Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13″ Laptop, FHD Touch Display, Intel Core i3-10110U, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage, Chrome OS

Picked up the Lenovo Flex 5 13″ for my young son who uses Chromebooks at school. After a bunch of research it came down to this or the Lenovo C330. I was originally favouring ASUS but learned that, surprisingly, Lenovo has some of the best Chromebook offerings. Buying an affordable Chromebook isn’t easy because you’re basically looking for the best offering among some of the lowest PC specs available. Nothing stands out as being particularly great unless you start approaching a cost that has you wondering why you’re still looking at Chromebooks. In the end I chose to spend a little more for something newer and faster that could perhaps get my son through his grade school years.The Lenovo Flex 5 13″ stood out for a couple of reasons based on the reviews I read. Right off the bat it has a decent fully HD (1920×1080) screen. I think the screen looks great — nice brightness and good contrast. The viewing angle is a bit limited as I noticed that swaying left to right even a little bit started to affect the viewable colours on the sides of the screen but overall the effect was negligible.The touch screen was a bonus. I know my son likes to work with his iPad so I figured at times the touch interface could be more intuitive. The screen can be flipped back into tablet mode and the touch screen worked well but it’s certainly not as comfortable to hold as a slim iPad. Plus, you now have the keyboard exposed on the “bottom” which is a bit awkward. Sometimes it is just easier and faster to just touch the screen than use the touchpad though.The interface and browsing was pretty snappy with the Core i3-10110U Processor. The 4GB of RAM was the main factor that had me hesitating on this purchase but so far it hasn’t been a problem. I’m very pleased with how fluid and responsive the system feels.Keyboard has a decent size, it’s backlit, and it feels good for a notebook. The touchpad is also fairly large and it’s responsiveness was perfectly fine. Note that if you have never worked with a Chromebook before, it DOES take some getting used to some of the touchpad gestures. For example, you don’t just click the right side of the touchpad for a right-click, you need to tap the touchpad with two fingers. You can scroll windows by swiping up and down with two fingers. etc. I personally do not find the Chromebook interface to be very intuitive which is a bit of a concern for my younger son but I know he’ll learn. Many options are simply hidden from the screen and you just need to know the appropriate gestures or button clicks to work your way around the system.Speakers face upwards and I found them plenty loud. I don’t expect great quality from built-in speakers but these did the job.The Flex 5 13″ also has a full size USB-A connector which some Chromebooks don’t offer. It might be a minor thing but this makes it easy to connect any typical mouse or memory stick you probably have. I think this is just convenient for people without the technical know-how to deal with converting USB interfaces. There are also USB-C ports on both sides which is also convenient.Storage-wise, the Flex 5 13″ comes with about 46GB of free space out of the box.No problems connecting to Wifi. The connection remained stable and fast.Overall I am please with this purchase. I have nothing to complain about. I was probably hoping to spend about 3/4 of the price for a Chromebook ($538 at the time of my purchase) but I think the little extra money was well spent in this case. Except for the 4GB of memory, I don’t feel I’ve compromised on anything. Being a newer product it will also continue to receive Google updates for a while.UPDATE: We’ve now used the Chromebook for the entire school year and it has been fantastic for my son. At least half the year, if not more, was remote learning and we never once had an issue with WIFI, the camera, or audio with Google Classroom. Also, the 4GB of RAM (my biggest concern) never seemed to be an issue either. My son tends to leave a LOT of browser tabs open and we never encountered any noticeable slowdowns. Very reliable Chromebook that has performed GREAT for the year — still very pleased with the purchase!

