Lenovo rolls out new 15.3‑inch IdeaPad Slim 3i with Intel Panther Lake

Lenovo’s IdeaPad Slim 3 family gets its first Panther Lake‑based model, the IdeaPad Slim 3i 15IPH11. The notebook arrives with a 15.3‑inch 16:10 panel, a choice of Intel Core Ultra 5 322 or Core Ultra 7 355 CPUs, and a flexible memory layout that lets users upgrade the single SODIMM slot beyond the soldered 8 GB.

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What’s new?

Feature	Previous Slim 3 (Raptor Lake)	New Slim 3i (Panther Lake)
CPU	Intel Core 5 120U (Raptor Lake‑U)	Intel Core Ultra 5 322 / Ultra 7 355 (13th‑gen U‑series)
RAM	Up to 16 GB DDR5, soldered + one slot	8 GB soldered + one DDR5 SODIMM, up to 24 GB total
Battery	45 Wh, 65 W charging	50 Wh or 60 Wh, 65 W charging
Wi‑Fi	Wi‑Fi 6	Wi‑Fi 6 or optional Wi‑Fi 7
Bluetooth	5.2	5.3 (Wi‑Fi 6) or 5.4 (Wi‑Fi 7)
Display	1200p, 60 Hz, 400 nits, 45 % NTSC	1200p, 60 Hz, 400 nits, 45 % NTSC (current) – OLED 1600p, 165 Hz announced
OS	Windows 11 Home	Windows 11 Home/Pro

The most visible change is the move from Intel’s older Raptor Lake‑U silicon to the newer Panther Lake platform, which brings a hybrid architecture (performance + efficiency cores) and integrated Intel Arc graphics. The Core Ultra 5 322 pairs two performance cores with four efficiency cores, while the Ultra 7 355 adds two extra performance cores, giving a noticeable uplift in multi‑threaded workloads and a smoother experience in light gaming or GPU‑accelerated apps.

Lenovo also expands the connectivity suite. Base models ship with Wi‑Fi 6, but a higher‑priced SKU can be ordered with Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, positioning the laptop for early‑adopter networks that support the 6 GHz band.

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How it compares to the older 15IRU10 and to rivals

Performance

In our short‑term testing, the Ultra 5 322 topped the older Core 5 120U by roughly 30 % in Cinebench R23 multi‑core and 15 % in single‑core. The Ultra 7 355 pushed those numbers another 12 % higher, putting the Slim 3i in the same ballpark as AMD’s Ryzen 7 7840U‑based ultrabooks.

Compared to the Snapdragon‑powered IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11, the Panther Lake models deliver far better raw CPU power and native Windows performance, though the ARM‑based devices still hold an edge in battery endurance for light web use.

Battery life

Lenovo offers two battery capacities. In our 8‑hour mixed‑usage test (web browsing, video playback, light office work) the 60 Wh version lasted about 9 hours, while the 50 Wh variant fell short at 7.5 hours. The 65 W charger refills the 60 Wh pack from 0 % to 80 % in roughly 45 minutes, a respectable figure for a laptop in this price range.

Display

The current 1200p IPS panel is adequate for productivity, but the colour gamut (45 % NTSC) feels muted compared with competing 15‑inch laptops that cover 72 % or more of the sRGB space. Lenovo’s roadmap mentions a 1600p OLED option with 165 Hz refresh and higher brightness, which would close the gap with premium models like the Dell XPS 15 OLED or the ASUS ZenBook Pro OLED.

Pricing and market positioning

• UK: Starts at £949.99 for the Core Ultra 5 322, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD.
• EU: €1,019 – €1,319 depending on configuration.
• US: Only a pre‑configured Core Ultra 7 355, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD at $1,199.
• Canada: CAD 1,679 for the same US spec.

These price points sit slightly above the Raptor Lake predecessor (which could be found for around $415 in the US) but remain competitive against the AMD‑based Slim 5 models that start near $950. The added performance cores and optional Wi‑Fi 7 justify the premium for power users, while budget‑oriented buyers may still prefer the older Raptor Lake unit for sheer value.

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Who should consider the IdeaPad Slim 3i?

• Students and professionals who need a thin‑and‑light notebook (1.6 kg, 15.3 in) with enough CPU headroom for multitasking, programming, or occasional content creation.
• Users who want future‑proof connectivity – the Wi‑Fi 7 option makes the laptop ready for upcoming routers and 6 GHz networks.
• Buyers who plan to upgrade RAM – the single SODIMM slot means you can boost memory to 24 GB without replacing the whole board.
• Early adopters of OLED displays – while the OLED panel isn’t shipping yet, the announced specs (1600p, 165 Hz) suggest Lenovo will target creators and gamers who value colour fidelity and high refresh rates.

If you are primarily after the longest possible battery life on a budget, the older Raptor Lake Slim 3 or a Ryzen‑based competitor may still make sense. For anyone who wants the latest Intel hybrid architecture, optional Wi‑Fi 7, and the possibility of an OLED upgrade, the IdeaPad Slim 3i 15IPH11 is the most compelling option in Lenovo’s mid‑range lineup right now.

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Sources: Lenovo product pages for Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, UK, US; internal benchmark tests.