Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook Review

Value When Reviewed

$569.99

Finest Costs At the moment: Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook

Google’s choice to accomplice with laptop computer makers on gaming Chromebooks couldn’t have occurred at a worse time. The primary fashions rolled out in late 2022, simply months earlier than Google cancelled Stadia, its in-house cloud gaming service.

That may sound like the tip for gaming Chromebooks earlier than they’ve even actually began. However Lenovo’s IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook proves the thought nonetheless has benefit. From the intense show to the punchy audio system, this machine has loads to supply. Right here’s our full evaluate.

Design & construct

• Easy, minimalist design
• Barely flimsy construct
• Respectable port choice

You wouldn’t know the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook is constructed for gaming by it. The laptop computer is supplied with a easy gray plastic exterior, counting on a contrasting matte strip to liven issues up.

I feel it’s enticing, however it gained’t make anybody do a double take. Lenovo might’ve simply labelled this an schooling or enterprise laptop computer with none change to the design.

Appears to be like apart, the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook is a comparatively trendy machine. It options impressively slim bezels across the show, serving to preserve the general footprint comparatively low for a 16in, 16:10 panel.

The laptop computer is available in at simply over 14in broad, lower than 10in deep and below 0.8in thick. It’s definitely not small, however extra compact than most of the 15.6in laptops that had been launched only a few years in the past.

The construct high quality isn’t fairly as spectacular, although. All of the laptop computer surfaces are plastic (regardless that the lid seems to be like metallic) and flex will be present in each the show lid and decrease chassis.

None of this can be a shock given the laptop computer’s worth level, however Lenovo’s opponents can do higher. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE, for instance, gives {a partially} aluminium chassis that feels extra luxurious. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

This Chromebook leans into USB-C with two ports that help each Energy Supply quick charging and DisplayPort Alternate Mode for connecting to exterior shows. Both can be utilized for charging, knowledge switch or video enter to a monitor.

A pair of USB-A ports are included, too, to be used with older wired units. A MicroSD card reader and three.5mm audio jack spherical out the choices. It’s a superb vary, though HDMI would’ve been good.

Keyboard & trackpad

• Full-size keyboard and separate quantity pad
• Good journey, however not probably the most tactile
• Small however responsive trackpad

Lenovo places the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook’s measurement to good use with a spacious keyboard. Alongside all of the common keys, you get a separate quantity pad on the right-hand aspect.

There’s loads of key journey and room to comfortably kind, however the keys really feel a bit mushy and never notably tactile. Nevertheless, Google’s particular row of Chromebook perform keys are all right here, offering easy accessibility to capabilities similar to quantity, brightness and refresh inside an internet browser.

IDG / Matthew Smith

Keyboard backlighting is a basic gaming laptop computer characteristic, though it’s a bit extra restricted right here. You may customise the color of the backlight by way of Chrome OS’s settings, however there are solely a handful of colors or a pre-defined rainbow possibility.

Nonetheless, this can be a nice characteristic given the laptop computer’s worth. Most on this worth vary stick to a white keyboard backlight and no customisation.

A modest touchpad sits instantly beneath the primary keyboard. It measures 4.5in broad by 2.5in deep, which is unquestionably on the smaller aspect. Whereas it feels responsive and by no means appears cramped, just a little further house could be appreciated – there’s definitely room for it.

You’ll additionally discover that the touchpad is considerably offset in direction of the left in an effort to maintain it centred beneath the spacebar. Customers with giant palms must be cautious, as this may increasingly imply your left hand finally ends up off the aspect of the palm relaxation.

Personally, I choose the Acer Chromebook 516 GE’s strategy, the place it ditches the quantity pad fully to give attention to a centred touchpad and keyboard. Your mileage will differ relying on how a lot you worth the quantity pad’s presence. 

Show, audio & webcam

• Stable 16in 120Hz IPS LCD show
• Spectacular audio system
• 720p webcam could possibly be higher

The IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook is among the largest ChromeOS units you should buy, that includes a 16in show with 16:10 side ratio.

Whereas the entry-level mannequin has a 1920×1200 panel with 60Hz refresh charge, the one I examined upgrades this to 2560×1600 and 120Hz. Each are IPS LCD slightly than OLED, however have an anti-glare, non-gloss end.

