Getting yourself a suitable laptop (Windows) within $1,000 can be a little tough. However, the laptops within the range of $500-$700 are getting better and faster with every passing year. Most of the latest laptops of this range have a USB-C port. Although, most of them can be used as a USB-C hub, and they charge at a real fast speed. All thanks to highly efficient processors, performance, and the battery.
I won’t give up on my beloved laptop anytime soon, it just works nicely for my writing and editing style. While for low-intense gaming, podcasting, and just browsing on the couch, the Lenovo Flex 5 has amazed me by just how efficient it is as an overall Chromebook.
Price and Availability
Lenovo launched its new flagship, the Flex 5 (14″), in 2020 with both Intel and AMD models. The 11th Generation Intel editions began near $700 for the i3, while the AMD editions began at around $400 for the Ryzen 3 with 4GB RAM. Both the models were available on Best Buy and the official website of Lenovo. However, its price has dropped to $550 in current sales, and I’m so sure that Lenovo will drop it down that low again.
The Intel model is the most popular. It starts at USD 730 at Amazon, with a “normal” cost of $680. It comes with the configuration of 11th Gen i5, 8 GB/256 GB SSD storage. Its price has dropped into the $650-$630 range many times. But I would suggest looking for discounts to become more common as we get closer to the end of the year.
My Experience with the Lenovo Flex 5 (14”)
I got myself the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 (14”) 2021-update from street shops around two weeks ago. I used it and gathered my experiences on it in this review.
The configuration of this laptop is the AMD Lucienne Ryzen 7 5700U. It is a rebadged 8Cores/16Threads upgrade of the Ryzen 7 4800U from 2020. That was built on the improved Zen2+ architecture and with revised Vega graphics. You know, Lenovo also gives Ryzen 3 3500U and 5 5500U configurations for this Chromebook.
My laptop comes with the configuration of a Ryzen 7 chipset, 16 GB RAM, along with a fast 512 GB SSD. It is available for an MSRP price of nearly 800 EUR here. While I got my laptop just for 620 EUR as a Resealed product which was available at a local shop. When I said it was available resealed, that means someone purchased it first and then returned it to the shop to resell to me at a discount.
So, what made that person return a laptop with such kind of specifications and performance. Even when it is a one-of-a-kind model available here, I’m damn sure it was the display. The screen is worse than the display on the IdeaPad 5 clamshell that I purchased in 2020. Even I ended up returning that model at that time due to its poor screen display. Apart from that, this sleek machine also tends to function rather hot under load. Well, that’s quite understandable due to the given specs inside.
Even though I can’t watch myself using this kind of laptop screen, I still think the Lenovo Flex 5 can be a great option under this price range. It’s nice for those that rather look for performance, specs, and a nice chassis, and not for a decent screen.
How’s the Performance?
The power and performance of the Lenovo Flex 5 (14”) aren’t typically the most admiring aspect of a 2-in-1. However, this Chromebook is anything but typical in this term. The incorporated AMD Ryzen 5 processor smoothly runs creative software such as Photoshop and even seamlessly streams games. However, you have to use low-quality settings to run such games and software. Well, it’s not as efficient as the Lenovo Yoga C940 (the expensive one). But the Lenovo Flex 5 functions well when compared to models with an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 chipsets. This Chromebook isn’t perfect, and the screen, while clear and crisp, is sadly rather dim. Eventually, that makes it closely impossible to run properly in a brightly lit place.
Design
However, it doesn’t likely include the most appealing design, but the Lenovo Flex 5 is powerful, slim, and flexible. Since this is a budget-friendly laptop, the chassis is a little heavier than other models, making it tough to use for a longer time in tablet mode. It is rumored, this machine still weighs nearly 3 pounds, which makes it lighter for carrying around the campus. The key travel is decent, as is the touchpad. However, the keyboard is not as decent as in other models, but it’s more than adequate for this price.
Edward Lewis is a creative person who has been writing blogs and articles about cybersecurity. He writes about the latest updates regarding mcafee.com/activate and how it can improve the work experience of users. His articles have been published in many popular e-magazines, blogs, and websites.
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