Exclusive: Lenovo may release an 8GB/128GB Chromebook Flex 5 in the US

On last week’s episode of The Chrome Cast, we talked in length about the best Chromebooks of 2020. In case you missed it, we just rolled out our “Best of 2020” video in which we crowned a winner in three price categories. In the mid-range category that includes devices ranging from $300-$649, the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 came out on top without breaking a sweat. As a matter of fact, I think the entire Chrome Unboxed team is in agreement that Acer’s $629 flagship is the best all-around device in any price range when we’re talking dollar for dollar value.

As much as we love the Acer Spin 713, I made mention on the podcast that I would not hesitate to purchase the Chromebook Flex 5 if Lenovo would only release a model with 8GB of RAM. Yes, the screen could be a little brighter but I love everything else about this Chromebook, and buyers outside the US actually have the option to get 8GB of RAM and even a Core i5 CPU if they want to fork over the cash. What’s more, a number of those 8GB models also have that 300 nit screen that Lenovo touted back at CES. As far as I’m concerned, a flagship-caliber Chromebook should have no less than 8GB of RAM and 300+ nits of screen brightness.

During our podcast, I specifically said that I would purchase an 8GB version of the Flex 5 for $500 any day of the week. At $409, the 4GB/64GB model is a steal and I think that a beefed-up model would be even more popular than the current offering. Well, it looks like my wish may come true. Lenovo is currently selling a 4GB/128GB version of the Flex 5 on the company’s website and you can get it on sale for $449 which is a solid deal but I’m here to tell you that you should probably wait if you’ve been eyeing Lenovo’s Comet Lake, USI-compatible 2-in-1 Chromebook.

We received word from a reliable source (that will remain anonymous) that a select retailer or retailers will soon be carrying a Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 that comes equipped with the 10th Gen Intel Core i3, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Even more exciting is that it appears this model will retail for $499 which will make it the best Chromebook you can buy at the $500 and under MSRP. We don’t know if this model will include the 300 nit screen but if it does, I may be getting a new Chromebook for Christmas. We are keeping an eye out for this model to hit Lenovo’s hardware specification site so that we can get all the details and let you know as soon as it is available. I’m not sure why Lenovo held off this long to release an 8GB model in the US but I, for one, am excited to see it.