At just $229, the Lenovo Flex 3i Chromebook is an absolute steal

Of all the Chromebooks that emerged in 2023, the Lenovo Flex 3i Chromebook was one of the first out of the gate that ended up being an absolute favorite all year. Though we’ve still yet to see the full onslaught of more affordable Chromebooks with the Intel N100/N200/N305 inside as I predicted after seeing the Flex 3i at CES 2023, I still think this device set a bar for low-cost Chromebooks that everyone else simply must follow moving forward.

When you talk about cutting corners and dropping price tags, you expect a few things to happen. First, you fully prepare for a crummy screen. Second, you look for flimsy plastic and cheap-feeling components. And though those things are expected, that isn’t at all what you get in the Flex 3i.

Instead, you get a 300 nit IPS screen that is 12.2-inches and 16:10 in aspect ratio. You get an all-plastic chassis that is rigid and firm. And you get a keyboard/trackpad combo that is enjoyable to use. And all of this comes with a surprisingly-fast Intel N100 processor that punches far above its weight class. Seriously, this Chromebook has no business being this good at $349, and it really gets silly when it goes on sale.

And that’s where we are today, with Best Buy dropping the price of this fantastic device all the way down to just $229. At this sort of price, you just expect so much less than what you get with the Flex 5i, and it makes me love it even more. As an at-home companion or a daily driver, I think many of you would be very pleased with this tiny little powerhouse, and getting it at this price simply sweetens the deal.