In addition to the sheer size of its size, the IdeaPad 5i’s display also features a 2.5K resolution, making fonts smoother and agreeable to read. It is color accurate, thanks to a 100% sRGB color gamut and a 350 NITs brightness.
There’s a more affordable display if you can get by with a more basic screen: 1080p, 45% NTSC and 300 NITs. For reference, 72% sRGB is equivalent to 100% sRGB. Finally, the hinge reclines 180 degrees and can lay flat on the table.
The keyboard is wide enough to include a numeric pad, making it a good choice for Google Sheets, and the keys are comfortable, with a 1.5mm travel key. The trackpad is large and easy to use, even with the most complex gestures.
There are plenty of ports, such as two USB-C, two USB-A, and a microSD card reader. Additionally, there’s an antitheft Kensington nano lock port (excellent for schools and cafes) and the traditional 3.5mm audio connector.
We recommend the more expensive 12th Gen Intel Core i3-1215U processor and 8GB RAM configuration. The local storage can go to 512GB, but we’re not sure you need that much with ChromeOS. It also runs Android apps, so it depends on our usage model.
Starting at $550, we think Lenovo brings great value with this IdeaPad 5i, and prospective Chromebook buyers should consider it when shopping for a model in this price range.
Talking about Chrome OS, Lenovo also showed the ThinkCentre M60q Chromebox, a tiny desktop computer designed to be attached to a monitor. You can see it in the photo above, next to what seems to be a 24-27 inch monitor.
Despite its tiny size, it can be configured with an Intel Core-i5 12th generation with two DDR4 SODIMM 3200MHz memory modules that could easily reach 64GB.
It has many ports: 6x USB, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x DP, Ethernet, and more. IFA 2022 is a good show for Chrome OS, it seems.