5.0 out of 5 stars Flex 3 Chromebook

C. · 23 July 2025

I’ve had the Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook for a while now and have been using it daily, putting it through its paces; I’m quite impressed with it.To start with, I’ll state I didn’t need a Chromebook. I had never used one and knew little about them. I already own a PS5, Series X, Switch 2, Steam Deck, Gaming PC, iPad Air 5, Android Galaxy Tab S6, Kindle Fire HD, and an Xperia phone. I even have a dedicated drawing tablet for my PC. I’m well-integrated with the Alexa Ecosystem, so what use could a Chromebook give me?As you can see, I'm fond of technology, but despite not needing a Chromebook, I was curious. I don’t know much about them, but I did know that they’re not very powerful, can’t truly game on them, and they’re mostly limited to online. To make matters worse, there are just so many different types and brands; it was just a chore trying to get an unbiased look at what to get, especially for someone like me who had no specific use in mind.I wanted to make sure it had at least 8GB of RAM, which is still low, but I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a whim, and I knew that 4 GB would just be too little. With that preface out of the way, let’s get into the Chromebook itself.- PresentationThe laptop came in quite a bland cardboard box with little in it: the laptop itself, a charging brick and a manual. It was well protected. For the price, I couldn’t expect more. The first thing I did was try to charge it with my own USB-C Cable, which worked. I tried another and got a warning about it being a slow charge, but it still worked. I will state, using the charging brick that comes with it is the best way to charge. It’s extremely quick to go from 20% to 100%. It’s always ready when I need it, and I’ve been putting hours in it all day.- SpecsThe Flex 3 is a few years old now, I believe it comes with multiple versions. I got the 15 inch display, Intel Pentium Silver N6000, 8GB Ram and 128GB Storage.- Set upFrom turning it on, it didn’t take long to get going. I already had a Google account; it just needed an update and to sign in and download my apps. I was up and running within 20 minutes.Everything felt new but familiar. It was very easy to just start using it. Although the system did an initial update, for some reason, it hadn’t updated to the latest, so I would recommend having a look at the settings to check. Aside from this, I’ve had very few problems from the beginning right up to the present time, except one. Every time I turn it on, I get a message stating the profile stating “A profile error occurred” and that some features might not be available. Upon searching, this seems to be a very common problem, but it doesn’t actually seem to cause any actual issues, at least any that I have run into, and I’ve done most things.- Daily UseI’ve been using this for everything at the moment. It’s a fantastic device that goes from laptop to tablet. Using the tent mode is great for just streaming some shows. It’s fast to turn on. I’ve not found the need to shut down or restart, just close the lid and it’s off, open it up again, and all it takes is a second, then it’s all ready, just where you left it.For browsing, it’s perfect, you have a choice of browsers, but I would expect most would use Chrome. It’s capable of extensions, and you can set up your group tabs to have all your favourite sites ready to go when you need them. I have around 7 tabs and 40 different sites, from shopping to gaming. All stay logged in.The Play Store is available and it has a wide selection of apps, but I have found numerous apps not available on the platform, although there always seems to be an alternative or workaround. but for everything that I need, is there for the most part.- The ScreenIt’s a fairly nice screen for the price range. It’s definitely not OLED, and it’s only 1080p 60Hz, but it’s far better than I was expecting it to be. The touchscreen is okay, it’s not as responsive as my tablets, and there’s no USI pen as far as I’m aware. I haven’t tried to use one, but after a Google, it doesn’t seem this version supports it, which is a shame as it means drawing programs are mostly out. I say mostly, because you can draw, but you need a basic stylus (usually the rubber-tipped ones) that has no pressure sensitivity, and it’s not the most fluid of things. It should be capable of writing notes, but don’t go in expecting much in this regard. It’s fine for touch tasks mostly, but I do find trying to shut down tabs can be a pain when trying to click the X, it might take multiple presses to get it to register, but that does seem to be more at the very top of the screen and if you enlarge them it’s not such an issue. Regardless, it’s not so bad that it stops me from using this; in fact, I’m using this more than everything else!- GamingThey say Chromebooks aren’t for gaming! Well, maybe not for some; however, if you have a good internet connection, then I’ve found it good for streaming games. That means Game Pass on Xbox, Luna, GeForce Now, etc. I’ve found the streaming quite good; it will depend on the type of games you're playing. There’s slight latency, but it’s far better than I was expecting. I did find Forza quite hard as you can see (I can drive this track in the rain with a perfect clean lap when not streaming), but in my defence, I was sitting away back, at a strange angle, recording, using a cheap third party controller but, it wouldn’t be my primary choice to play. Some games are better than others, and the latency is hardly noticeable.As for dedicated games, I’ve played a few from the Play Store. Some run fine, some run okay. I’ve not yet come across any that were unplayable. Stardew Valley, for example, played perfectly.- KeyboardThe keyboard is nice to type on. In my opinion, it has responsive keys, is a UK layout and has media buttons which I find useful. There are no function buttons, but I did notice you can set it up to have them in the settings. You can also connect third-party ones or use the on-screen keyboard. I’ve not noticed any way to illuminate them. The keys have slight spacing between them, which for me takes a little getting used to, but I can blind type with no issue. I’ve written this whole review on my lap using the Chromebook.- SoundIt has front speakers at the top of the keyboard. It has got good directional but the sound quality isn’t the best but nor is it poor. It definitely isn’t great but they’re really about what I expected for the price and I’m not unhappy with them.- StreamingAlmost everything is online, so streaming is important. I’ve actually been watching things with this on my chest despite a large TV in the room, I don’t know why but I’ve just enjoyed watching things this way. With WiFi 6 everything runs smoothly with no hitching or lag. My internet speed is 520MB and that’s exactly what I got in a speed test. Very happy with this.- Other thingsI’ve enjoyed using this Chromebook. Dictation works well, you can customise your wallpaper, everything is in a place you’d expect to find it, I found it connected to Bluetooth devices with no issues, whether that’s a third-party controller, keyboard, or speakers. It seamlessly connects to sites, already knowing the information from it being synced, and it’s just so effortless to use. It even has A.I. functions with Gemini. It connects to my phone, and security is good.Overall, this Chromebook may not be the most powerful thing; in fact, it is one of the least powerful things I own, and yet, it doesn’t need to be, and I find myself using this above all else, except for when I want to seriously game. So while it’s not a gaming system, it can game, but for everything else, it’s my go-to device, whether that’s for browsing, shopping, streaming, chatting, emailing or for writing this review.I picked it up on sale for £239, and I am extremely happy with that and can recommend it at this price. It’s my first and only Chromebook, but I am pleased with my choice and don’t feel that I made a bad choice. At £429.99 I still think it’s worth it. I couldn’t be happier, and I think I’ll always be using a Chromebook from here on out.Positives:- Great all-around system- Can do light gaming- Does stream games very well- Decent security- Requires a Google-centric Ecosystem- Easy to use and intuitive- Works as a laptop or tablet- Quick to start up and get going- Good-sized screen- Fast Charging- 2x 3.2 USB ports, 3.2 USB-C Port, HDMI port, 3.5mm Headphone jack, microSD Card reader-Good pricingNegatives- Can’t do heavy gaming- Not the best colour accuracy- Not the fastest performance (I’ve not had it chug on me yet, though)- I find the touchpad to be a bit annoying, as a brush of the thumb can move your cursor when typing- Touchscreen isn’t the most responsive, and not very good for drawing applications- No dedicated stylus/pen

