Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook review: Packing a cloud gaming punch

Price When Reviewed

$569.99

Best Prices Today: Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook

Google’s resolution to associate with laptop computer makers on gaming Chromebooks couldn’t have occurred at a worse time. The first fashions rolled out late final yr—just months before Google killed Stadia, its in-house cloud gaming service. This means that gaming Chromebooks are lifeless within the water, however Lenovo’s IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook proves the thought nonetheless has advantage. From the brilliant show to the punchy audio system, this system has so much to supply. Read on to study extra.

Looking for extra finances gaming laptops? Check out our roundup of the best gaming laptops under $1,000.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook: Specs and options

The IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook’s specs are spectacular for a contemporary Chromebook. It has an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB stable state drive. That’s close to the highest of what’s out there from Chromebooks proper now—no less than till fashions with Intel 13th-gen Core arrive on retailer cabinets. 

• CPU: Intel Core i5-1235U
• Memory: 8GB
• Graphics/GPU: Intel Iris Xe
• Display: 2560×1600
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Webcam: 720p with IR
• Connectivity: 2x USB-C with Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4, 2x USB-A, 1x microSD card reader, 1x combo 3.5mm audio jack
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1
• Biometrics: None
• Battery capability: 71 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14.04 x 9.96 x 0.78 inches
• Weight: 4.01 kilos
• MSRP: $569.99

Lenovo additionally packs in a 16-inch, 2560×1600 show, Wi-Fi 6E, two USB-C ports, and a big 71 watt-hour battery. It all appears nice on paper–however can a Chromebook actually deal with trendy video games? 

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook: Design and construct high quality

IDG / Matthew Smith

You wouldn’t know the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook is constructed for gaming by it. The laptop computer depends on easy grey exterior plastics with a contrasting strip of matte grey to brighten up the look. I believe it’s good-looking, however it gained’t trigger anybody to do a double-take. Lenovo may’ve labeled this a enterprise or schooling mannequin with out a change to the design.

Looks apart, the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook gives trendy conveniences. It has extraordinarily slim show bezels that preserve the laptop computer’s footprint restrained regardless of its 16-inch, 16:10 facet ratio show. The laptop computer measures only a smidge over 14 inches broad, lower than 10 inches deep, and about .8 inches thick. It’s not small, to make certain, however smaller than many 15.6-inch laptops offered a couple of years in the past. 

Material high quality isn’t spectacular, nonetheless. All laptop computer surfaces are plastic (although the lid no less than appears like metallic) and flex could be discovered throughout each the show lid and decrease chassis. None of this can be a shock given the laptop computer’s worth level, however Lenovo’s rivals can do higher. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE, for instance, gives {a partially} aluminum chassis that feels extra luxurious. 

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook: Keyboard and trackpad

IDG / Matthew Smith

Lenovo places the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook’s girth to good use with a spacious keyboard structure. A numpad with half-sized keys is squeezed into the right-hand facet. 

Key journey is lengthy and the structure offers loads of room to stretch, however key motion is a bit mushy and tactile really feel is minimal. This being a Chromebook, the laptop computer consists of Google’s particular row of perform keys, which give easy accessibility to capabilities like quantity, brightness, and browser refresh.

Keyboard backlighting comes customary. The colour of the backlight could be custom-made instantly by way of Chrome OS’s settings, however the vary of customization is proscribed to a handful of colours and a predefined rainbow possibility. Still, this can be a nice possibility given the laptop computer’s worth. Most on this bracket follow a white keyboard backlight with zero customization.

A modest touchpad lurks under the keyboard. It measures 4 and a half inches broad by two and a half inches deep. It feels responsive and by no means appears cramped, however somewhat further area could be appreciated (there’s definitely room for it). 

