By The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i is a 15.3-inch cheap laptop that ships with just 8GB of RAM in the configuration we evaluated. There are always trade-offs associated with low-cost laptops, but Lenovo made the incorrect ones in this case. Neither pricing makes sense at a “estimated value” of $699—$479 was on sale as I was finishing this evaluation.
This device has a poor display, a plastic chassis, and an outdated CPU. Those are standard drawbacks on a budget laptop. But the 8GB of RAM will be a significant problem when using Windows and current apps over the next few years. More RAM is available in other configurations, but they will cost more. You can get better results for a comparable amount of money. Although this laptop has a touchscreen, it’s difficult to see how beneficial it is.
Specification
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i includes an Intel Core 5 210H CPU, which is based on Intel’s older Raptor Lake architecture. It is slow and has antiquated architecture. Compared to more recent CPUs, it consumes more power and produces more heat.
Even though Windows uses 8GB of RAM, if you have a lot of open applications or browser tabs, you will notice some “swapping.” that’s going to be this computer’s biggest bottleneck, and that is not usual at this price range.
Although the typical low-cost laptop buyer won’t bother, this machine does include an empty RAM slot so you can add more memory. You may pay a comparable amount of money and buy a laptop that comes with 16GB of RAM.
- Model: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15IRH10R (83K4000QUS)
- Intel Core 5 210H CPU
- Memory: 8GB DDR5-4800 RAM
- GPU/Graphics: None
- Display: 15.3-inch 1920×1200 IPS screen with touchscreen and a refresh rate of 60 Hz
- 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD for storage
- 1080p webcam
- Connectivity: 1x USB Type-C (USB 5Gbps), 2x USB Type-A (USB 5Gbps), 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x combo audio jack, 1x SD card reader, 1x power connector
- Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6 for networking
- Biometrics: face recognition using an infrared camera
- Battery capacity: 60 Watt-hours
- Dimensions: 13.52 x 9.43 x 0.74 inches
- Weight: 3.59 pounds
- MSRP: $699 as tested ($479 on sale at time of review)
Design and build quality
The chassis of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i is composed of plastic. Although this isn’t high-end metal, it seems quite solid. Over the past few years, low-cost laptops have come a long way. The design in “Luna Gray” looks like many other Lenovo laptops. From a distance, it is difficult to distinguish between different Lenovo laptops due to their uniform design language. Put otherwise, it doesn’t “look” like a low-cost laptop.
The hinge is strong and doesn’t slide much as you type, and the build quality is reasonable for a cheap machine
Display and speakers
The 15.3-inch 1920×1200 IPS display on this computer has a refresh rate of 60 Hz. The color fidelity is mediocre, but the resolution is respectable.
It’s a faint display: At up to 300 nits of brightness, it’s about as dull as you can find on a current laptop. A brighter display would be easier to use in adverse lighting circumstances and create more vibrant colors.
This machine has a touchscreen, and it’s odd. A matte anti-glare covering covers it. Most touchscreens are glossy, polished glass. A glossy surface would produce more reflections, thus it’s good to see this anti-glare surface.
On the other side, I doubt you’ll want to use the touchscreen much – it just doesn’t feel wonderful to drag your finger over a standard matte laptop display surface instead of a smooth glass surface, and it’s tough to thoroughly remove fingerprints off this type of surface.
The speakers on this system have sufficient volume and no discernible distortion. For a low-cost laptop, that’s very good, but the audio quality isn’t very good—it’s flat and lacks much bass.
Connectivity
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i lacks Thunderbolt, USB4, and HDMI 2.1, but it does have a respectable number of connectors.
A USB Type-C port (USB 5Gbps), an HDMI 1.4 port, a combination audio jack, a USB Type-A port (USB 5Gbps), and a barrel-style power connector port are all located on the left side of this laptop.
On the right side, there’s a second USB Type-A port (also USB 5Gbps) and an SD card reader.
Although a respectable number of ports is good, I wish Lenovo had included a second USB-C port instead of a barrel-style power connector. If you have a USB-C charger, you can still use it to charge this machine; however, you will need a dongle to connect multiple USB-C devices.
For wireless networking, this machine supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. It would’ve been good to see at least Wi-Fi 6E. It’s serviceable, but it’s not particularly forward-looking gear when Wi-Fi 7 is currently available. It’s another aspect of the system that feels old.
Performance
In daily tasks, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i performed satisfactorily. In addition to being slower than contemporary CPUs, Intel’s Core 5 210H consumes more power and produces more heat, so when performing intensive tasks, you will hear the fans whirling up more.
The greatest drawback – the 8GB of RAM — doesn’t show up in our results, but it will drag down performance if you open a lot of browser tabs. This shows typical PC use in 2025.
Conclusion
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i seems overly subpar. Even being fair and assuming the present $479 sale price as this laptop’s genuine pricing, I can’t suggest a machine that only has 8GB of RAM in 2025 when 16GB has become normal. Strange choices include the addition of a touchscreen. This laptop isn’t the best touchscreen, especially because it doesn’t have a glass surface.
More RAM versions of this laptop are available, but they will cost considerably more. With deep bargain pricing and 16GB of RAM, this computer can be a great deal. This is a high-end, low-cost PC. But the compromises don’t make sense at this price.