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast turning on

L. · 22 January 2023

My windows laptop while still pretty good spec on paper is a few years old and takes so long booting up that I pretty much stopped using it out of frustration but there are still circumstances where I need something other than a tablet or a phone.For what I primarily use the laptop for I decided to give a chromebook a go instead and I am really pleased.It was very easy to set up and its so quick to turn on. I can actually turn it on and get started rather than turn it on and go make a cup of coffee, come back check on its progress do something else.I did debate getting a smaller one as I use a 13 inch laptop for work happily enough but my own personal laptop was 15.6 inch and well I decided I wasnt quite ready to give up on a bigger screen. When I first unpacked it I thought that maybe I had made a mistake but no I really like it.I dont really use the tablet mode function but I do like tent mode for watching movies.the keyboard is really easy to type on and nicely spaced so that I dont feel like I have to use a separate keyboard and the mouse pad works well for me.the switch to chromebook has been relatively easy though. However I have encountered a problem with Nowtv, there is no app and I can no longer watch via the web browser as it wants me to download something but that appears to be mac or windows only. Not a major issue as I do have an ipad, just sometimes would prefer the bigger screen if I am watching in bed.I have yet to attempt to connect my printer but a google search told me its compatible so fingers crossed.Overall I am really pleased. The build quality feels good and solid, a little more plastic than I would have liked but then I am not really going to be transporting it anywhere on a regular basis. its weighty but feels fine to pick up and carry.

4.0 out of 5 stars Price and Qaulity.

s.s. · 20 March 2025

The item arrived on time and was well packaged.Within 5 minutes it was charging and I powered up.The set up screen is simple to follow but been a chromebook you will need a Google chrome account to continue set up or create a new account.Set will take a while on its own whilst installing latest updates.After above I went into settings and adjusted to my own preferences the display and so on.This HP machine is large by no means, just under 2 kilo.I bought to replace my old Samsung galaxy tab due to poor eyesight as my 7se is mainly social and entertainment these days, surfing.I used it downstairs in tab mode and in bed for YouTube vids also in tab mode.The machine was responsive, touch screen and keyboard except for trying to figure out method for caps lock.I'm not a tech whiz.Now then, after the review above I snt mine back for a refund.................WHYAt 300 pounds I thought the machine was slightly flimsy and a poorly fitted touchpad as I reported to Bolo on returning.Since then I have tried 2 other brands that were smaller but found them unstable after a few tabs were open so sent them back also.My Son who is in IT informed me that the HP model is OK, they are now designed for the sea at end of life.A long story short I will purchase again in spring sale but not at 300 pounds as I think it's not good value.Hoping they are discounted.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent school computer

C. · 11 July 2025

I brought this for my nephew to do his primary-school homework—writing, reading, watching educational videos, and the online tools they use in school. The Flex 3 has been an excellent choice. It’s sturdy, affordable, and offers stellar battery life, making it a practical first laptop for a child. The ease and usefulness of switching between laptop and tablet modes is particularly useful.Don’t expect high performance, or heavy multitasking. But for everyday school use, it’s a fine, cost-effective Chromebook that has served well since Christmas.