I additionally observed the touchpad is considerably offset in direction of the left in an effort to maintain it centered under the spacebar. Users with massive palms needs to be cautious, as this may increasingly trigger your left hand to dangle a tad off the facet of the palmrest. Personally, I desire the Acer Chromebook 516 GE’s strategy. It ditches the numpad completely to give attention to a centered touchpad and keyboard. Your mileage will differ relying on how a lot you worth the numpad’s presence. 

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook: Display, audio

IDG / Matthew Smith

The IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook I examined had an enormous 16-inch 2560×1600 show with a 16:10 facet ratio and a 120Hz refresh charge. This is an improve from the entry-level mode, which as an alternative gives a 16-inch 1920×1200 display screen with a 60Hz refresh charge. Both shows use IPS LCD expertise and have an anti-glare, non-gloss end.

Image high quality is mediocre. The IPS LCD show gives engaging colour and an inexpensive most brightness of as much as 350 nits, however the show’s unimpressive distinction ratio saps depth and drama from the picture. Dark scenes typically look hazy and shadows lack element. 

Despite these flaws, the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook’s show is an enchancment over most finances gaming laptops, akin to entry-level Acer Nitro 5 and Asus TUF gaming laptops. Windows gaming laptops on this worth vary are inclined to have a slender, boring colour gamut and a fair decrease distinction ratio.

The Lenovo’s 120Hz refresh charge is one other benefit. It appears extraordinarily easy in video games, but in addition enhances the day-to-day visible expertise. Scrolling feels slick and animated transitions between apps or net pages look responsive. 

While the show is a perk, there may be one large catch: not all cloud gaming companies assist 2,560 x 1,600 decision at as much as 120Hz. As far as I’m conscious, Nvidia GeForce Now and Shadow Blade are the one broadly out there companies that assist this decision and refresh charge. You can use different companies, after all, however the picture could seem softer than you’d anticipate.

Gaming apart, the show appears nice when searching the online or writing in Google Docs. The show’s sharp, brilliant picture renders tremendous fonts with excellent readability, and the anti-glare coat takes the sting of harsh lighting. The 16-inch, 16:10 facet ratio offers loads of display screen area for multi-tasking, too. 

The laptop computer’s built-in audio system are nice for the worth. They’re upward-firing, which suggests the sound gained’t be muffled by your laptop computer, and supply good stereo stage separation together with a touch of loud-end oomph in music and films. The mid-range can nonetheless be muddy at occasions and quantity is merely ample, however the audio system are a lower above most Chromebooks and equally priced Windows laptops. 

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

Lenovo serves up a primary 720p webcam for the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook. Brightness and colour replica are acceptable, however video appears smooth and imprecise. Those involved about privateness might be blissful to see the inclusion of a bodily privateness shutter that may utterly block the digital camera. 

Microphone high quality is nice, with robust quantity and readability. Background noises can intrude relying on their quantity and consistency, however minor hums (like an area heater) aren’t an issue. The privateness shutter doesn’t disable the microphone.

Biometric login isn’t an possibility on this Chromebook. That’s not a shock, as only a few Chromebooks select to incorporate this characteristic.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook: Connectivity

IDG / Matthew Smith

This Chromebook leans into USB-C with two ports that assist USB Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alternate Mode. Both USB-C ports can cost the laptop computer and supply video enter to a USB-C monitor. A USB-C energy brick is bundled with the laptop computer.

A pair of USB-A ports are included, too, to be used with older wired units. A MicroSD card reader and 3.5mm combo audio jack spherical out the choices. 

I’m blissful to report the laptop computer helps Bluetooth 5.1 and Wi-Fi 6E, which is the newest Wi-Fi customary. That’s essential for a gaming Chromebook. Wi-Fi 6 is greater than able to dealing with cloud gaming, however further bandwidth is rarely a nasty factor. Wi-Fi 6E also has an additional 6GHz band that will enhance community reliability you probably have quite a few units related. You’ll want a Wi-Fi 6E router to reap the benefits of this, nonetheless. 

