Chromebook 500e was a fantastic little ruggedized convertible and came from a fairly long line of great value Lenovo-branded Chromebooks. TN panels are cheap to source, and Lenovo appears to have reinvested the savings in other parts of the IdeaPad 3. This is hardly the end of the world, and I didn’t find myself wishing for quicker connections during the test. It’s essentially a big web browser, but with the added advantage of apps like Google Docs working offline and the ability to run Android apps on your laptop. It performs the basics just fine, thanks to an unusually deep and responsive keyboard and near-silent running.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook 14inch FHD Laptop (MediaTek

It can only reproduce around 57% of the sRGB colour gamut, while the average Delta E is an impressively bad 10. The all-plastic construction feels cheap, but there’s a nice two-tone textured effect on the lid, which itself isn’t as weak and flexible as on some budget Chromebooks. Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. This isn't to be confused with the IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook, which is the 2-in-1 that features Intel CPUs. In addition to the 4GB of memory and 32GB of flash storage, our IdeaPad 3 review unit also features a dual-core Intel Celeron N4020 processor with a base clock speed of 1.

If it had the lightweight design and better screen of the Asus C223 it might nudge closer to budget brilliance. While Lenovo and third-party retailers offer extended warranties that may be a tempting option for budget systems like this, the additional cost may not be worth it if you plan to upgrade to a new laptop in less than two years. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 11.6 Inch HD Chromebook - (Intel Celeron, 4 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 11.6 Inch HD Chromebook - (Intel Celeron, 4

There’s a bit of flex in the base and display lid of the IdeaPad 3 when you apply pressure with your hands, but it doesn’t feel flimsy.

Its keyboard plate and lid have a fairly convincing brushed metal effect to their finish, yet both parts are plastic with a slight metallic sheen. This laptop uses a standard cylindrical plug to charge, which is obvious when you remember there aren’t even any USB-Cs here. This plastic is also very smooth, which feels tackier on your palms than either anodised aluminium or textured plastic. A propensity to wander also means that Chromebooks need solid Wi-Fi, since they may be far from a wireless base station. There was little point in subjecting the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 to our usual gaming tests, but I did try out Skyrim to see if it would run.

LENOVO Chromebooks - Cheap LENOVO Chromebook Deals | Currys LENOVO Chromebooks - Cheap LENOVO Chromebook Deals | Currys

Usually, when I'm offered a budget Chromebook for review, I'm prepared to be let down and get a device with a low 720p resolution non-touch screen. And while it hasn’t got much in the way of processing power or storage – you get a tiny 32GB eMMC flash drive – these things matter less on a low-cost Chromebook, which is designed primarily to run a browser and lightweight, web-based apps. This might be a super-cheap Chromebook, but you don’t have to spend a whole lot more to find some competition.Its TN panel lets down what is otherwise a very capable laptop, one with a solid processor among budget models and a nice deep-action keyboard. Or at least we didn’t until we had half a dozen Chrome tabs up and running with in-line video playback, and it’s tough to complain about that. With fewer pixels to power, the IdeaPad 3 manages extraordinary endurance away from the power outlet, lasting for nearly 17 hours in our battery-rundown testing.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook - Review 2020 - PCMag UK Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook - Review 2020 - PCMag UK

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These Chromebooks with Arm-based chips always have great battery life since the devices are fanless and thermals aren't a worry.