Sadly, picture high quality is mediocre. When you do get enticing colors and an inexpensive most brightness of 350 nits, the show’s unimpressive distinction ratio takes away loads of depth and drama from the picture. Darkish scenes typically look hazy, with shadows missing element. 

Regardless of these flaws, the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook’s show is an enchancment over most inexpensive gaming laptops, similar to entry-level Acer Nitro 5 and Asus TUF Gaming A15. Home windows gaming laptops on this worth vary are likely to have a slender, uninteresting color gamut and even decrease distinction ratio.

The Lenovo’s 120Hz refresh charge is one other benefit over the competitors. It seems to be extraordinarily clean in video games, but in addition enhances the day-to-day visible expertise. Scrolling feels slick, whereas shifting throughout apps and net pages feels further responsive.

Whereas the show is a perk, there may be one huge catch: not all cloud gaming companies help 2,560 x 1,600 decision at as much as 120Hz. So far as I’m conscious, Nvidia GeForce Now and Shadow Blade are the one extensively obtainable companies that help this decision and refresh charge. The laptop computer helps different recreation streaming companies, however the picture on these might seem softer than you’d anticipate.

IDG / Matthew Smith

Gaming apart, the show seems to be nice when shopping the online or writing paperwork. Its sharp, vibrant picture renders high quality fonts with excellent readability, whereas the anti-glare coat takes the sting of harsh lighting. The dimensions and tall side ratio of the show gives loads of house for multitasking, too.

There’s extra excellent news with regards to audio – the laptop computer’s built-in audio system are nice for the value. They’re upward-firing, which means the sound isn’t in any respect muffled, and mix good stereo separation with a touch of oomph in music and flicks.

The mid-range can nonetheless be muddy at instances and quantity is merely satisfactory, however the audio system are a lower above most Chromebooks and equally priced Home windows laptops. 

Above the show is a primary 720p webcam. Brightness and hues are acceptable, however video tends to look tender and missing intimately. Nevertheless, these involved about privateness might be comfortable to see the inclusion of a bodily privateness shutter that may fully block the digital camera.

The microphone high quality is above common, with good quantity and readability. It’s unable to dam out many loud or constant background noises, however minor or occasional sounds aren’t an issue. Nevertheless, it’s price noting that the bodily shutter doesn’t disable the microphone.

Sadly, biometric login (together with your fingerprint or face) isn’t an possibility on this Chromebook. However that’s not a shock, as not many Chromebooks select to incorporate this characteristic. You’ll be counting on a superb quaint PIN or password as an alternative.

Specs & efficiency

• Intel Core i5-1235U CPU
• Loads of RAM and storage
• Wonderful cloud gaming efficiency

The IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook is supplied with Intel’s Core i5-1235U, a CPU from the Twelfth-gen vary that arrived in 2022. With 10 cores (two efficiency, eight effectivity), it’s a modest processor in comparison with Home windows gaming laptops, but extraordinarily highly effective for a Chromebook.

Lenovo hasn’t compromised different efficiency specs, both. You get 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD within the US, with the UK mannequin rising the latter to 512GB.

That’s wonderful for a Chromebook – even 256GB must be a lot for most individuals. In my expertise, a 256GB SSD on a Chromebook feels much like a 1TB drive on a Home windows laptop computer, because the diminished cupboard space is offset by the very fact most apps (together with video games) run within the cloud. 

Right here’s how the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook fared in 5 browser-based benchmarks. 

• CrXPRT 2: 184
• Speedometer: 124
• Basemark Net 3.0: 1193
• Kraken: 502.7
• Jetstream 2: 211.928

These are sturdy scores that go toe-to-toe with different current Chromebooks with Intel Core i5 processors, such because the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 and the Framework Laptop computer Chromebook. The Intel-powered Lenovo is a tad forward of the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 with AMD Ryzen processor in most assessments, although the benchmark outcomes are shut general.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

However what about gaming? Video games put in to the Chromebook don’t run properly – or in any respect. Android video games are technically obtainable by by way of the Google Play Retailer utilizing Android emulation, however demanding titles are out of the query.

Throughout testing, Name of Responsibility: Cell instantly crashed and returned me to the desktop. Genshin Affect launches high quality and is vaguely playable, however seems to be horrible and is something however clean. Asphalt 8 is clean sufficient to play however struggles with stuttering that takes away from the expertise.

Nevertheless, it’s a special story for cloud gaming. The IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook can comfortably stream nearly any cloud gaming title at as much as its full 2560×1600 decision and 120Hz refresh charge.

