The Lenovo Chromebook Plus Is My New Go-To Travel “Laptop”

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Following Oct 10, 2023, 05:41pm EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin I travel a lot, and my bag can feel a bit cumbersome after I pack my clothes, all my tech and choosing which pair of earbuds to take on the plane (spoiler: I can’t decide and usually take three). Trying to keep my bags light can be a challenge because I work on the go, and I have to pack accordingly. Because I’m trying to pack light, adding the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus may sound like a counterintuitive choice.

After all, when I first got my hands on it, the first detail I noted was how heavy it felt. The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus may feel like carrying a brick, but the processing power . .

. [+] and AI features make it a useful tool for taking your work on the go. Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Retailer But considering the device’s processing power, it’s a tradeoff I’m willing to take—in fact, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is my latest obsession when it comes to taking personal projects away from home.

For those who need an all-day document processor, this touchscreen laptop should be considered your go-to, despite the heft. Read on to see why. Best Buy Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus Buy From Best Buy CPU: Intel 13th Generation Core i3 i3-1315U | RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | Storage: 128GB eMMC | Display: 14-inch touchscreen | Resolution: 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) | Battery: Up to 10 hours | Weight: 3.

5 pounds Best for: Editing on the go Casual users who want to have Google’s Chrome OS Sketching or document signing thanks to the 2-in-1 design Skip if: You’re looking for a lightweight device You’re all about cloud gaming MORE FROM FORBES VETTED The Best October Prime Day Air Purifier Deals From Levoit, Coway And More By Lindsay Boyers Forbes Staff The 16 Best Prime Day Vacuum Deals You Won’t Want To Miss By Astrid Taran Forbes Staff Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus Design A Chromebook Disguised As A Laptop Let me reiterate: the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is heavy. Compared to my Forbes-issued Dell ThinkStation, it feel much heavier, despite it only being a quarter pound more. That might be an unfair assessment though, considering that unlike my work machine, the Lenovo includes a touchscreen that’s also stylus-compatible.

Because it’s a two-in-one laptop and tablet combination, it’s going to have some heft. To date, I’ve never tried a Chromebook 2-in-1 that doesn’t have this issue. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5i doubles as a tablet.

Rebecca Isaacs for Forbes But despite being a Chromebook with tablet capabilities, it doesn’t come with a USI stylus. A smart move would have been to include even a basic stylus, but for now, you’ll have to spend extra to get one. That’s not the end of the world, but it would have been helpful in really making this a productive, portable tool right out of the box.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5i unfolded looks sleek and pretty as a laptop. Rebecca Isaacs for Forbes I’ve been a huge Chromebook fan for years and have owned several, from a rugged HP 360x to the Acer Chromebook 314 . The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, on the other hand, has a a sleek design that looks quite pretty.

It features a membrane keyboard that feels more like a mechanical keyboard under your fingertips and a large, smooth track pad that’s easy to use and adjust as needed. All in all, it feels—and looks—like a top range laptop that just so happens to be a Chromebook. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus Display Don’t Expect To Work In The Sun Because it’s a FHD IPS touchscreen, you won’t get the fancy, inky blacks of an OLED display, but it still looks gorgeous.

Also, the display only reaches 300 nits. That’s not a deal breaker—many OLED models can only hit 400 or 500 nits—but if you’re thinking you’d like to work outside in sunny conditions, this is not the Chromebook for that. I tested the Chromebook’s display for three tasks: video conferencing, streaming Archer and routine internet browsing.

The display performed as expected, showing crisp, clear imaging during my video chats. Archer looked great, and I could see myself streaming for long hours when away from home. Thanks to the built-in nightlight display, document processing felt clear and easy to read no matter the time of day.

In general, the laptop’s display left me satisfied that I could get my work done and relax during my off-hours. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus Performance Runs Just Like A Laptop—But It’s Not One of the IdeaPad Flex 5i’s biggest perks is that the system feels like full-powered laptop disguised as a Chromebook. It comes with 8GB of RAM, 128GB eMMC storage and an improved 13th Gen Intel Core processor (the i3-1315U, to be precise).

On most days, I use a Chromebook to write articles and surf the web. The Chromebook can handle these tasks with flying colors but adds in collaborative features; one of the main additions is Adobe Express, a web- and cloud-based program that brings an Adobe Photoshop/Lightroom combination to Chromebooks. The keys come with backlighting and the speakers on each side sound great when playing music and .

. . [+] video.

Rebecca Isaacs for Forbes I wanted to see how much I could do with this new software designed for Chromebook Plus. Full disclosure: You will have to pay for this cloud service, but when you do, you get access to thousands of different templates, from logos to generative AI to pretty much whatever you need to complete the project. I was skeptical that Adobe Express on a Chromebook could handle everything I threw at it, but when I made a fake birthday party invitation for one of my cats, I was pleasantly surprised.

The only time the Chromebook even slowed down was when I tried generating an AI image with the instructions, “A fat, white cat with large black spots on his black and on his ears dressed as a Roman Emperor standing at the top of Mount Olympus. ” Emperor Maximus (yes, that’s his name) looks especially majestic thanks to Adobe Express’ AI image . .

. [+] generator. Note the random white spot on the side, which presumably is poor Max’s underdeveloped tail.

Adobe Express The software leaves some to be desired (even in the test image above, it appears the AI forgot to finish poor Max’s tail). I wish I could say I was surprised when I requested another cat-focused image and received images of cats with three back legs. Other images came back normal.

If you plan on using these AI collaborations, proceed with caution. In general, those that need images for presentations or are rounding out a project with a cover image will find that the Chromebook packs some handy, user-friendly extras so long as you keep a close eye on the generated images. That’s far from the only place where the Chromebook Plus excels with AI integrations.

AI is also used in its built-in 1080p camera to perform AI-based noise cancelation and enhance the video imaging. Personally, I loved that it suppressed the noise of schoolchildren playing outside my apartment when I took calls. Does it catch every single noise? Not really.

Does it suppress the noise to the point where other people on a conference call can’t hear my cats screeching at each other during play? Yes, and that’s huge. Typing on the device for an hour felt like a breeze; in fact, I wrote this entire review on the Chromebook Plus. The keys feel smooth and don’t have a lot of pressure sensitivity, something that I really appreciate when typing for long stretches.

I’m always sold on a device that doesn’t feel like a chore after typing for a while, and on the Chromebook Plus, I feel sold knowing I can type away, toss essentially the entire kitchen sink of my workload at it, and it can handle it with ease. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus Verdict My New Go-To Chromebook The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus has a lot going for it, from its built-in AI used for video conferencing, creative production and more. At $499, is it worth the investment? That depends.

If you want a portable device, the Chromebook Plus packs a lot of workhorse with plenty of possibilities to complete your tasks—but you’ll definitely feel it in your bag. If you’re seeking to add this to your WFH setup for document creation and social media-friendly editing and posting for photos and videos, this is a great tool to use. I also wish it had come with a stylus as a part of the package, but it’s not a deal breaker.

For those that need to use that dual compatibility, it’s worthwhile to invest so you have the ability to take notes simply by flipping the device. My Expertise I’ve been working with and on Chromebooks for nearly a decade now, having jumped headfirst into using one for my work and travel needs. For the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, I used it daily, from writing articles in cafes to working on longer-term projects and taking notes during briefings.

I made note of how well the applications handled under light, medium and heavy tasks during my work day, and also checked the laptop under various lighting conditions, typing late into the night as well as working on bright sunny days in my apartment and coffee shops. My testing involved streaming videos, basic word processing and more. Other Articles You Might Like Looking for more options? We’ve got a list to help you find the best laptop for your lifestyle.

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