When I was in college years ago, I put the dollars from my hard-earned burger flip into a Toshiba Chromebook 2. It has a 13.3-inch widescreen, costs about $330, and looks like a MacBook from far away. (I am embarrassed to admit that the last one was crucial to my purchasing decision.)
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The laptop that got me through two semesters before the battery started draining with no regard for student life, the Wi-Fi would randomly shut down, and that MacBook-looking screen would detach on its own. literal meaning. My college investment is gone but not forgotten.
Fast forward to this week, when I start testing Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3i, was first announced at CES in January. If you’ve ever shopped in the under-$350 market before, you know how difficult it can be to find a truly workable laptop. Viewing angles are never ideal, tapping on the trackpad can feel like you’re breaking a toy, and a more general sense of compromise than anything else.
But this $350 Chromebook from Lenovo changes everything.
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Lenovo Flex 3i Chromebook
An affordable touchscreen laptop that stands out for its price.
Experiencing the past few days with Lenovo’s cheap laptop, can’t help but be jealous college students have such proficient computer options in this price range today.
To settle things, ask yourself this: What do you appreciate in a laptop? Do you want a high resolution screen? Does it support touch screens? What ports do you need? Is privacy important to you?
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No matter where your mind takes you, there’s a chance this Lenovo Chromebook will fulfill your needs. The Flex 3i has a 1920 x 1080 resolution display that folds back into tent and tablet modes, loads of ports including HDMI, USB-C, microSD and headphone jacks and even a monitor. Private shutter when you’re not using the webcam — or when you want to know sure that you won’t enter into an awkward-looking video call.
The keyboard feels satisfying to click, with enough padding to keep input near-silent. Jun Wan/ZDNET
Now, before I excite you with what seems to be the best deal on the internet since Free TVlet me make this clear Chromebooks will not replace the MacBook or Premium Windows laptop. The Flex 3i can barely handle 1080p video editing, in fact, the touchpad only has room for one or two fingers at a time, and the build quality is an absolute hit if you’re a plastic lover. and nothing else but it.
And while I’m at it, it doesn’t help that when you put the laptop in tent or tablet mode, the top-firing speaker becomes the back-firing speaker. It’s like you’re listening to someone but their back is turned to you. I’m off topic.
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Overall, the Lenovo Chromebook has more than enough computing power for most students, remote workersand regular users, with 4GB of RAM and an Intel N100 processor. Flex 3i really shines in more traditional apps and services.
Tablet mode disables the keyboard and trackpad on the back. Jun Wan/ZDNET
Things like creating online content, streaming movies and TV shows (or NBA knockouts), and joining video meetings are all handled gracefully, and I’ve never heard of them. see any hissing or signs of overheating. That’s more than I could ask for from one laptop $349.
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Flex 3i portability is a top priority. Compare to MacBook Pro 16 inch that I usually carry with me, the Lenovo weighs less than 3 pounds, and it’s as backpack-friendly as the laptops that come with it.
For $349, I challenge you to find a laptop with more functions and benefits Lenovo Flex 3i Chromebook. I’m not saying this is Best laptop on the marketbut it would easily be at the top of my buying list if I was still in college and that came from someone with all the experience buying a $300 laptop.
