Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook (Gen 8) overview: Better display, even higher flaws

This turned into the Chromebook I turned into most serious about heading into 2023, nonetheless I’m throwing in the towel after a month and a half of. This compact Chromebook is the primary in a recent generation, the primary to interrupt a decade of custom and destroy out the shackles of the 11.6-dawdle, 1360 x 768-pixel panel that I’ve viewed actually since my first rubberized education Chromebook lend a hand in 2015. Being a trailblazer is attention-grabbing, nonetheless as all of us know, the primary try is no longer repeatedly ready for primetime.

Here’s my month with the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook (Gen 8) and why I’m hoping it is going to calm be in fact helpful.

Offer: Lenovo

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i (Gen 8, 12.2″)

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook (Gen 8) grants the need now we hold spent years asking manufacturers for, nonetheless it comes by activity of a monkey’s paw in field of a fairy godmother. What is going to must hold been the subsequent king of funds Chromebooks in its set whiffs on the performance wanted for even light-obligation work, making this computer computer honest for looking out at movies, reading emails, checking Facebook, and no longer much else.

Working Device

Chrome OS

CPU

Intel Processor N100

GPU

Intel UHD Graphics

RAM

4GB

Storage

64GB

Battery

47Whr

Cowl (Dimension, Decision)

12.2-dawdle IPS touchscreen (1920×1200 pixels), 16:10 aspect ratio, 300 nits

Camera

720p with privacy shutter, fixed focal point

Audio system

Stereo 2W speakers, Waves MaxxAudio-optimized

Color

Abyss Blue, Cloud Grey

Ports

USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (Vitality Offer 3.0, DisplayPort 1.4), 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI 1.4, microSD card slot, audio combo jack

Network

Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax 2×2), Bluetooth 5.1

Dimension

284 x 210 x 18.4mm

Weight

1.25kg

Auto Replace Expiration (AUE)

June 2030

Create

2-in-1

Sign

$349

Board

Pujio

Model

82XH0001US

Adaptor and Battery

45W USB-C Vitality Offer AC adapter

Keyboard

Non-indispensable backlit (no longer on overview unit)

Pros

• Better, brighter display than predecessors
• Glean invent quality
• Ultimate battery lifestyles

Cons

• Too gradual to work on constantly
• Only 4GB RAM
• Costly for the expertise

Pricing and availability

Lenovo announced the IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook (Gen 8) in gradual December 2022, nonetheless the computer computer didn’t proceed on sale unless the next summer season, arriving across the stop of July 2023. Whereas more than one configurations of the Flex 3i (Gen 8) were announced, the most easy one now we hold viewed in the marketplace — and the one we reviewed — has the Intel N100, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of inner storage.

The checklist mark for this computer computer is $350, which is a miniature high given its low vitality, nonetheless it generally drops to $300 or $280 one day of Best Buy’s varied gross sales. We now hold simplest viewed Best Buy advertise in the past, so ought to you detect it on Amazon, be careful no longer to win an older mannequin below a recent title or a marked-up reseller.

Map

This compact Chromebook shares nearly identical dimensions with its 11.6-dawdle predecessors, though this 365 days, the lid bumps out a miniscule amount in the heart third. This supplies you a straightforward handhold when pulling open the computer computer while not having to sculpt in a divot on the backside, like most Chromebooks. The computer computer might maybe well simplest technically be one coloration, nonetheless the two-tone texturing between the left third and the factual two-thirds feels wonderfully dazzling in hand and makes for a straightforward grip when carrying the wonderfully light-weight Flex 3i around.

Sadly, that texture simplest covers a third of the lid. I desperately desire the backside had the identical grippy striations — the Pixelbook Trot of yesteryear proved the advantages of a fab Chromebook backside — nonetheless it is perfect tender plastic. Both side are tender as neatly, open air the smattering of ports and buttons. The readily out there ports listed right here are the identical as on a total lot of old Flex 3i generations and the C330 sooner than them: you simplest win one USB-C port, two USB-A ports, HDMI output, an audio combo jack, and a microSD card slot.

