Chromebooks run Google’s open-source Linux-based , meaning that most activities are carried out on the internet rather than on the hard drive. As a result, Chromebooks are typically thinner, smaller, and cheaper than other laptops because they have removed conventional optical media (DVDs, CDs, etc.) and employed smaller solid-state storage drives.
Advantages of Chromebooks
Security Against Viruses
The sandboxing feature of Chromebooks ensures they have outstanding security. A sandbox is a virtual environment in which each software and web page is isolated from the rest of the system. As a result, no data in another sandbox or your computer’s local storage will be harmed even if you view an infected website.
Good Battery Life
These machines have locally installed programs, so no programs are running in the background that will drain your power. To further improve battery life, remove unnecessary programs, keep the screen brightness low, and lock the device while you’re not using it.
Convenient
Chromebooks keep everything in the cloud, which enables you to work anywhere. They are also great for traveling due to their portability and extended battery life.
2-in-1 Convertible , 11.6″ HD Display, MediaTek MT8173C, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage, , Blizzard White
The features a plastic body with an appealing design and top-notch construction. It weighs 1200 g and measures 292 x 215.3 x 19.6 mm, making it very portable. It has an 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) HD resolution display with large bezels and a 10-point multi-touch display. It is one of the with some amazing features described below.
The Lenovo Chromebook C330 has 360-degree hinges, so you can use it as a tablet, , or tent mode. It consists of a headphone jack, a USB port on the right-hand side of the device, a full-service USB Type C port, an HDMI connector, a USB 3.0 port, and an SD card reader. Lenovo’s inclusion of an HDMI connector is notable since Chromebooks don’t often have this functionality like in the . This has a quad-core MediaTek MTK 8173C CPU rather than the processor that Chromebooks typically use. It has a base speed of 1.70 GHz and a boost clock speed of 2.11 GHz.
The webcam, which has a resolution of 1,280 by 720 pixels and is positioned just above the display, generally produces acceptable, if soft and dark, images. Even with the volume turned up, the music stays muffled and flat, with only a ghost of bass coming from the two bottom-mounted speakers. Their sound is soft and murky as well. For streaming video, it’s fine, but for music, you’ll need headphones.
Although the screen is significantly more appealing, its low resolution makes delicate details appear rather blurred. Although contrast is good and brightness is merely enough (you won’t want to bring it down very far to conserve battery life), content on chrome or sites appears properly black-on-white rather than dark-gray-on-light-gray. Although there are many viewing angles, the glossy touch interface is prone to reflections. On the other hand, clear and rich colors make still photographs and films look sharp.
Although not up to ThinkPad standards, the C330’s keyboard is one of its better characteristics. It has good travel and a responsive typing feel and is set up in the traditional Chromebook layout, with a search key in place of Caps Lock and web navigation, luminance, and volume keys along the top row. The touchpad moves easily and responds to taps.
Lenovo C330’s battery life is 10 hours, as claimed by Lenovo company.
5 13″ , FHD Touch Display, i3-10110U, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage,
The 5 Chromebook boats Intel’s powerful 10th Generation CPUs, a durable and attractive chassis, a touchscreen with pen capability, a comfortable backlit keyboard, and a 720p webcam. And a sufficient number of ports. The Flex 5’s top half is coated with aluminum by Lenovo. The metal’s appealing grainy surface enhances the Chromebook’s visual appeal. Polycarbonate and polymer are mixed to create the chassis’ remaining components. It has a matte appearance that nearly makes it appear velvety to the touch.
The 13-inch display size and the 16:9 aspect ratio are typical for mid-range Chromebooks. Though you will like a bigger screen with more vertical space, the screen is big enough to work on, and the form is favorable for watching videos.
Lenovo chose the standard Full HD resolution (1,980 x 1,080) used by screens in this market. For most uses, this quality is more than sufficient. For example, it produces professional-looking webpages and keeps papers and spreadsheets readable, even using small fonts. In addition, most of the video content you may obtain online and from streaming providers looks nice.
