has wonderful battery life for its class and an NPU for the shiny Copilot+ PC options Microsoft is releasing.

It’s the bottom launch value for a Snapdragon X Copilot+ PC I’ve seen but. The construct high quality and design are good, too. But the compromises right here would really feel much more justifiable at $599 than $749. Still, this machine beats the Intel variant — no query.

The large downside is that this laptop computer is launching a 12 months after the primary Snapdragon X Copilot+ PCs, with slower internals than these in earlier fashions. At this machine’s preliminary retail value, it’s competing with Copilot+ PCs with stronger {hardware} which have been out for months and are often on sale for the same value.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Specs

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x has the identical lower-end Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1-26-100 CPU I initially reviewed in Asus’s featherlight $1200 Asus ZenBook A14. It makes rather more sense right here on this $749 machine than that $1200 machine. (Qualcomm initially mentioned it hoped this CPU would energy $600 laptops.)

While this laptop computer’s value makes much more sense for this CPU, it’s nonetheless price noting that this can be a newer, lower-end Snapdragon X SKU. It’s slower than the Snapdragon X Plus chips that Qualcomm initially launched. Here’s the official product matrix. As it exhibits, Snapdragon X ranks on the backside of the pack with the slowest CPU (as much as 3 GHz) and the slowest GPU (1.7 TFLOPS). Qualcomm talked up GPU performance and gaming lots when it launched the Snapdragon X platform, and you ought to be conscious the GPU in these machines is way slower than Qualcomm’s advertising would possibly lead you to imagine.

However, this machine does have the NPU all Qualcomm Snapdragon X PCs include. That signifies that, in contrast to with the Intel variant, you might be getting Copilot+ PC AI options on this machine.

This laptop computer has a 256 GB SSD, but it surely comes with a second SSD slot so you’ll be able to set up one other SSD for those who want extra storage later.

• Model quantity: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x 15Q8X10
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X (X1-26-100)
• Memory: 16 GB LPDDR5x RAM
• Graphics/GPU: Qualcomm Adreno X1-45
• NPU: Qualcomm Hexagon NPU (as much as 45 TOPS)
• Display: 15.3-inch 1920×1200 IPS show with 60Hz refresh price and contact display screen
• Storage: 256 GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
• Webcam: 720p webcam with privateness shutter
• Connectivity: 1x USB Type-C (USB 5Gbps), 2x USB Type-A (USB 5Gbps), 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x SD card reader, 1x combo audio jack, 1x energy connector
• Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Biometrics: Fingerprint reader for Windows Hello
• Battery capability: 60 Watt-hours
• Dimensions: 13.52 x 9.51 x 0.7 inches
• Weight: 3.42 kilos
• MSRP: $749 as examined

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Design and construct high quality

The 15-inch Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x has a high made from aluminum and a backside made from plastic. While plastic isn’t essentially the most premium materials, it seems to be good and feels advantageous. From a distance, the design seems to be just like Lenovo’s costlier laptops to me, particularly due to the aluminum lid.

There’s nothing significantly flawed with plastic laptop computer, and the design and construct high quality listed below are each good! There’s no bizarre flexing as you maintain the laptop computer or open it up.

The “Luna Gray” colour scheme right here seems to be good, too — it’s extra silver or light-blue than grey in the fitting lighting.

At 3.42 kilos, this 15-inch laptop computer may very well be somewhat extra light-weight if it was made from costlier supplies. But the burden is completely advantageous, and the 0.7-inch thickness is affordable too.

The software program is a bit obnoxious out of the field, because it tends to be on shopper Lenovo laptops. For instance, McAfee antivirus pops up and encourages you to purchase a subscription. You can uninstall these things, however the laptop computer would really feel higher out of the field with out it.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Keyboard and trackpad

IDG / Chris Hoffman

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x has a advantageous keyboard, full with a quantity pad. I like having the quantity pad when there’s room. 15-inch laptops have a tendency to incorporate a quantity pad since they’ve more room, however some folks would possibly need a roomier keyboard with out that quantity pad.