Utilizing Nvidia’s GeForce Now‘s Final tier ($19.99/£17.99 monthly), which gives entry to RTX 4080-class {hardware}, I ran Cyberpunk 2077 at 136 fps. This was with the Extremely element and Extremely ray-tracing settings on, plus DLSS 3 enabled.

Much more impressively, this was whereas in a indifferent shed that’s 50ft and several other partitions away from my residence router – I used to be completely reliant on the power of the Wi-Fi.

IDG / Matthew Smith

That’s a tremendous consequence. You’d need to spend hundreds for comparable efficiency from a Home windows laptop computer that was taking part in the sport domestically.

I used to be equally shocked by how stable the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook’s Wi-Fi adapter carried out on this state of affairs. It’s a tricky state of affairs, because the vary between the router and the Chromebook leads to simply 90 Mbps of bandwidth and spotty latency, however the recreation felt clean.

The catch? You’ll have to pay a month-to-month payment to entry any cloud gaming service. You’ll even be restricted to a smaller choice of video games that they help. However in the event you can cope with these constraints, cloud gaming on this Chromebook is a improbable expertise.

Connectivity is spectacular, with the laptop computer supporting each Bluetooth 5.1 and the most recent Wi-Fi 6E customary (on the time of writing). That’s vital for a gaming Chromebook – whereas Wi-Fi 6 is greater than able to dealing with cloud gaming, the additional bandwidth isn’t a nasty factor.

I’m comfortable to report the laptop computer helps Bluetooth 5.1 and Wi-Fi 6E, which is the most recent Wi-Fi customary. That’s vital for a gaming Chromebook. Wi-Fi 6 is greater than able to dealing with cloud gaming, however further bandwidth isn’t a nasty factor.

Wi-Fi 6E additionally has an extra 6GHz band that will enhance community reliability when you’ve got quite a few units linked. You’ll want a Wi-Fi 6E router to reap the benefits of this, although. 

Battery life

• 71Wh capability
• Spectacular battery life

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook packs a big 71Wh battery into its giant chassis. That’s a big capability for a Chromebook, and pays off once you’re away from the facility for a very long time.

Utilizing the CrXPT 2 battery life check, I recorded a really encouraging 15 hours and 56 minutes. It’s an ideal consequence, beating the likes of the Acer Chromebook Vero 514, Acer Chromebook Spin 514, and Framework Chromebook Laptop computer.

In fact, you’re round half that of precise utilization, and even much less with numerous gaming. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless an enormous leap over Home windows gaming laptops, which frequently wrestle to hit 5 hours of battery life on a cost. Battery life is a key power of the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook.

Value & availability

The value of the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook varies significantly relying on the place you’re primarily based.

In US, you’ll be able to pay as little as $569.99, each by way of Amazon and eBay – the latter is by way of Antonline, a Lenovo authorised vendor. That will get you an Intel Core i5-1235U processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.

However within the UK, it prices £749.99 from Field, with Amazon and AO each much more costly. The storage is doubled to a 512GB SSD, however all different specs are the identical.

That makes it a premium Chromebook, but probably the most reasonably priced gaming laptops you should buy. Its most evident rival is the Acer Chromebook 516 GE (from $649.99/£849.99), whereas the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 (from $499.99/£499.99) isn’t designed for video games however can run them by way of the cloud.

Verdict

The IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook is a powerful Chromebook for each day-to-day productiveness and cloud gaming. There’s loads to love right here, together with a vibrant, sharp show, good efficiency, nice connectivity and wonderful battery life.

Lenovo has made some design sacrifices, although, whereas the keyboard and webcam aren’t one of the best.

Nearly as good as this machine is, Acer’s Chromebook 516 GE gives a barely extra well-rounded Chromebook gaming expertise. However most individuals might be pleased with both machine, and the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook is a high quality second alternative.

Specs

• CPU: Intel Core i5-1235U
• Reminiscence: 8GB
• Graphics/GPU: Intel Iris Xe
• Show: 2560×1600
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Webcam: 720p with IR
• Connectivity: 2x USB-C with Energy Supply and DisplayPort 1.4, 2x USB-A, 1x microSD card reader, 1x combo 3.5mm audio jack
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1
• Biometrics: None
• Battery capability: 71 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14.04 x 9.96 x 0.78in
• Weight: 4.01lb (1.82kg)