In terms of Chromebooks, Google’s new Chromebook Plus platform is without doubt one of the greatest issues to occur in years, elevating the bar for reasonably priced methods that may serve your wants at dwelling, within the classroom, or within the workplace. And the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus ($499.99) stands out even amongst different Plus fashions we have reviewed, combining that improved {hardware} and enhanced ChromeOS with a 2-in-1 convertible design that transitions simply from laptop computer to pill and again once more. Armed with a perky Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of reminiscence, and 128GB of eMMC flash storage, it is among the finest performing ChromeOS laptops we have seen, and claims an Editors’ Selection award as our new favourite 2-in-1 Chromebook.
Design: Plastic with a Contact of Steel
Measuring 0.72 by 9 by 12.4 inches when closed and weighing simply 3.57 kilos, the 14-inch Flex 5i is sufficiently small to slide right into a backpack, mild sufficient to hold round in pill mode, and makes use of a mixture of aluminum and plastic building that holds as much as the stresses of every day use with out making the laptop computer too thick or hefty.
The lid is roofed with aluminum anodized with a near-black end Lenovo calls Storm Gray. The chassis and palm relaxation are plastic, however match the colour of the lid so intently that you simply may assume they’re steel till you contact them.
The Lenovo’s building is kind of sturdy, with solely a little bit of noticeable flex when lifted by a nook. And the aluminum-reinforced lid holds up fairly properly when opening the laptop computer one-handed. That is much more vital for a 2-in-1 hybrid, the place a 360-degree hinge permits the display screen lid to fold again round from laptop computer to pill mode. The hinge itself can be fairly sturdy, holding the lid and display screen securely in place for laptop computer use however freely folding again for pill mode with out making you’re feeling as if it’s a must to pressure it.
Options: Show, Keyboard, and Webcam
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)The Flex 5i’s 14-inch show has a 16:10 facet ratio that is a bit taller than the 16:9 screens seen on different funds Chromebooks, however to not the purpose that it turns into uncomfortably huge when held in pill orientation. Extra vital, the 1,920-by-1,200-pixel IPS panel appears sharp and vibrant from just about any angle, with an interesting 300 nits of brightness. The slim bezels across the display screen are skinny sufficient, however nonetheless present margins giant sufficient to grip or carry the system in pill mode.
As a convertible, it is no shock that the Flex 5i has a contact display screen, however we had been happy to study that the show helps USI pen enter, making it a super alternative for note-taking or sketching on display screen. We want Lenovo would come with a pen with the system, however for a sub-$500 price ticket, it is a fairly acceptable compromise.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)Together with the contact display screen, you get a good sufficient keyboard, with backlit chiclet keys finished up in the identical Storm Gray to offer the Flex 5i a monochrome look. The touchpad can be nice to make use of, measuring 5.5 inches diagonally, which is a roomy measurement for laptops on this worth vary.
And as one perk of the upper Chromebook Plus commonplace, the Lenovo has a 1080p webcam, serving up full HD pictures for video chat. That is an enormous enchancment from the 720p cameras present in most low-priced Chromebooks. On prime of that, the most recent ChromeOS additionally supplies AI-powered picture enhancement. The outcomes nonetheless aren’t as sharp as what you’d get from a extra premium laptop computer, however they don’t seem to be half unhealthy for the worth.
Ports and Connectivity
You will discover many of the Flex 5i’s ports on the left aspect of the laptop computer: one USB-C port, one USB-A port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD flash card slot. On the correct are a second USB-C port and a Kensington lock slot, together with the ability button and quantity management.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)An HDMI monitor port (seen on different Chromebook Plus fashions) can be appreciated, however the added price of a 360-degree hinge and contact display screen most likely meant that this port was reduce to maintain the fee down. Plugging in an exterior show will name for a USB-C DisplayPort adapter. For wi-fi connectivity, the Flex 5i has Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1.
Testing the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus: Core-Powered Chrome Competes
To correctly consider the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, we in contrast its benchmark numbers each with these of different newly launched Chromebook Plus fashions—particularly, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 and the Acer Chromebook Plus 515—and two barely older convertible methods, the HP Chromebook x360 13b and Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook.