Lenovo makes plenty of good laptop computer keyboards, and this keyboard feels okay, but it surely’s lower-end and extra budget-focused than the choices in costlier premium laptops. As within the Intel-powered Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 mannequin, there’s some mushiness to the keys. When I sort, I discover the plastic across the keys push downward into the machine when my finger goes all the way in which down on a key. It’s not as dangerous because it sounds, however this is without doubt one of the mushiest keyboards I’ve used on a Lenovo machine. It’s a type of touches that makes the machine really feel extra price range than premium. But it’s usable and comfy sufficient.

The trackpad feels stable, too. It’s a plastic floor fairly than a premium glass one, but it surely’s accountable and easy, with a advantageous click-down really feel. It’s positioned additional to the left than on most laptops. If you end up utilizing your touchpad together with your proper hand, that could be somewhat inconvenient.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Display and audio system

IDG / Chris Hoffman

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x’s 15.3-inch 1920×1200 IPS show is the weakest a part of the expertise. At 300 nits, it’s on the dim facet on paper. In actual life, it feels not simply unusually dim, but additionally uninteresting. I cranked this one as much as 100 p.c brightness and nonetheless need it to go greater.

The show does have an anti-glare coating that works properly to keep away from reflections, so it arguably wants much less brightness than shiny laptop computer shows which are extra susceptible to glare. The 60Hz refresh price can be the naked minimal, right here — however 60Hz isn’t a serious problem in comparison with the opposite issues with the show.

This is a touch-screen laptop computer, too. That’s a pleasant characteristic to have.

The audio system are missing, too. They’re on the quiet facet, however the greatest downside is that the audio high quality is tinny. I hearken to each Steely Dan’s Aja and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky on Spotify after I assessment laptop computer audio system. The instrument separation in Aja and the bass in Get Lucky have been each on the dangerous facet so far as laptop computer audio system go. I’d get pair of headphones if you wish to hearken to music or watch media.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x features a 720p webcam, which is a shock for the reason that Intel variant I just lately reviewed included a 1080p webcam. The webcam simply isn’t nice in 2025 — 1080p webcams have largely develop into normal. The webcam produces a picture that’s lower-detail and extra washed out than the typical 1080p webcam on a more moderen laptop computer. Still, it’s advantageous — for those who simply must take part in an occasional video assembly, webcam high quality isn’t essentially crucial issue on a machine like this.

The IdeaPad Slim 3x does have a bodily webcam shutter swap above the show — that’s at all times a privateness characteristic I’m thrilled to see.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x’s microphone didn’t do a terrific job, both. It picked up my voice with out background noise, however the sound was unusually quiet and sounded somewhat low-quality. I might intention to make use of an exterior mic in calls and voice chats for those who go for this machine.

This machine doesn’t have an IR digital camera for facial recognition with Windows Hello. Instead, it has a fingerprint reader on the proper facet of the laptop computer, under the Enter key on the quantity pad. The fingerprint reader works advantageous, and a few folks will desire it to facial recognition {hardware}. That’s a matter of non-public style.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Connectivity

IDG / Chris Hoffman

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x has an honest variety of ports for a budget-focused laptop computer, identical to the Intel variant does. On the fitting facet, this machine has a USB Type-A port subsequent to a full-size SD card reader.

On the left facet, Lenovo features a energy connector (Lenovo doesn’t embody a USB-C charger, which is a shock for a Snapdragon laptop computer) together with a second USB Type-A port, an HDMI 1.4 out port, a USB Type-C port, and a combo audio jack.

With so many laptops supporting quicker USB speeds and HDMI 2.1 out, the port choice does really feel a bit lower-end.

Thanks to the Snapdragon {hardware} right here, this machine does assist the future-proof Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 requirements. (The Intel variant, with its previous-generation platform, doesn’t provide these.)

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Performance

While the Snapdragon chip right here is the lowest-end one accessible, this machine nonetheless performs advantageous in day-to-day use. While the CPU velocity is a bit decrease, the largest efficiency drops are in multi-core efficiency (this chip has fewer cores) and graphics efficiency (the GPU right here is considerably slower than on higher-tier Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite chips.) Those aren’t crucial for typical desktop productiveness efficiency.

While app compatibility has improved with Windows on ARM, it nonetheless isn’t good. Personally, all of the desktop apps I exploit commonly run advantageous — apart from OBS Studio, which has an experimental construct that ought to run.