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook: Performance

The IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook is supplied with Intel’s Core i5-1235U, a 10-core processor with two efficiency cores and eight environment friendly cores. It’s a modest processor in comparison with Windows gaming laptops however extraordinarily highly effective for a Chromebook. That’s excellent news for the laptop computer’s benchmark outcomes. 

Lenovo doesn’t skimp on the additional, offering 8GB of RAM and 256GB of stable state storage. That’s wonderful for a Chromebook and gives loads of room for house owners to work with. In my expertise, a 256GB SSD on a Chromebook feels much like a 1TB drive on a Windows laptop computer, because the lowered space for storing is offset by the actual fact most apps (together with video games) run within the cloud. 

Here’s how the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook fared in 5 browser-based benchmarks. 

These are robust scores that go toe-to-toe with different latest Chromebooks with Intel Core i5 processors, such because the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 and the Framework Laptop Chromebook. The Intel-powered Lenovo is a tad forward of the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 with AMD Ryzen processor in most checks, although the benchmark outcomes are shut general.

What about gaming? Games put in to the Chromebook don’t run properly—or in any respect. Android video games are technically out there by way of the Google Play Store and Android emulation, however demanding titles are out of the query. Call of Duty: Mobile crashes to desktop. Genshin Impact will launch and is vaguely playable, however appears horrible and suffers a number of hitching. Asphalt 8 is easy sufficient to play however struggles with rare stutters that bitter the expertise. 

Cloud gaming, then again, is a superb expertise. The IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook can stream a cloud gaming service at as much as 2,560 x 1,600 decision and 120Hz. Using Nvidia’s GeForce Now with an Ultimate Membership, which offers entry to RTX 4080-class {hardware}, I ran Cyberpunk 2077 at 136 FPS with Ultra element and Ultra ray-tracing on (with DLSS 3 enabled). And right here’s the kicker: I used to be on Wi-Fi 6 in a indifferent shed that’s 50 toes and several other partitions away from my dwelling router. 

That’s an incredible end result. You’d need to spend 1000’s for comparable efficiency from a Windows laptop computer rendering the sport domestically. I used to be equally shocked by how stable the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook’s Wi-Fi adapter carried out on this state of affairs. It’s a tricky situation, because the vary between the router and the Chromebook ends in simply 90 Mbps of bandwidth and spotty latency, however the sport felt easy.

The catch? You’ll have to pay a month-to-month price for entry to the GeForce Now service (or some other that you just select to make use of). You’ll even be restricted to video games supported by cloud companies. If you possibly can take care of these constraints, nonetheless, cloud gaming on a Chromebook is a improbable expertise.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook: Battery life

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook packs a big 71 watt-hour battery into its ample chassis. It’s a beefy battery for a Chromebook and it pays off whenever you’re on the street. I recorded 15 hours and 56 minutes of battery life within the CrXPT 2 battery life take a look at. 

That’s wholesome endurance, beating out the Acer Chromebook Vero 514, Acer Chromebook Spin 514, and Framework Chromebook Laptop, amongst others we’ve not too long ago reviewed. It’s additionally an enormous leap over Windows gaming laptops, which regularly battle to hit 5 hours of battery life on a cost.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook: Conclusion

The IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook is a stable entry into the Chromebook enviornment for each cloud and day-to-day productiveness. It has a brilliant, sharp show, good efficiency, nice community connectivity, tons of ports, and lengthy battery life. 

Lenovo’s design is a whiff, although, and that’s a wrinkle. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE, an alternate gaming-focused Chromebook with a 16-inch show, gives every part discovered within the Lenovo alongside a extra engaging and splendid chassis. Acer additionally offers a barely faster Intel Core i5-1240P processor.

That makes the Lenovo powerful to advocate, particularly when the Acer is on sale (it’s currently available for $549.99 at Best Buy). I like to recommend the Acer if it’s the identical worth because the Lenovo, or much less—however the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook is a tremendous second alternative.