lenovo ideapad flex 3i 11.6 2 in 1 chromebook review

The trackpad of the Chromebook 3 has its shortcomings simply because it is plastic. Again, this is an all-plastic device but the Chromebook 3 doesn’t feel fragile in your hand and the distinct two-tone lid and textured bottom give it a unique look that aids in making it look “not cheap.” Not a big deal as I don’t really put any of my devices in that position…ever but if you buy one, don’t try to force the display to 180 degrees.

This Chromebook is a traditional clamshell and despite some confusion around it being listed as “fold-flat,” I found that the screen would actually only open to about 175 degrees. This model doesn’t feature any sort of mil-spec ratings to speak of so you probably don’t want to drop-test it but the chassis feels solid enough to take on the normal abuse of daily life. The chassis doesn’t have a lot of flex, the hinges are solid and smooth and the weight to body ratio doesn’t make it feel like a clunky slab when you’re carrying it around. Out of the box, the Lenovo Chromebook 3 felt well put together if that’s something that you can feel when you first pick up a laptop. MicroSD card reader and 3.5mm audio jack.After using the Lenovo Chromebook 3 as my daily driver for a little over a week, I’m excited to bring you this review and share my thoughts on the first sub-$200 Chromebook I’d gladly recommend. (HP, I’m looking at you.) So, when I unboxed the $169 Lenovo Chromebook 3, my expectations were well-tempered, to say the least.

I mean honestly, we’ve reviewed $350 Apollo Lake Chromebooks that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Most other devices in that price range are either on their way out the updates door or they are simply just garbage. When you think about Chromebooks under $250, I often think of the older Acer 15 with 2GB of RAM, dismal display and an archaic Braswell processor. Still, there’s always an exception to the rule and the Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook 3 may be just that. I certainly can’t think of any devices in that price range that I’d actually recommend to anyone.

For under $200, I don’t recall very many Chromebooks that deliver any kind of real-world performance. When I drove down to our local Walmart to pick up my online order, I gotta be honest, I wasn’t expecting much.

Lenovo ideapad flex 3i 11.6 2 in 1 chromebook review