Lenovo Chromebook C340 review: You get what you pay for
Update January 24: Lenovo has lowered the worth of the Chromebook C340 from $299 to $249. At that worth, this machine is an absolute steal. It’s not clear how lengthy the prioce will stay at this new, lower cost point.
Chromebooks can be found at prices high and low. The $300 Lenovo Chromebook C340 sits in the candy spot, balancing affordability with options and performance. You’ll be hard-pressed to seek out as much bang for the buck as within the Chromebook C340, but Lenovo made a couple of decisions that threaten to sink the whole expertise.
Find out what they're in the Android Authority Lenovo Chromebook C340 evaluation.
What is the Lenovo Chromebook C340?
The C340 is a two-in-one convertible that works as a laptop or a tablet because of a hinge that swings 360 degrees. The 11-inch display means the C340 is compact, light-weight, and extremely moveable. Though Lenovo isn’t necessarily pitching it to the education market, I can see it serving as an effective machine for school-aged youngsters because of the dimensions and weight.
A metallic panel covers the Chromebook’s lid. It’s out there in either Sand Pink or Platinum Grey. I just like the matte, granular look of each finishes. The Chrome and Lenovo logos are embedded within the metallic. Lenovo used plastic for the lower half of the Chromebook. Despite the variations inherent in metallic and plastic, the color is uniform across each materials.
The hinge is robust and sturdy throughout the range of motion.
The overall shape is somewhat wedge-like. Each side are tapered a bit from the rear hinge toward the entrance edge. The lid has what I’d name an angular overbite that types a definite profile for the Chromebook when it's closed.
Like many 360-degree hinges, the C340’s consists of two rotating hubs that permit the lid to swing all the best way around and lay flat on the underside. The hinge is robust and durable throughout the range of motion, and I felt assured setting the display at any angle. I notably like to stand two-in-ones such because the C340 like a tent so I can watch YouTube or Netflix.
These are the Chromebook C340’s primary options.
How does the Chromebook C340 carry out?
Pay for Celeron silicon, get Celeron velocity — or the shortage thereof. Solely a single processor choice is obtainable to the C340, and that’s an Intel Celeron N4000 clocked at 1.1GHz with a 4MB cache and burst speeds of as much as 2.6GHz. Other specs that play a task in performance embrace the Intel UHD Graphics 600 and 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM at 2.4GHz. Two storage variants are available: 32GB and 64GB, with solely $20 separating the 2 choices.
The N4000 marked its debut in 2017 and since then a minimum of two generations of N4xxx chips from Intel have reached the market. It’s a low-cost processor for low-cost machines. I want Lenovo had opted for a more moderen variant of the N4xxx line.
The C340 isn’t sluggish, per se, nevertheless it’s definitely not zippy. I found efficiency slowed noticeably once I reached the dozen-open-tabs mark in Chrome. Toss in some Androids apps& operating in the background and also you’ll see responsiveness tumble. The C340 struggled to run Adobe Lightroom, for example, however Netflix, Spotify, and Google Docs all did high quality. In other words, this can be a light-duty machine, not a performant powerhouse.
9.5 hours of battery life is sufficient for a work or faculty day, however provided that you're shutting down at 6PM.
That goes for the battery, too. The three-cell, 42Wh battery takes several hours to recharge by way of the included 45Wh charger and can then run for as much as 10 hours, based on Lenovo. Attaining that battery life will depend on elements reminiscent of display brightness and whether or not or not you’re blasting media by means of the audio system. Most days I examined the C340 it put up numbers between 9:12 and 9:28 — not quite 10, however sufficient for a piece day or faculty day in the event you’re shutting down at 6PM.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth carried out very nicely. The 802.11ac 2×2 configuration did splendidly on my house Wi-Fi network, as well as the local Starbucks. No issues there at all. The same goes for the Bluetooth 4.2 radio, which was capable of deal with earbuds for wi-fi listening.
See also: The best Wi-Fi hotspots
What I like concerning the Lenovo C340
Lenovo’s reasonably priced Chromebook C340 puts the more-than-twice-as-expensive Google Pixelbook Go to disgrace in terms of ports. The place the Pixelbook Go has simply two USB-C ports, the C340 has two USB-C ports (Three.1 Gen 1), two USB-A ports (3.1 Gen 1), a headphone/mic jack, a Kensington lock,& and a microSD card reader. Moreover, the ports and controls are unfold evenly on both aspect edges of the C340, making certain utility regardless of your setting.
Another function the C34o has that the Go doesn’t? Physical volume controls on the aspect edge, as well as an easy-to-find energy button. A easy click of the button gained’t shut down your machine. As an alternative, press-and-hold to convey up the shut down dialog box, which incorporates options for logging out and locking the Chromebook. These are easy hardware options that go a great distance in aiding usability.
