We’re in the thick of the review process for Chromebook Plus devices right now (we have one nearing completion right now) and as they continue to go on sale left and right, I’ve been eyeing the best deals to consider, picking up that exact device, using it for a little bit, and then getting back to you – dear reader – with a few thoughts as you consider the savings available to you.
For today, we’re focusing in on the new Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, a device that already existed prior to Chromebook Plus and has been re-branded as such. Our time with the Flex 5i has been interesting as we actually had a pre-production unit in the office far before it ever became available. And then when it finally did, review units were hard to get and inventory was a bit all over the place, so we never fully reviewed this one.
The model I’m writing this post on, however, is the latest, greatest version and definitely the one you should be looking at if you want a Lenovo Chromebook Plus model that is convertible, USI compatible, and comes equipped with the latest 13th-gen Intel silicon (Core i3-1315U to be specific). With the Chromebook Plus-required 8GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage, this Chromebook is fast and easy on the eyes, too.
The 14-inch 16:10 1920×1200 IPS screen is sharp, colorful, and bright enough for most settings at 300 nits. Though the bottom half is plastic or some sort of alloy, the rigidity is decent, the keyboard deck is solid, and the spacious trackpad is smooth and responsive. With upward-firing speakers, you also get some nice stereo separation and a good bit of body to the sound.
Overall, the package – like it is on most of these Chromebook Plus models so far – is quite good. And though the more-premium HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c is on a crazy sale right now for about the same money, it won’t stay that way. This sort of price point is going to be a bit more regular for the Lenovo Flex 5i, and it really is a sweet spot. For under $400, you are getting a lot of great features in a fast, attractive Chromebook that is flexible and comes with a more-solid bottom half and brighter screen than the more-premium HP x360 14c. It’s worth a look at this price, for sure!
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