Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 Review: A Game-Changer

Amazingly, the basal configuration has 12 GB of RAM. That’s not rather arsenic overmuch arsenic the 16 GB you get successful immoderate Snapdragon X-powered Windows laptops similar the forthcoming HP Omnibook 5 16—but for ChromeOS, it’s much than enough. Meanwhile, the basal configuration comes with 128 GB of storage, and the upgraded exemplary has a 256-GB coagulated authorities drive.

Performance is solid. Speedometer is simply a benchmark that tests show successful the browser, which is important for ChromeOS since it's each built astir the Chrome browser. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 was astir 3 times faster than the Celeron N4500, arsenic tested successful the Asus Chromebook CX15, and astir fractional the velocity of the Apple M4 successful a MacBook Air. I besides tested a mates of heavier Android games similar Diablo: Immortal and PUBG Mobile, which played good with settings maxed out. That’s not surprising, but it shows that this spot tin grip astir thing you propulsion astatine it. Like astir ARM-powered laptops, the Chromebook Plus 14 is conscionable arsenic accelerated connected artillery arsenic it is portion plugged in.

Google and Lenovo are besides touting the AI capabilities of this device, arsenic the MediaTek spot is susceptible of 50 trillion operations per 2nd (TOPS), a modular met by astir each of its Windows and Mac competitors. Because of that, the Chromebook Plus 14 has a fewer exclusive on-device AI features you won’t find successful different Chromebooks. One of the astir utile is Smart Grouping, which tin place the assorted apps and tabs you person unfastened and radical them intelligently into abstracted desktops. It’s beauteous handy. Less absorbing to maine is Quick Insert, which gives you unnecessarily casual entree to AI-generated images. Beyond that, it besides has the enactment of AI features that travel with each Chromebook Plus laptops, specified arsenic the adjuvant Continue Where I Left Off.

The ratio of the Kompanio Ultra 910 shines agleam successful artillery beingness tests, too. It has a 60-watt-hour battery, resulting successful immoderate awesome runtime. Lenovo and Google assertion it’s the longest-lasting Chromebook ever, and it’s the champion I’ve tested, lasting 16 hours successful a video playback test. It mightiness not past arsenic agelong arsenic the MacBook Air M4 oregon laptops similar the Asus Zenbook S 16, powered by Intel’s latest Core Ultra Series 2 chips, but it’s successful the ballpark. That’s important due to the fact that earlier the caller surge successful ARM-powered laptops (like the modern MacBooks), Chromebooks were known for artillery life. That was mostly owed to however lightweight ChromeOS was to run. It’s bully to spot Chromebooks are backmost successful the running.

Value Where It Counts

The Chromebook Plus 14 has 1 different instrumentality up its sleeve. Unlike the janky speakers featured successful astir each Chromebook, this Lenovo has a quad-speaker setup and is the archetypal to usage Dolby Atmos. These are amazingly bully speakers—almost arsenic bully arsenic the 13-inch MacBook Air’s audio, providing a well-rounded dependable that adjacent features hints of bass. They're the champion speakers connected a laptop of this price.

Many of my points person been couched successful the discourse of the price, and there’s a crushed for that. At $650 for the basal configuration oregon $100 much to up the RAM and retention (and adhd the touchscreen), the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is hitting a terms that Windows laptops person struggled to address. There are contenders, but the Chromebook Plus 14 makes a lawsuit for Chromebooks astatine this price, offering respective features and wide physique prime that you won’t find successful competitors. If you’re consenting to clasp ChromeOS, this is simply the champion the ecosystem has to offer.