Excellent features for the price. Great for university. I purchased this to be a “commuter” device for university. My Windows laptop is a bit too expensive and fragile for me to want to stuff it in a backpack and carry it around all day. When I purchased this, I was looking for something that could be used for video conference lectures, that I could do schoolwork on, and that I could use for light internet browsing during study breaks. I used it during the fall 2020 semester, and this met those expectations and more. Here’s the “Good, Okay, Bad” breakdown.Good:The convertible screen ended up being incredibly valuable, once I finally got my hands on a USI stylus. I used it to take notes directly on PDFs of my lecture materials using Squid, and it really upped my study game.If you’re already deep in the Google ecosystem, this is a really handy device to have. My Pixel paired easily and now I can see my text messages on my computer. That’s really cool.Startup takes no time at all.The battery life is impressive. I can consistently get at least 8 hours of heavy use, even with my brightness turned all the way up. It charges really fast, too.The screen is clear, bright, and vibrant. I’m used to a much larger screen on my Windows laptop, and the transition to this smaller screen was easy, because the quality is so nice.It’s a durable little sucker. I’m kind of hard on my electronics. Four months of daily use, and it still looks the same as it did the day I unboxed it.The keyboard is excellent and I love that it’s backlit. I wish it had a 10-key numpad, but it definitely wouldn’t fit one.The touchpad is also excellent and I love that it supports multi-touch.I’m just a big fan of Chrome OS. It’s simple and easy to use. There’s almost no learning curve. It has a lot of fun little tricks that make it really simple and efficient to use.Okay:The RAM is sufficient for my needs. It gets a little laggy when I have a lot of tabs open and apps running simultaneously. By “a lot,” I mean like 20+. I currently have 12 tabs, one of which is a youtube video, and Google Hangouts open and it’s running fine. It sometimes struggles to handle having multiple youtube videos open, or having a youtube video paused in the background while I do a video call. It has crashed on me a few times, almost always when I have multiple youtube tabs or streaming services running simultaneously. But as long as I’m careful about how much I have open at one time, it’s fine.The touchscreen is just okay, even with the USI stylus. It’s not bad exactly, but sometimes it takes a while to recognize my USI stylus. I’m not sure if that’s a problem with the stylus or the Chromebook. Palm rejection, latency, and smoothness vary a lot depending on the app you’re using. (I tried every handwriting app in the play store.) I’ve never used it to draw. I wouldn’t use this as a tablet replacement. It’s a little bit too big and the layout is a little bit too unwieldy.The app selection is okay. You can run most Android apps on a Chromebook. Usually they work fine. Sometimes they’re a little clunky.The webcam is alright. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s fine for video calls. I like the privacy cover.Bad:The speakers aren’t great. They’re loud enough, but they’re tinny with no bass. The speakers on my Pixel 3a are objectively better. I almost always use headphones, so this isn’t a huge problem for me – I didn’t even notice until I’d already owned this Chromebook for a few months. But if listening to music without headphones or an external speaker is important to you, this might not be the device for you.Overall, I’m very happy with the Flex 5. I would recommend it if…You already have a more powerful Windows or Mac device and want something lightweight, cheap, and sturdy to carry around.You’re caught between buying a tablet and a laptop, because you want a bigger screen/better keyboard/more traditional computer-like interface than you can get with a tablet, but you don’t want to spend a ton of money on a laptop or sacrifice features and durability for a low-tier laptop. (This is the perfect compromise for that, especially if you’re already a Google/Android user.)You’re a light computer user who basically just wants an internet machine, but you want a nice internet machine. I would highly recommend this for an older adult or a kid who doesn’t need any fancy software.You already own Android or Google devices and want something that will complement them.