USB-A might maybe well maybe be the more in fact helpful port for peripherals, in particular in the funds section, nonetheless for $350, Lenovo ought to calm in actuality hold set a USB-C port on both aspects in its set. Build no longer win me irascible, HDMI while not having to bother with a Chromebook-friendly USB-C hub is at threat of be at hand, in particular in a school room surroundings the set all people might maybe well must proceed dawdle in and demonstrate their presentation thru the projector, nonetheless having a spare port for charging if the primary one breaks might maybe well maybe be so method more at hand. Now now not decrease than, it would can enable you charge no topic the set a USB-C charger cable will seemingly be snaking in from.

The webcam sitting on the cease of the display fits its funds imprint, nonetheless on the least it is acquired a physical shutter it is seemingly you’ll maybe maybe perchance shut for privacy — or to forestall awkward Zooms ought to you don’t moderately win utterly dressed sooner than the morning assembly begins. (We can’t all be morning people, Sharon.) Quality is no longer exceptional, nonetheless it is honest enough for on-line lectures and Meet-ings.

Cowl

The banner upgrade for the Flex 3i (Gen 8) does no longer disappoint, and whereas you perchance can’t name these bezels minute in anyway, they’re refreshing after a decade of dawdle-thick chonkers. The 16:10 aspect ratio of the 12.2-dawdle touchscreen itself is no longer moderately enough added genuine property to split-display two windows properly on it, nonetheless it is enough for informal having a look, reading, and looking out at some YouTube streams whereas it is seemingly you’ll maybe maybe perchance perchance be bored on the airplane.

What’s if truth be told rate celebrating right here is the resolution in the extinguish jumping above 1080p to 1920 x 1200 pixels. For goodbye, now we hold been caught at 1360 x 768 pixels, and in the extinguish being to some extent the set you perchance can’t perceive every pixel at a look is freeing. When looking out at movies or doing any magnification/text scaling, I’m exceedingly grateful for it, as any font swap on older 11.6-dawdle models tended to originate text blurry.

300 nits brightness is enough for cloudy days or working from the color, and I without distress wrote on the Flex 3i for a total morning. Obviously, it is seemingly you’ll maybe maybe perchance perchance be no longer going to be reading it in plump sunshine, nonetheless from the color on the bus to a intellectual school room with wall-to-wall windows — because why gaze in the occasion you perchance is at threat of be blinded by glare for hours a day — it is perfectly beautiful.

Primarily, my simplest brightness discipline with this panel is that it would now not win shadowy enough when I’m the utilization of it at 2 AM — like factual now as I write this overview. Most might maybe well no longer gain this a discipline, nonetheless it is rate lustrous ought to it is seemingly you’ll maybe maybe perchance perchance be a creature of the evening. Since this Chromebook lacks a backlit keyboard, you seemingly might maybe well no longer detect this too in total.

Software program and performance

At the same time as vitality-strained as the Lenovo C330, C340-11, and old Flex 3i models were, I might maybe well on the least work on them goodbye as I didn’t proceed overboard on tabs. That if truth be told is no longer the case with the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook (Gen 8) unless it is seemingly you’ll maybe maybe perchance perchance be purely the utilization of it for informal having a look. Most funds Chromebooks originate struggling after getting like 15-20 tabs/windows open. Once I acquired above six on the Gen 8, performance crawled to a stop.

And I’m no longer announcing, “Oh, this internet page is glitching a miniature as I scroll.” I’m talking about it taking 15-30 seconds to even swap tabs and hold them load as soon as I had eight tabs — four of them being AndroidPolice.com tabs — open immediately. Once in some time, when I made the error of opening too many tabs immediately for learn, it took a plump two minutes to swap tabs, load the tab, and shut the tabs down lend a hand to a reveal the set I might maybe well very neatly style a total sentence without errors.

Even after more than one Chrome OS updates and weeks of troubleshooting, this habits turned into calm so neatly-liked that I might maybe well music my lowered productiveness on the times I mature the Gen 8 in its set of my 3-365 days-old Chromebase or other Chromebooks.

