Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 vs Dell 14S
The Dell 14S is the better laptop on paper: it has an OLED screen, has more accurate colour and has Thunderbolt or USB4. Pick the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 only if it matters to you that it has USB-A and an SD card reader and can be upgraded.
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Key differences
- OLED screen Dell 14S wins
The Dell 14S has an OLED screen, with true blacks and richer colour than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3's LCD.
- Colour Dell 14S wins
The Dell 14S's screen shows a wider range of colour (100% DCI-P3 against 45% NTSC), so photos and films look richer and truer.
- Ports Depends on you
Only the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has USB-A and an SD card reader, while only the Dell 14S has Thunderbolt or USB4.
- Extras Dell 14S wins
Only the Dell 14S has a backlit keyboard and Copilot+ AI features.
- Upgrades Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 wins
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3's memory can be upgraded later; the Dell 14S's is fixed.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 if…
- You plug things in: it has USB-A (for older USB accessories) and an SD card reader (for camera cards).
- You might want more memory later: you can add it yourself.
- You do demanding work: its AMD Ryzen 7 170 has the power for photo and video editing.
Choose the Dell 14S if…
- You watch a lot of films and video, or edit photos: its OLED screen has true blacks and rich colour.
- You edit photos or care about colour: its screen covers 100% DCI-P3.
- You plug things in: it has Thunderbolt or USB4 (for fast docks and drives).
- You want a backlit keyboard and Copilot+ AI features, handy for typing in dim rooms and Windows' newest AI tools.
Full spec comparison
Add more laptopsThe Dell 14S leads on the screen, extras and battery and weight; elsewhere the two are closely matched. Highlighted values mark the better spec in each row, and you can hide the rows where they match.
Performance
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is ahead on performance.
It can be upgraded, and the Dell 14S doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 170 | AMD Ryzen AI 7 445 |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon 680M | AMD Radeon 840M Graphics |
| AI engine (NPU) | — | 50 TOPS |
| Memory (RAM) | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory type | DDR5-4800 | LPDDR5x-8000 |
| Maximum memory | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory upgrades | Upgradeable (slots) | Soldered (not upgradeable) |
| Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB |
| Storage type | SSD | SSD |
| Storage interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2242 | PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2230 |
| Storage slots | 2 | 1 |
Screen
The Dell 14S is ahead on the screen.
It has an OLED screen and has more accurate colour, and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 14" | 14" |
| Resolution | Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) | Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) |
| Aspect ratio | 16:10 | 16:10 |
| Panel | IPS | OLED |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Variable refresh (VRR) | No | No |
| Brightness | 300 nits | 300 nits |
| Colour range | 45% NTSC | 100% DCI-P3 |
| HDR | None | — |
| Finish | Matte | Matte |
| Touchscreen | No | No |
Battery and size
The Dell 14S is ahead on battery and weight.
It has a bigger battery and is slimmer, and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life (maker claim) | Up to 18 hours | — |
| Battery capacity | 60 Wh | 70 Wh |
| Charger | — | 65 W |
| Charges via | round tip / USB-C PD | USB-C |
| Fast charging | 2 hours runtime from 15-minute charge (Rapid Charge Boost) | ExpressCharge: full charge in about 2 hours (standard charge 3 hours) |
| Weight | 1.43 kg | 1.46 kg |
| Dimensions | 314.4 x 222.1 x 17.9-18.9 mm | 313.7 x 224.0 x 6.89-11.40 mm |
| Materials | PC-ABS lid and base | Aluminium (Dell: 'refined aluminum', recycled aluminum and plastics) |
| Durability | MIL-STD-810H | Military-grade testing (MIL-STD standard not named) |
| Hinge | — | 180-degree lay-flat |
| Colour | Luna Grey | Frost Blue |
| Colours available | Cosmic Blue, Luna Grey | Celestial Blue, Frost Blue |
Ports and wireless
The Dell 14S is ahead on ports and wireless.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has USB-A and an SD card reader, while the Dell 14S has Thunderbolt or USB4.
| Spec | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x USB-A 5Gbps, 1x USB-C 5Gbps (USB PD 45-65W, DisplayPort 1.2), 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x 3.5 mm audio, 1x SD card reader, 1x round-tip power | 2x USB4 Type-C (40 Gbps, charging via Power Delivery, DisplayPort 2.1), 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5 mm global headset |
| Thunderbolt / USB4 | None | USB4 40Gbps |
| External displays (max) | 2 | 3 |
| Card reader | SD | None |
| Ethernet | None | None |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Wi-Fi card | Wi-Fi 7 802.11be 2x2 M.2 card | MediaTek MT7925 (Wi-Fi 7, 2x2, MU-MIMO) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.4 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Mobile data | None | None |
Features
The Dell 14S is ahead on extras.
It has a backlit keyboard and Copilot+ AI features, and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Webcam | 1080p + IR | 1080p + IR |
| Webcam privacy | physical shutter | — |
| Backlit keyboard | No | Yes |
| Keyboard | 6-row, 1.3 mm travel, Copilot key, non-backlit | Spill-resistant, backlit, dedicated AI hotkey, 18.05 mm key pitch |
| Login | Face | Face |
| Number pad | No | — |
| Touchpad | 75 x 120 mm Mylar Precision touchpad | 130 x 90 mm touchpad |
| Speakers | 2x 2W, Dolby Audio | 2 speakers, 2 W + 2 W average (10 W + 10 W peak), Cirrus Logic SmartAmps, Dolby Atmos tuned |
| Microphones | dual-array | dual-array digital microphones |
| Pen | No | No |
| Security | Firmware TPM 2.0 | TPM 2.0 (discrete) |
Software and model
The Dell 14S is ahead on software and updates.
It is newer, and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home in S mode | Windows 11 Home |
| Model number | 83K60080UK | DDS14265-A455BLU-PGB |
| Released | 2025 | 2026 |