Lenovo launches IdeaPad 5i and Flex 5i Chromebooks

Damien Wilde | Jun 24 2021 - 2:25 am PT

Ahead of MWC 2021, Lenovo has launched two brand-new Chrome OS-powered IdeaPad 5i and Flex 5i laptops to compete at the low to-mid-end of the market.

The most notable of the new Lenovo Chromebook duo is definitely the IdeaPad 5i. It comes with an interested lightbar along the front edge along the full length of the touchpad. This simply provides a color indicator of the current battery life on your device.

There’s a 14-inch FHD IPS touchscreen display that reaches a 300-nit maximum brightness, while it comes with a number of configurations including Intel Pentium, Core i3 and Core i5 CPUs, 4/8GB of RAM, and 128/256/512GB of internal storage. The keyboard can be customized with backlighting while the port selection includes 2 x USB-C, 1 x USB-A, plus a microSD card slot.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5i battery is rated at 10 hours, while it weighs in at 1.42kg or 3.13 lbs. Pricing starts at €399 or around $475 with two colors offered: Sand and Storm Gray.

Joining the Lenovo IdeaPad 5i is the IdeaPad Flex 5i, a more modest 13.3-inch Chromebook with a display that can almost fully rotate. The internals are practically identical, but the IdeaPad Flex 5i offers OLED display options and an extra Intel Celeron CPU configuration. Because the IdeaPad Flex 5i is smaller, it drops a little weight at 1.35kg or 2.98 lbs.

Disappointingly, Lenovo dropped the neat lightbar on the IdeaPad Flex 5i, but the price remains the same at €399 or around $475. It will be available in two colors: Iron Gray and Abyss Blue. Both new IdeaPads will go on sale from next month.