I attempted turning off some extensions to search if this discipline turned into impacted by the upper load of a vitality person’s profile, nonetheless to no avail. Hopefully, right here is the outcome of a Chrome OS bug with the recent Intel N100, nonetheless for now, it is nerve-racking to recommend something this hobbled. Given that it simplest has 4GB of RAM, some poke when swapping tabs would hold been forgiven, nonetheless this goes some distance beyond that.

Battery lifestyles

The most easy profit of the Intel N100 is its focal point on effectivity, which helps the Lenovo Flex 3i’s battery win thru a plump day without needing to search at a charger. Lenovo claimed 12 hours of battery lifestyles, and on moderate, I acquired 11-14 hours, reckoning on the brightness mature. Recharges in total simplest took an hour and a half of, and it is the identical regular USB-C Vitality Offer 45W charging that every nonetheless the most top price Chromebooks use.

I will mention that it heats up a miniature higher than anticipated for a Chromebook with a funds-friendly processor, in particular ought to it is seemingly you’ll maybe maybe perchance perchance be the utilization of it whereas it charges.

Competition

Acer Chromebook Lope 311

Given the hot performance disorders of the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook (Gen 8), it would now not come off neatly when evaluating it to generally any compact Chromebook from the excellent three years. The Acer Chromebook Lope 311 (3H, nonetheless genuinely, most variations) might maybe well desire a smaller, rather dimmer display, nonetheless the reliability of the MediaTek MT8183 makes it infinitely more at hand on this location. The identical goes for the HP Chromebook 11a and Acer Chromebook CX1.

In case it is seemingly you’ll maybe maybe perchance perchance be situation on a Lenovo, it is seemingly you’ll maybe maybe perchance both dangle the Lenovo Duet 3 with a removable keyboard and Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 or dangle the 2022 model of the Lenovo Flex 5i (13-dawdle) and win the next compact Chromebook or more powerful Chromebook expertise for the identical cash (or rather much less).

Primarily, as soon as it is seemingly you’ll maybe maybe perchance perchance be willing to swap up to a increased Chromebook, most Chromebooks originate more sense than the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook (Gen 8). The Acer Chromebook 314 and 315 might maybe well use the Celeron N4020 — which now we hold viewed in Chromebooks for four years now — nonetheless they on the least address a dozen tabs concurrently with more grace. The Acer Chromebook 514 and Lope 514 sport twice the RAM, a much higher display, and both a more powerful Intel, MediaTek Kompanio, or Ryzen processor for across the identical mark as the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook (Gen 8). (Sure, the Lope 514 has had spectacular chip diversity over the previous couple of years.

Would possibly perchance calm you buy it?

In case you perfect desire a Chromebook for checking emails, some light having a look, and looking out at movies on-line, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook (Gen 8) might maybe well perchance be a worthy contender when it is on sale, nonetheless otherwise, you’re going to seemingly higher off sticking to a more powerful Chromebook. Now now not decrease than, ought to it is seemingly you’ll maybe maybe perchance perchance be going to use $350 on a Chromebook in 2023, it is going to calm potentially hold 8GB of RAM.

The light-weight originate factor and the higher display in a calm-minute equipment are a satisfaction to search, nonetheless there is much less point ought to you perchance can’t in fact win your work completed on it. I like funds Chromebooks. I’ve labored from quite a lot of funds Chromebooks, and I’ve never had one build this poorly out of the gate.

We will support troubleshooting and come in lend a hand if things pork up, nonetheless unless then, assign off on procuring one perfect for a vivid recent display.

Offer: Lenovo

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i (Gen 8, 12.2″)

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook (Gen 8)’s increased display seems worlds higher than its predecessors, nonetheless poke from the processor and memory can assign it lend a hand as soon as you win beyond a handful of tabs. For informal computing or an expendable proceed back and forth computer computer, the Flex 3i might maybe well match neatly; perfect don’t expect to win much work completed from it.