These methods not solely allow us to see the Flex 5i throughout the context of the brand new Chromebook Plus line, but additionally to see the way it improves on reasonably priced 2-in-1’s that simply months in the past represented the very best you possibly can get on this worth vary.
Productiveness Checks
We take a look at Chromebooks with three total efficiency benchmark suites: one ChromeOS, one Android, and one on-line. The primary, CrXPRT 2 by Principled Applied sciences, measures how shortly a system performs on a regular basis duties in six workloads similar to making use of photograph results, graphing a inventory portfolio, analyzing DNA sequences, and producing 3D shapes utilizing WebGL.
Our second take a look at, UL’s PCMark for Android Work 3.0, performs assorted productiveness operations in a smartphone-style window. Lastly, Basemark Internet 3.0 runs in a browser tab to mix low-level JavaScript calculations with CSS and WebGL content material. All three yield numeric scores; increased numbers are higher.
In CrXPRT 2 and PCMark, the Flex 5i mainly tied with the 2 different Chromebook Plus methods we have examined, with all three properly forward of the non-Plus HP x360 13b and Lenovo Flex 3 with their low-powered CPUs. Whereas all of those laptops will do properly sufficient in on a regular basis shopping and media streaming, further processing energy turns into vital when working extra demanding apps or using Plus options similar to webcam picture enhancement or video-call noise cancellation.
Element and Battery Checks
Two different Android benchmarks give attention to the CPU and GPU, respectively. Geekbench by Primate Labs makes use of all accessible cores and threads to simulate real-world functions starting from PDF rendering and speech recognition to machine studying, whereas GFXBench 5.0 stress-tests each low-level routines like texturing and high-level, game-like picture rendering that workouts graphics and compute shaders. Geekbench delivers a numeric rating, whereas GFXBench counts frames per second (fps).
Lastly, to check a Chromebook’s battery, we loop a 720p video file with display screen brightness set at 50%, quantity at 100%, and Wi-Fi and keyboard backlighting disabled till the system quits. Some Chromebooks oblige us to play the video from an exterior SSD plugged right into a USB port, however the Flex 5i has greater than sufficient inner storage to carry the video file.
In pure processing and graphics assessments, the Lenovo Flex 5i edged forward of the opposite Chromebook Plus methods, albeit solely barely. Once more, a much more pronounced distinction was seen between the three Plus fashions and the 2 older 2-in-1 Chromebooks, which trailed by enormous margins, typically delivering lower than half the efficiency of the Flex 5i and its up-to-date Intel Core i3 CPU.
The one space the place the Flex 5i Chromebook Plus did not present a considerable enchancment over its predecessors was battery life. With almost 12 hours of unplugged runtime in our video take a look at, the brand new Lenovo continues to be within the prime third of Chromebooks we have examined, however no match for the stamina of the HP Chromebook x360 13b. Whereas the upgraded {hardware} specs spell typically improved efficiency for any Chromebook bearing the Plus moniker, battery expertise is fairly static, and lower-wattage processors are in a position to stretch battery life additional. Regardless of this tradeoff, the three Chromebook Plus methods we have tried all posted lengthy sufficient battery take a look at outcomes, and the Flex 5i is not any exception.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)Verdict: A 2-in-1 That Mixes Flexibility and Affordability
If you’d like a succesful laptop computer that prices lower than premium Chromebooks (or cut price Home windows notebooks), the brand new Chromebook Plus line is the way in which to go. The Lenovo Flex 5i is the one convertible Chromebook Plus we have had the pleasure to check, nevertheless it elevates the expertise to such a level to turn into an apparent alternative for 2-in-1 Chromebook consumers. It delivers compelling options, a flexible design, and glorious efficiency for underneath $500. Its battery life is simply fantastic slightly than prolonged, and we want Lenovo had supplied a normal pen, however these are cheap concessions for such a succesful and reasonably priced ChromeOS hybrid. The general package deal presents a well-balanced mixture of options and makes the Flex 5i our favourite Chromebook for 2-in-1 patrons on a funds.
