ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Lenovo’s IdeaPad Flex 5 2-in-1 is offered now at Walmart for $679
- It is a sturdy price range laptop computer that comes with Home windows S mode, a restricted however streamlined model of the working system that improves efficiency.
- The restrictions that include Home windows S mode will not make sense for everybody, and the laptop computer is on the heavy aspect.
Lenovo’s IdeaPad Flex 5 is a strong price range 2-in-1 laptop computer in its personal proper, but it surely’s designed with a particular goal in thoughts: optimization with Home windows’ gentle and restricted S mode.
If you happen to’re not conversant in S mode, it is a restricted, simplified mode of Home windows 11 that’s safer and light-weight, leading to higher efficiency — particularly for machines with lower-end {hardware}. This is not the working system for everybody, however for college kids, employees, enterprise machines, or individuals who simply desire a safer expertise, it has lots of potential.
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The IdeaPad Flex 5 is a sturdy little 14-inch 2-in-1 beginning at $679, making it a beautiful price range possibility that places it in Chromebook territory. But it surely’s not solely the worth level that pulls these comparisons. The modest {hardware} and Home windows 11 S mode make for a light-weight gadget that is optimized for a sensible, albeit restricted use case.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 has specs that seem like a Chromebook. It is received an Intel i5 processor, both 8GB or 16GB of soldered (learn: un-upgradeable) RAM, an built-in Intel Iris Xe GPU, and 512GB of storage. The touchscreen show is a 300-nit, 60Hz WUXGA display that appears simply fantastic for on a regular basis use, and a 2-in-1 type issue that simply swaps between pill and laptop computer mode.
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By way of connectivity, it has all of the bases coated: two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, one USB-C Thunderbolt, one 3.5mm headphone jack, and an SD card reader. To cost, it could possibly use both Lenovo’s proprietary port with the charger it got here with, or cost by way of USB-C Thunderbolt if in case you have one one. This wide selection of ports makes for a flexible laptop computer that may combine effectively with already-existing IT methods.
The IdeaPad Flex 5 shouldn’t be notably light-weight, weighing in at 3.42 kilos, however its total type issue is slim sufficient. General, it feels well-made and durable, with a barely grainy texture that resists fingerprints and feels sturdy sufficient to carry out effectively after altering arms many instances.
That is definitely one thing Lenovo had in thoughts with this machine’s use case with Home windows S. It is not the sleekest, boldest design in the marketplace, but it surely’s well-suited to behave as a machine for college kids or in an enterprise setting.
Let’s look a little bit nearer at Home windows S mode.
When Home windows S was first launched, builders and shoppers alike had combined emotions, to say the least. Now, nevertheless, the use circumstances for Home windows S are a little bit extra clear. The important thing factor to grasp is you could solely obtain apps from Microsoft Retailer, just like Apple’s “walled backyard” in iOS. This implies no random .exe recordsdata you obtain off the web. If it is not within the official Retailer app, it will not run.
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This restriction prevents any unverified purposes from working on the machine, tremendously lowering the danger of issues like viruses and malware, whereas boosting efficiency by conserving the registry clear. Customers can also’t entry command-line shells in any means, which prevents any sort of registry adjustments or dangerous system settings alterations that may break issues.
This leads to a tool that is fairly locked down, however that may very well be particularly helpful, notably in an academic or office setting, or for customers who do not want the additional alternative.
Since alternative is the principle factor you quit, which means no Google Chrome (probably ever), as you may be relegated to Microsoft Edge as the one permitted default browser (you possibly can obtain Opera, nevertheless, and a handful of different lesser-known browsers).
This lack of alternative alone could be a dealbreaker for some, as many of the fundamental industry-standard productiveness apps can be found (Slack, Outlook, Dropbox), however extra devoted apps like Adobe Inventive Cloud aren’t (besides Photoshop Specific). In return, what you get is a squeaky-clean, streamlined laptop computer that can by no means be slowed down by bloatware.
Do it’s important to run the IdeaPad Flex 5 with Home windows 11 S? The reply isn’t any; you possibly can swap to “common” Home windows at any time, however you will not be capable of swap again — it is a one-way avenue. That being mentioned, I would not suggest this laptop computer in the event you’re simply going to run conventional Home windows 11. There are many different price range laptops with extra reminiscence that may make extra sense if you do not need the restrictions of Home windows S.
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So is the IdeaPad Flex 5 corresponding to a Chromebook? Completely. However take into account that Chromebooks have gotten fairly a bit extra spicy as of late, particularly with the discharge of units like Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus. For instance, for round $200 extra, Samsung’s gadget has an OLED show, is thinner and a pound lighter, with ChromeOS’ handful of recent AI options. But it surely’s not Home windows, which is typically what you want.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Lenovo’s IdeaPad Flex 5 is a superb laptop computer for what it is designed for. Whether or not it is to be used in faculties, an enterprise setting, or for customers who desire a locked down and extremely optimized laptop computer, its modest suite of {hardware} (and agreeable $679 worth level) go a lot additional than they’d in any other case.
If you happen to don’t love the thought of utilizing Home windows S mode, there are different price range laptops that I would counsel as a substitute, like Acer’s Aspire Go 15 for $299. If you happen to like the thought of a streamlined and environment friendly laptop computer for an agreeable worth, however need extra integration with Google’s suite of apps and providers, you would be higher off with a Chromebook like Lenovo’s Duet Gen 9.