Excellent build quality, keyboard and screen. (Review after two months of steady use.). This is my first Chromebook. I decided to dip my toe into the world of Chrome OS because I’m embarking on a long-term writing project using Google Docs, and I wanted a small, portable device with long battery life and a good keyboard. After some research, including reviews both on Amazon and on other sites, I decided on the Lenovo Flex 5. New to Chromebooks, I admit I was very hesitant. A 3D animator and motion graphics artist by trade, I own several Windows 10 workstations and laptops, all of which have powerful CPUs, high end graphics cards, lots of ram and ample storage. I was therefore reluctant to purchase a computer that only had an i3 processor and 4GB ram. But after using the notebook for two months, I couldn’t be more pleased.Pros:Battery life: 8-10 hours with daily moderate use.1. Keyboard: For such a small device, the keyboard is surprisingly comfortable and quiet. Extra points for the nice backlit keys.2. Display: Sharp 1080 screen that is evenly lit. The touchscreen is very responsive.3. Size: Small footprint without feeling like you are sacrificing anything in the display or keyboard.4. Cost: At this price point, the Flex is hard to beat.5. Responsiveness: In my use (writing and surfing the web), the Chromebook has been very snappy, with no lag.6. Build quality: This Chromebook has an exceptionally solid feel.Cons:1. The screen has a gloss finish that might bother some users due to glare or reflections. So far that has been a non-issue for me, but it is a fingerprint magnet.2. Swivel screen. I hardly swivel the screen to turn the Flex into a tablet since I use mine for writing and therefore want the keyboard. I’m reporting this as a con only because there have been reports of the screen attachment breaking after repeated flips. Such reports have made me a bit paranoid about switching to the tablet configuration.3. Webcam quality is not very good. I tried it once and probably won’t use it again.4. Bluetooth mouse. This is a criticism of Chrome OS in general, not the Flex in particular. I purchased a Logitech bluetooth mouse for my Flex. I had no trouble pairing it, and the forward/backward navigation works fine. But scrolling with the wheel while surfing the web is VERY frustrating. Pages scroll smoothly and then suddenly jump much further down, causing you to have to scroll back up to find your place. This aggressive scrolling is not unique to the Flex or to the Logitech mouse. It has been well documented as an issue with Chrome OS and bluetooth mice. It is truly my only major grievance in owning this Chromebook. Google apparently has better things to do and has ignored customer complaints about this for years. Fortunately, the Flex has a touch screen, so you can always forgo the mouse and simply scroll using the display.In conclusion, I am extremely happy with my Lenovo Flex 5: nice keyboard, crisp display, terrific battery life, excellent build quality, and very attractive price point. But keep in mind that I’m using my Flex only for surfing the web and for writing in the cloud. I can’t comment on how well it handles other tasks, such as playing games. If you’re expecting tablet-like weight, you will be disappointed because it is considerably heavier than a tablet. Personally, I would rather have a well constructed Chromebook like this one than a flimsy, light one.

Returned and exchanged; replaced unit is good. UPDATED:I wrote a long review but deleted it because, well, you guys said most of it, and said it well… No need to repeat. I’ll just write an abbreviated review:1. I bought the first one and I really liked it – until it bricked a few times. I was able to get it going again after doing some extensive research. That was a couple of months or so ago and I forgot exactly what the fix was (press a key and the side button or something) but I’ll look for it and post here if I find it.2. After it bricked a few times – I didn’t want a defective item – new computers shouldn’t brick – so I decided to return and exchange it. Ultimately Amazon did exchange it after they tried to tell me I’d have to wait over a month! What? There were several in stock according to the product page. I persisted, called again, insisted on speaking with a supervisor – who finally “was able to” get it to me within a week, not the two days that is guaranteed to a Prime member. It was kind of an insult that they tried to push around a Prime customer. My guess is they had several in stock, but not that many, and they wanted to keep those for new Flex buyers and it would take a month for the next shipment from wherever. Who knows.3. Got this one, it works well and I like it a lot. Here are my thoughts:+I absolutely love the backlit keyboard – this is my first one – and don’t know how I ever settled for a computer without one before! It’s great for working in low light or the dark. Probably the one best feature of this Chromebook.+And I like the keys and keyboard, typing is just right, Lenovo always made superior keyboards and this one delivers too.+The screen is nice and clear, better than I first judged. But I’m really gentle and careful with it and refrain from folding it over tablet style because of all the hinge complaints. It sucks to have to be so proactively careful, but what can you do? I thought of spraying some appropriate lubricant into the hinges, but will have to find out what to use.+But the speakers are sooo inferior, tinny, low volume with little range, etc. As a comparison, my Samsung phone with one tiny speaker is much, much louder and clearer than this Chromebook. Makes no sense – the two speaker grills on the front could easily support larger, louder, better quality speakers. What would it cost them, a dollar? Two? Lenovo, come on now,Overall I really like this Chromebook. It serves most of my needs, is quick, simple to use, light, good for scrolling the internet, good for watching movies (but as mentioned, the volume is low, so it would be a challenge to play for a group in a room), the battery is pretty good – never ran out of battery. I recommend it, particularly at the sale price.