I completely dig the dimensions of the C340. A normal sheet of paper can virtually cover the entire 290 x 208mm length and width. The C340 is a bit chunky at 17.9mm, however as it weighs only 2.6 lbs / 1.18kg it’s mild sufficient to sling round in a pack all day. My backpack felt empty as I toted the C340 into Manhattan for some meetings.
See also:& The best microSD cards
What I don’t like concerning the C340
When you’re questioning why I haven’t yet mentioned the display, you’re about to seek out out why. The Lenovo Chromebook C340 has an 11.6-inch IPS LCD contact show with HD decision (1,366 x 768) in a 16:9 facet ratio. It puts out 250nits and is protected by a extremely shiny piece of glass.
At this measurement, the HD decision is simply barely ok. The display is probably at its greatest when watching films or TV exhibits. Throughout these actions, you typically lean again a bit of and video content strikes shortly. Colors look good and viewing angles are wonderful.
The Chromebook C340 has unappealing black bezels all the best way across the show.
Leaning in to use the C340 to browse the online or to get some writing executed is a unique story. My eyes have been capable of spot pixelated edges on graphics, icons, and text. It’s not egregious, however it’s noticeable. The backlight isn’t quite highly effective sufficient. Although 250nits isn’t terrible, I had hassle seeing the display when utilizing it in sunny spaces, reminiscent of my front room or close to the window of a coffee shop. The excessive reflectivity of the glossy glass doesn’t assist. Toss in fingerprints from touching the display and it’s not the most effective experience I’ve had.
Then there are the bezels. The C340 has thick black bezels all the best way around the display which might be incredibly unappealing. Convertible two-in-ones do necessitate that there be no less than some bezel so as to add an area to grip when used as a tablet, however the C340 simply has an excessive amount of.
The keyboard doesn’t do it for me, both. I respect that the keyboard deck is firm, which means the frame is strong and doesn’t bend or sag when typing. That stated, the keys are tall, with a rounded form that tripped up my fingers. Further, the keys require quite a bit more journey than I look after and this slowed my typing velocity. Last, it’s not backlit which is a dealbreaker for me. I understand these gripes are personal and others might discover the keyboard delightful. Furthermore, skipping the backlight possible helped Lenovo maintain the fee down.&
Final, the speakers are usually not the perfect. The C340 has two bottom-firing audio system mounted beneath the chassis. When positioned on a tough floor, resembling a desk or a table, you’ll get plenty of sound. In the event you prop the Chromebook up on a pillow or blanket, the sound tends to get muffled. Simple physics. The sound itself is all mids and highs; there’s absolutely no bass in any respect. In case you turn all of it the best way up you get a distorted mess. You’re higher off using headphones.
See additionally: The best bluetooth speakers
Specifications
| & | Lenovo Chromebook C340 (11 inch) |
|---|---|
| Display | 11.6 inches 1,366 x 768 HD IPS LCD contact display 250nits |
| Processor | Intel Celeron N4000 1.1GHz with 4MB cache 4GB RAM Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
| Storage | 32GB / 64GB eMMC microSD card reader |
| Ports | 2 USB-A (3.1 Gen 1) 2 USB-C (3.1 Gen 1) Headphone/mic Kensington lock |
| Connectivity | 802.11ac 2x2 Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Battery | Three-cell 42Wh |
| Dimensions | 290 x 208 x 17.9mm (11.42 x eight.19 x 0.7inches) |
| Weight | 1.18kg 2.6lbs |
| Colours | Platinum Gray Sand Pink |
Do you have to buy the Lenovo Chromebook C340?
Update January 24: Lenovo has briefly lowered the worth of the Chromebook C340 from $299 to $249. At that worth, this machine is an absolute steal. It’s not clear how lengthy the prioce will remain at this new, lower cost point.
Pricing determines so much. The Platinum Grey C340 comes in just one configuration with 64GB of storage and costs $249.99. You should purchase the 32GB Sand Pink colorway for $259.99, however if you would like 64GB and pink, you’ll pay $299.99. Nevertheless, as of December 24 the 64GB mannequin was out of inventory.
Lenovo’s drawback right here is the competition. There are literally dozens of models obtainable from a variety of manufacturers in the $200 to $400 area. Because of the dimensions and worth, I might advocate the C340 to center schoolers who aren’t sticklers for specs and efficiency. If you need extra from your Chromebook, you could have to spend extra to get it. Lenovo itself has a quicker, 15-inch version of the C340, in addition to clamshell variants such because the S340 14-inch and S340 15-inch.&
Chromebooks are so diversified there’s certainly a precise fit for everyone. The C340 11-inch maybe matches greatest for younger users.&
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