
Since the advent of Chromebook Plus – and actually a bit before – I’ve been pretty bullish on the excellence of the new Lenovo Chromebook Slim 3i. The model we have in the office is one of those strange breeds that released just before the Chromebook Plus news and is a Chromebook Plus device through-and-through, only without the markings on the lid that would signify it. We’re actually giving away 3 of these specific models, so make sure and get entered to win if you haven’t already!
Lenovo has a version of the Slim 3i that comes with the new Chromebook Plus branding, but it’s not been on sale. Sitting next to it on Lenovo’s digital shelves has been the non-branded version we have that has consistently been marked down since Chromebook Plus debuted. And that makes it very tough to recommend the branded version at $100 to $200 more on most days.
But today isn’t most days, and along with just about every other Chromebook Plus maker, Lenovo is finally marking down their Chromebook Plus-branded Slim 3i device and the savings are pretty big. Right now, over at Lenovo’s site, you can snag the excellent Slim 3i for just $399.99 – a full $150 off the MSRP.
A full review is coming, but I can confidently tell you that the Slim 3i is one of my absolute favorite Chromebooks to pick up and use right now. There a firmness and rigidity to the build that inspires confidence, a keyboard with great travel and feedback, a solid trackpad, bright/punchy screen, fast internals, and overall experience that makes you simply want to pick this Chromebook up over others.
My one real knock is the sound that comes from the speakers; it’s mediocre at best. But great speakers on a Chromebook are a treat to me, not a necessity, so it hasn’t been a bother. Other than that, this Chromebook is simply fantastic to use every day, and I can’t wait to share our review (coming soon) of it and all the other Chromebook Plus models we have in the office. But it’s safe to say that if you get this device at the current $399.99, you won’t regret it for a second.