The keyboard is visually distinctive. First, the black keys complement the blue color of the deck’s general design. Second, the keys are spaced perfectly apart from the polycarbonate grid on the sunken keyboard surface. Third, the size and form of each key are what you’d expect from a keypad. In addition, travel and comments are first-rate.
The Flex 5 boasts a solid assortment of ports, including two USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1, one USB 3.1 Type-A Gen 1, a combination audio jack, a microSD reader, and a Kensington lock.
Stereo speakers for the Flex 5 are attached to either side of the keyboard. Additionally, Waves Audio has calibrated the speakers to deliver well-balanced sound. The speakers produce a convincingly realistic sound with a good balance of lows, mids, and highs. The volume could be the only issue. Some people can prefer a few more decibels.
For added convenience, there’s a USB-C connector on either side of the device. With a thickness of a little under an inch and a weight of just under three pounds, it is on the hefty side for 13-inch Chromebooks.
An 5205U CPU, integrated , 4 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of eMMC storage are included in the basic model. It has a fast boot speed due to the i3-1115G4 processor, , a , and integrated running Chrome OS. According to the battery tests, only 7 hours and 25 minutes of online browsing at 150 nits over Wi-Fi were enough to drain the battery.
3 11″ , 11.6-Inch HD IPS Display, MediaTek MT8173C, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage, , Blizzard White
This is bigger and heavier than others in its class; the 311 weighs almost as much as the 11.6-inch Flex 3 and is a little thicker. There are two USB Type-C Gen 1 ports and two USB Type-A Gen 1 ports (one on each side) on the Flex 3, a MicroSD reader, an audio combo jack, and a lock slot. If you’re not in low light, the 720p webcam performs quite well. The touchpad is surprisingly robust. The 360-degree hinges that turn this device into a tablet feel sturdy, and the body is incredibly strong.
An N4020 CPU provides the necessary processing capability, with a dual-core CPU from Intel’s Atom range of processors rather than the premium Core family of processors. In addition, 4GB of system memory and 64GB of eMMC-style storage are included with the Celeron processor. Overall, it’s a very disappointing technological lineup for an Intel-powered device, so the 3 Chromebook falls short in terms of performance.
Overall, the individual experience is considerably better than using the same hardware in a Windows environment. For example, writing in or streaming video is fairly responsive on the Lenovo FIn addition, the 3. The touchscreen performance in tablet mode is generally smooth, with just sporadic stuttering from the display while swiping or scrolling.
The G Suite of Google’s is more efficient than expected, and decoding video streams or videos saved on the computer does not strain the CPU cores. As a result, smooth video playback is the rule rather than the exception, but there is some lag when you’re swiping between applications and online sites.
The N4020 CPU in the 3 is not typically something to brag about. But it undoubtedly adds to the pretty lengthy 16+ hours of video playing.
, 14-Inch FHD Display, MediaTek MT8173C, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage,
The is a budget product. Despite being mostly plastic, the is remarkably attractive, light, and robust. The plastic feels plain, but you wouldn’t expect a metal exterior or luxury build for $155.00.
In any event, the black hue of the Chromebook is rather appealing. Sadly, although scratch-resistant, the ‘s matte black body is readily fingerprinted. The good news is that the plastic chassis is of good quality and has no sharp edges or corners.
The textured lid of the is also pleasant to the touch when closed. The Chrome logo is also situated in the lid’s upper right-hand corner, and a Lenovo logo is on the lid’s upper left corner.
The lid is attached by two substantial, reliable hinges that span almost the entire length of the ‘s back. The lid can only open because this is not a 2-in-1 convertible . When you open the ‘s lid, the 14-inch anti-glare display is surrounded by substantial bezels. A microphone hole and 720p webcam are located on the top bezel.
The base model features a 14-inch screen with a resolution of 1,366 x 768, less than Full HD. It is powered by a Mediatek processor (an ARM CPU also used in Android tablets) rather than an Intel or AMD CPU. However, it works well for everyday computer use since is simple and undemanding. The switch to a smaller CPU also contributes to the excellent battery life.
Along with its functional touchscreen display, the keyboard is a pleasant addition that will please most users. The keyboard’s keys feature good key travel and a pleasant, clicky feel. In addition to the specs above, the keyboard’s keys provide great responsiveness. The integrated click buttons on the touchpad also have a respectable amount of travel, exactly like the keys on the keyboard.
