Support our independent tech coverage. Chrome Unboxed is written by real people, for real people—not search algorithms. Join Chrome Unboxed Plus for just $2 a month to get an ad-free experience, access to our private Discord, and more. Learn more about membership here.
START FREE TRIAL (MONTHLY)START FREE TRIAL (ANNUAL)
With all the hubbub surrounding Lenovo’s upcoming IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, it can be easy to forget the other device we saw at CES 2020 when we were there: the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5. The excitement around the Project Athena Chromebooks like the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook and the ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 took away from the early debut of this secondary device from Lenovo, but don’t be fooled: this Chromebook will deliver in all the ways that count.
While we were told by Lenovo that we shouldn’t expect this device to show up in stores until June, it looks like they may be closer to launch than we initially expected. We’ve seen Amazon jump the gun before and this scenario could be much of the same, but we don’t usually start seeing these things leak out until we’re a few weeks away from a launch. With that said, let’s review what is being offered in this very affordable new Chromebook:
- 13.3-inch 1080p IPS screen @ 300 nits
- 1.9GHz Intel Celeron N5205U (10th-gen)
- 4GB RAM
- 32GB internal storage
- Bluetooth 5.0
- WiFi 6
- Backlit keys
- USI Stylus support
- Convertible 360-degree hinge
- Thin bezels
- 720P webcam with physical privacy shade
- Spill-resistant keyboard
- Upward-firing speakers
- $359 starting price
With those specs at this price, there’s little doubt it will sell well. The U-series Celeron will be a great performer even with the meager 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage on board (there is a microSD card slot). It is worth noting that when we spoke with Lenovo, they talked in terms of starting prices and ‘up-to’ language, letting us know this Chromebook will also be available with up to a 10th-gen Core i5, up to 8GB of RAM, and up to 128GB of internal SSD storage. I could imagine we’ll see a Core m3/8GB/64GB variant of this device for under $500 MSRP and we all know how aggresive Chromebook sales get.
A Chromebook with this much good starting at these kinds of prices will undoubtedly be very, very popular with consumers. I’d imagine that this early listing might be pointing to an earlier release window than we previously have been told, but don’t put your money on that. Amazon will let you go ahead and order one, but you likely need to temper your expectations and just assume a June delivery. That way, if it does arrive early (as I assume it will), then you’re just getting a nice surprise.
Shop Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 at Chrome ShopSUBSCRIBE TO UPSTREAM
Get Chrome Unboxed delivered straight to your inbox
Upstream is our flagship, curated newsletter with the top stories, most click-worthy deals, giveaways, and trending articles from Chrome Unboxed sent directly to your inbox a few times a week. Join 31,000+ subscribers.