We ran the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x by way of our standard benchmarks to see the way it performs. However, keep in mind that a few of our benchmark instruments — like PCMark 10 — don’t run on ARM PCs.

IDG / Chris Hoffman

To get an thought of CPU efficiency, we run Cinebench R24. Unlike many benchmarking instruments, this runs natively on ARM PCs, so we are able to evaluate efficiency throughout the x86 and ARM platforms with out Microsoft’s Prism translation layer getting concerned.

Cinebench is a closely multithreaded benchmark that focuses on total CPU efficiency. Since it’s closely multithreaded, CPUs with extra cores have an enormous benefit.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x scored 711 within the Cinebench R24 multi-threaded benchmark. That’s considerably quicker than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 variant with the Intel Core 5 210H {hardware} and never too far behind the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus variant with quicker Snapdragon {hardware}.

IDG / Chris Hoffman

Next, we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop — not even by Snapdragon laptop computer requirements — but it surely’s nonetheless good to examine how the GPU performs. First, we run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU efficiency.

This explicit benchmark runs by way of the Prism translation layer because it’s not ARM-native. Despite that translation layer slowing issues down, the Qualcomm GPU right here scored 1063, which was solely somewhat slower than the built-in Intel graphics within the Intel variant. This benchmark displays how GPU-accelerated apps carry out in the actual world, as most apps and video games aren’t accessible in ARM-native variations.

IDG / Chris Hoffman

We additionally run 3DMark Night Raid, which runs natively on ARM laptops. With the Prism translation layer getting out of the way in which, the Qualcomm Adreno GPU right here produced a rating of 16677. That’s considerably quicker than Intel’s built-in graphics.

However, as you’ll be able to see in each the Night Raid and Time Spy benchmarks, that is unusually dangerous in comparison with different Snapdragon laptops. If you propose on utilizing the laptop computer for gaming or GPU-accelerated skilled purposes, I might strongly encourage you to search for a laptop computer with quicker graphics {hardware}.

Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x did advantageous, delivering first rate desktop efficiency within the desktop apps many individuals use all day — browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, productiveness apps like Microsoft Word, and collaboration instruments like Slack. But it would lag behind in additional demanding workflows — particularly something that wants graphics acceleration.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Battery life

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x has a 60 Watt-hour battery. Combined with a power-sipping Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor, this ARM-powered Windows PC ought to have nice battery life. And it does.

IDG / Chris Hoffman

To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat in on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled till the laptop computer suspends itself. We set the laptop computer’s show to 250 nits of brightness for this check. This is the best-case situation for any laptop computer since native video playback is so environment friendly, and actual battery life in day-to-day use is at all times going to be lower than this.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x lasted a median of 982 minutes earlier than suspending itself — that’s over 16 hours. While you will get a number of extra hours of battery with a costlier Snapdragon or Lunar Lake laptop computer — these will typically have bigger batteries, which suggests longer life — this can be a nice quantity for a price range laptop computer. There’s likelihood it would final for a whole workday — relying on how demanding the purposes you utilize are and the way lengthy your workday is!

Notably, it’s almost two occasions extra battery life than the same Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and its Intel Core 5 210H processor delivered. That’s an enormous enchancment.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Conclusion

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x is a troublesome laptop computer to judge. If this was one of many $600 Snapdragon laptops we have been promised by Qualcomm’s advertising push, I feel it could be compelling. At $749, the compromises — the show, audio system, webcam, and GPU specifically — really feel like they add up quick.

On the opposite hand, this machine is worlds higher than the Intel variant I simply reviewed. You’re getting a quicker CPU, quicker GPU, for much longer battery life, Wi-Fi 7 assist, and an NPU for Copilot+ PC AI options. The laptop computer runs cooler and quieter. I’d a lot fairly have the Snapdragon {hardware} on this chassis than that exact Intel chip.

While I haven’t seen one other Snapdragon laptop computer or Copilot+ PC with a beginning retail value this low, you’ll be able to typically discover laptops with extra spectacular {hardware} on sale across the $749 value level. Some of the competing fashions that often drop to that value even have beautiful-looking OLED shows. But, on sale, this machine may very well be a tremendous deal if you would like a reasonable ARM laptop computer working Windows.