A capable everyday laptop doesn't have to cost the earth. I've found a great deal on the 2026 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i at Best Buy. It combines a 15.3-inch touchscreen with an Intel Core 7 350 processor, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a 512GB SSD in a relatively light 3.5lb chassis.

Remote workers and students wanting a portable Windows laptop for productivity, streaming, and general everyday use without requiring a dedicated graphics card.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i (2026) is now $680 (was $1300) at Best Buy.

You get a Core 7 350 processor, 16GB of DDR5-5600 memory, and a 512GB SSD in a 3.5lb chassis, along with a 15.3-inch 120Hz touchscreen and a good selection of ports. We've reviewed previous editions of the IdeaPad 3i and appreciated its attractive design, affordability, and performance for day-to-day tasks.

Why we recommend it

The IdeaPad Slim 3i is powered by a Core 7 350 six-core processor that can reach 4.8GHz. It's accompanied by integrated Intel graphics and an NPU rated at up to 17 TOPS.

It comes with 16GB of DDR5-5600 memory, which can be expanded to 32GB, alongside a 512GB SSD. The 15.3-inch touchscreen has a 120Hz refresh rate and reaches 400 nits of brightness. Lenovo claims up to 18 hours of battery life.

Connectivity includes two USB-A 3.2 ports, USB-C 3.2 with DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, an SD card reader, and a headphone/microphone connection. There's also a 720p webcam with a privacy shutter, Dolby Audio, and a numeric keypad.

Price context & historical value

Best Buy has cut the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i from $1,299.99 to $679.99, knocking $620 off the listed price. I've seen it selling for this amount a couple of times in the past, but not any cheaper.

At first, I suspected the list price was inflated - perhaps partly due to the component crisis that's sending prices skyrocketing - but an 8GB IdeaPad Intel Core 3 is currently listed at $900 direct from Lenovo, and $1000 for the Intel Core 5 model.

That makes this Best Buy deal the better pick by miles, with double the memory and a faster processor.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i if...

You want a thin general-purpose Windows laptop with a large touchscreen, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and enough processing power for work, study, and everyday tasks.

❌ Skip the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i if...

You perform demanding workloads that need a dedicated GPU for graphics work, or you specifically want a laptop with a backlit keyboard.