Available now for $229
Lenovo has announced a new 11-inch Chromebook 3, which is now available on the company’s website for $229. The device joins a sizable lineup of budget Chrome OS products from Lenovo, including its $279 Chromebook Duet and its $359 Flex 5.
The new model supersedes the existing 14-inch Chromebook 3, which was in turn a refresh of its Chromebook S340. That model sold for $249, but it’s not currently available on Lenovo’s store.
The 11’s screen is smaller, but a few of its specs are actually upgrades from those of the 14. The display is a bit brighter (rated for 250 nits, as opposed to the 14’s 220), and storage has been bumped from 32GB to 64GB. The extra storage should be a benefit for folks who want to download a lot of Android apps, photos, or other media — 32GB gets eaten up fast.
It comes in a new color, which Lenovo describes as a “two-tone onyx black with a textured finish” — the 14-inch came in gray. And the 11 is (unsurprisingly) lighter, at 2.47 pounds (the 14 is 3.09 pounds). The lighter weight may appeal to folks looking for a secondary device to use around the house, or students who need something to carry around in their backpacks. No touchscreen, though.
Given the absolute bargain that some of Lenovo’s other affordable Chromebooks are, it’s hard to know right now whether this will be a better purchase for budget shoppers. But it certainly is worth keeping an eye on this if you don’t want a 2-in-1. The Chromebook 3 has a 180-degree hinge, meaning it can lie flat on a table, but I’m not sure what the point of that is without a touchscreen.
The 11-inch Chromebook 3 is currently available on Lenovo’s website for $229. I’m not seeing that configuration available at any other retailers yet, but it’s possible it will show up elsewhere in the coming days.