Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus First Impressions

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i is a 14-inch Chromebook Plus device with a versatile 2-in-1 form factor and an affordable price tag. It’s still early days, but this may be the proof point that Google needs to show the world that Chrome OS can compete effectively with Windows and macOS, and not just in education or the low-end of the market.

As many of you know, I’ve long admired Chrome OS and the Chromebooks that run it for their simplicity, low prices, and easy maintenance. And so I’ve kept my eye on this platform, watching as it’s improved dramatically over the years with such things as Linux and Android app compatibility and a dramatically improved support lifecycle. But with the introduction of the more premium Chromebook Plus product category and the resulting functional improvements, it appears that Chrome OS may finally be a viable alternative for power users like me.

And while I haven’t yet written about this aspect of my recent digital decluttering efforts, I’ve made a point to do some of that work on the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook since we returned from Mexico about a month ago. This device would qualify as a premium PC in the Windows space, and so it has since been upgraded to Chromebook Plus status. As good, thanks to my ongoing Workspace storage issues, I’ve started using it with my Gmail account instead of my Workspace account. And between the two, things are starting to click. Suddenly, the blockers are starting to fall aside.

At the time of the Chromebook Plus announcement, Google offered me the opportunity to review one of the first devices that would be marketed with this brand, but I declined: I already had the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, after all, and it’s a terrific laptop. But after a short chat with the company recently, I realized that I was giving up an opportunity to get a broader view of the improvements that Google and its partners have brought to Chrome OS and Chromebook Plus this year. And so I agreed to check out the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i, a device that starts at half the price of the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook despite its flexible form factor.

The key to this, of course, is that Chrome OS, even in Chromebook Plus form, requires far fewer system resources than Windows. And so it can run effectively with lower-end processors, less RAM, and less storage. In this case, that means a 13th Gen Intel Core i3-1315U processor, 8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and 128 GB of eMMC 5.1 TLC solid-state storage. These are not exactly premium Windows PC specifications, and they land neatly at the minimums required by the Chromebook Plus spec. But thanks to the more efficient platform, the device appears to be snappy and performant in my early use.

The display is terrific. It’s a 14-inch IPS panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, a resolution of 1920 x 1200, and multi-touch capabilities, which makes sense since it can be used (somewhat awkwardly) like a tablet. It’s glossy and emits what I think of as an adequate 300 nits of brightness, which is great for indoor use. It may be time to give GeForce Now another try.

The communications picture includes Wi-Fi 6E, which is nicely future-proof, and Bluetooth 5.1, but no cellular data connectivity. And the expansion picture is solid. The Lenovo provides a full-sized USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A port and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port on the left, alongside a microSD 3.0 card slot and combo microphone/headphone jack.

And on the right, you’ll find a second USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port plus a Kensington lock slot, a power button, and volume buttons.

From a hybrid work perspective, the IdeaPad Flex provides a 1080p webcam with a manual privacy shutter and dual-array microphones, and while I’m not as familiar with Google’s solutions in this space, there are AI-powered camera enhancement and a neat Screencast app with automatic PIP for the camera view.

And the speakers seem solid, though I’ve only tested them with music and a quick viewing of part of Oblivion, which for some reason is the only movie in my Gmail-based video collection.

The device itself offers a standard premium Lenovo design, meaning that it looks and feels solid, professional, and of high quality, similar to other IdeaPad-brand PCs.

The backlit keyboard is rock-solid, with the familiar scalloped keys and short, nearly perfect key throws. And the touchpad is nicely sized and not too large like so many touchpads these days.

And of course the convertible form factor is interesting, though the IdeaPad doesn’t come with a stylus or smartpen: Instead, you can purchase a Lenovo USI Pen separately if needed for about $24 at the time of this writing. It’s been a while since I’ve used a 2-in-1 Chromebook, so I’m curious to see how that experience has evolved and whether it makes working with some Android apps more natural.

And I know. You have your doubts. But here’s the thing: The IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus costs just $499. And this is a lot of capability and quality for that price. And so I will keep plugging away and see what Chromebook Plus has to offer. Among its benefits are some unique perks that speak to this platform’s evolution, like three months of Photoshop on the web for free and a free copy of Minecraft, for example. It’s a brave new world.