A Versatile Gem: Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13″ Laptop Shines in Performance and Portability. The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13″ Laptop has truly exceeded my expectations, delivering a top-notch performance with its array of impressive features. From its crisp screen to lightning-fast startup and exceptional battery life, this Chromebook has become my go-to companion for work and play. While it offers an incredible experience indoors, the only minor drawback is its screen brightness, which could be improved for outdoor use.First and foremost, the display of the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 is simply stunning. The screen’s crispness and clarity enhance every visual element, from text to images and videos. Whether I’m browsing the web, streaming content, or working on documents, the vibrant colors and sharp details make everything visually appealing. The high-quality display ensures an immersive and enjoyable viewing experience, elevating my productivity and entertainment to new heights.One of the standout features of this Chromebook is its lightning-fast startup. Within seconds of pressing the power button, the device is up and running, ready for action. This impressive speed allows me to jump right into my tasks without any frustrating delays. Whether I need to quickly respond to an email, join an online meeting, or access my favorite apps, the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 saves me valuable time and ensures a seamless workflow.Battery life is another area where this Chromebook truly shines. With its exceptional power management capabilities, it offers an impressively long-lasting battery that keeps me productive throughout the day. I’m getting about 10 hours of watching video! Whether I’m working remotely or enjoying multimedia entertainment, I can rely on the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 to keep up with my demands without needing frequent recharging. The peace of mind that comes with a reliable battery life is truly invaluable, especially during long trips or extended work sessions.While the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 excels indoors, it does have a minor downside when it comes to outdoor use. The screen brightness, while generally adequate, could be improved for optimal visibility in bright sunlight. While this hasn’t been a major issue for me, I can see how it might affect users who frequently work or enjoy entertainment in outdoor settings. Nonetheless, this minor drawback does not significantly diminish the overall exceptional performance and versatility of this Chromebook.In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13″ Laptop to anyone seeking a reliable, efficient, and portable computing solution. Its crisp screen, lightning-fast startup, and remarkable battery life ensure a delightful user experience. While it could benefit from improved screen brightness for outdoor use, this Chromebook excels in every other aspect, offering a seamless blend of performance, versatility, and value.

Reliable and simple. I’ve had this laptop since 2022. The things I like are the price, backlit keyboard, a comfortable keyboard, like the touch screen, and for simple everyday use, it works very well.Things that aren’t so great are the think pad mouse can be difficult to right and left mouse click. Not aggressively so but I played some basic games and it can get touchy. I don’t ever use the ipad option. If you don’t fold it slowly it can mess up the latches. I still like it but I think it’s just early for that type of manufacturing/ technology development. And the sound of the speakers could be higher.I think overall for the price it’s a great value especially if you’re looking for a simple everyday computer. It fit my budget and the ipad option is still fun. If I had a good case I would probably use it more because I’m afraid of dropping it because of the lack of grip. I use it every day and I really enjoy it. I think this would be great for students looking for a basic computer or for traveling. Great lightweight build and reliable. Definitely has gotten hit around and has been great.

2 years on and now it breaks. I bought this Chromebook because I was going back to school and was using it at work seminars. I love the touch screen and the ability to use it as a tablet is great, though it is a bit heavy. However, less than years after purchasing the camera no longer works – all I get is a black screen. The warranty, of course expired, I’ve tried all the troubleshooting from Lenovo and Google to no avail. If I didn’t have to have the camera and video capability for work I wouldn’t mind, but I do and it’s frustrating.

I always wished that the laptop would just open without any waiting period unlike most windows laptops and this one clearly delivered! It is highly reliable and can run multiple chrome tabs with ease.. after all this is a Chromebook. Native support for apps is not to be expected as its coming from play store and not all apps work here like an Android phone. It is a linux based system.