Two speakers are located beneath the . These speakers provide a thunderous sound but lack good bass quality, just like most Chromebook speakers.
The has a 720p webcam built into the display’s top bezel, as was already mentioned. Unfortunately, this webcam doesn’t well capture colorful images. The webcam, though, is sufficient for video calls.
The hinge on this allows the screen to be folded back as much as 180 degrees. However, the S330 lacks ports; the only connection options are a single HDMI output, one SD card reader, and a USB-C port.
The has dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.1 for connectivity. In addition, because of its plastic construction, the is reasonably lightweight. It weighs merely 1450 g and has dimensions 325.7 x 232.3 x 20.8 mm.
3 11 , 11.6″ HD Display, N4020, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage, 600,
This Chromebook 3 is genuinely rather elegant on the outside. The vibrant logo occupies the display lid’s upper right corner, and the area beneath it is covered in a striped design that looks great against the lid’s remaining solid Onyx Black color. Lenovo’s Ideapad 3 Series is Lenovo’s entry-level Ideapad, designed to be used on the go. But the Ideapad 5 series provides more sophisticated technology in a similarly small design if you need something with a little more power.
The 14-inch display on the IdeaPad 3 runs at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and is bright and sharp. The display possesses a 16:9 aspect ratio that works well with video material on YouTube but isn’t ideal for papers and websites. Unlike other Lenovo Chromebooks, the Ideapad 3 doesn’t have a touchscreen, which isn’t surprising at this price point. Additionally, there is a 720p webcam positioned above the screen, which provides decent video quality but has slightly washed-out colors.
The keyboard of the Chromebook 3 is rather good, with reliable key switches and satisfying click feedback. The only significant flaw is the absence of crucial illumination, but at this price, that is not a helpful feature to expect. But the touchpad takes a lot of pressure from the fingertip to move the pointer. The Chromebook 3’s downward-firing speakers deliver a good high volume but a megaphone-like sound, making audio output minimal.
Fortunately, the Chromebook 3 has numerous connectors that you can utilize to connect an external wired mouse and headphones. On each side of the , one USB Type-C port and two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A connectors are provided. On the left side, a microSD card reader can be found in addition to a headphone/microphone combo port. The onboard Wi-Fi supports only Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11ac. Although Bluetooth 5 and 802.11ax are two generations old, they are both perfectly adequate for an extremely low-cost notebook like this.
The i3-1005G1 CPU in the IdeaPad 3 is from the 10th generation, which isn’t the newest or best Intel chipset, but it’s enough for most everyday work. Gaming and other visually intensive jobs (think high-end image and video editing) are out of this ‘s capabilities. But, for most everyday tasks, the integrated G1 package is acceptable.
2019 Lenovo 11.6″ HD IPS Touchscreen 2-in-1 Chromebook, Quad-Core MediaTek MT8173C (4C, 2X A72 + 2X A53), 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, HDMI, Type-C,
The 2019 Lenovo Chromebook has an IPS touchscreen and a 360-degree hinge with four convertible modes: , stand, tablet, and display. In addition to a USB Type-C connector for charging, this has a USB 3.0 and SD memory card reader on its left side. Unfortunately, the Chromebook’s MediaTek mt8173c CPU (with 4GB of RAM) is not very good for multitasking. Geekbench 4 gave it a general test score of 2,934, much behind the average of 4,536 and the 5190’s 4,193. (celeron n3450 CPU, 4GB of RAM).
Final Thoughts
Chromebooks are affordable for those who want to use their laptops primarily for everyday work or academic purposes. Chromebooks come pre-optimized for a wide range of helpful word processing and other programs, such as Google Photos, Docs, Music, Drive, and many more. If you need a handy Chromebook to perform daily tasks like emailing and streaming YouTube, the IdeaPad 3 and Flex 3 are ideal. The is excellent for watching movies due to its solid display and sound quality. However, the top-rated Chromebook on the list is Flex 5, which has excellent speakers, good connectivity, and a quality display.