Lenovo has already begun rolling out new versions of their most popular laptops which come equipped with the latest Skylake processing chips from Intel. The Flex 3 is receiving such an update, but I’m cautiously enthusiastic about it.
Review
The new Lenovo Flex 3 14 80R3000UUS is a one step update from its predecessor, one that we’ve reviewed in a previous article. Although the improvements are not that exciting, I still feel like the Flex 3 is a noteworthy laptop.
This is a 2-in-1 convertible notebook, meaning it can be used either as a laptop or as a tablet, with 2 extra modes in between: presentation and tent. It’s not the most elegant laptop out there, but it does the job surprisingly well considering the price it’s sold at: around $850 at the time of this review. For that kind of money, Lenovo delivers an impressive list of hardware components.
First, there is the processor. This model is one of the early adopters of the 6th generation Intel Core i7-6500U CPU, a brand new dual core processor with a cache size of 4 megabytes.
It also comes with a system memory of 8 gigabytes, adequate for all everyday needs, whether you’re browsing Facebook, playing video games, compiling data or editing large files.
The storage drive is the convertible’s Achilles’s heel. Although it has enough space to hold entire collections, it lacks the transfer speeds and reduced latency to keep up with the processor and the memory. I strongly suggest investing in a solid state drive for the Lenovo Flex 3 14 in order to fully benefit from its great hardware resources.
The 14 inch screen features a brilliant, full HD display with good viewing angles and a very responsive touch screen. Being a convertible laptop, the Flex had to have not only a decent display, but also good responsiveness and more importantly great hinge design. You don’t want your hinges to weaken after a few month of usage. Lenovo managed to check all three requirements and produces what I think is a fairly priced notebook.
Check the price and buy on Amazon.com
It has an integrated video card and a new generation 802.11ac wireless card. Four USB ports should be enough for most users who will need such a convertible. This is also a hint from Lenovo that the Flex 3 14 80R3000UUS was designed to be used primarily as a notebook.
A full charge will last about 6 hours of moderate use. Weighing in 4 pounds, it’s not the lightest laptop, but it can be carried around, mainly to work or business meetings. The modest battery life doesn’t recommend the Flex 3 to be used by college students in need for a device to use in the classroom, but rather by home business owners and by people who want a do-it-all device around their house.
Technical Specifications
[table width =”100%” style =”table-simple table-hover” responsive =”true” class=”customtable”]
[table_head]
[th_column]Product[/th_column]
[th_column]Lenovo Flex 3 14 (80R3000UUS)[/th_column]
[/table_head]
[table_body]
[table_row]
[row_column]PROCESSOR[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]CPU Name[/row_column]
[row_column]Intel Core i7-6500U[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]CPU Type[/row_column]
[row_column]Dual Core[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]CPU Speed[/row_column]
[row_column]2.5 GHz up to 3.1 GHz[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]CPU Cache[/row_column]
[row_column]4 MB[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]SYSTEM MEMORY[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Installed Memory[/row_column]
[row_column]8 GB[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Maximum Memory[/row_column]
[row_column]16 GB[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Memory Type[/row_column]
[row_column]DDR3L SDRAM[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Total Memory Slots[/row_column]
[row_column]2 slots[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]STORAGE[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Storage Capacity[/row_column]
[row_column]1 TB[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Storage Type[/row_column]
[row_column]Hard Disk Drive[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Storage Technology[/row_column]
[row_column]SATA III @ 5400rpm[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]DISPLAY[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Screen Size[/row_column]
[row_column]14″[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Screen Type[/row_column]
[row_column]Touchscreen LCD[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Screen Technology[/row_column]
[row_column]Backlit LED[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Screen Resolution[/row_column]
[row_column]1920 x 1080[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Aspect Ratio[/row_column]
[row_column]16:9[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Touchscreen[/row_column]
[row_column]Yes[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]GRAPHICS[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Graphics Processing Unit[/row_column]
[row_column]Intel HD Graphics 520[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Graphic Card Type[/row_column]
[row_column]Integrated[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Graphics Memory[/row_column]
[row_column]Shared[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]AUDIO & VIDEO[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Audio Technology[/row_column]
[row_column]Dolby Home Theater[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Speakers[/row_column]
[row_column]2 Stereo speakers[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Webcam[/row_column]
[row_column]Yes, 0.3 MP[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]NETWORK AND COMMUNICATION[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Wireless LAN[/row_column]
[row_column]802.11ac WLAN[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Bluetooth[/row_column]
[row_column]Bluetooth 4.0[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Ethernet[/row_column]
[row_column]Yes[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]INTERFACE[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]USB Ports[/row_column]
[row_column]2 x USB 3.0
2 x USB 2.0[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]HDMI[/row_column]
[row_column]Yes[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]VGA[/row_column]
[row_column]No[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Headphone/Mic[/row_column]
[row_column]Audio Combo Jack[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Multi Card Slot[/row_column]
[row_column]4-in-1 card reader[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]LAN (RJ45)[/row_column]
[row_column]Yes[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]INPUT DEVICES[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Pointing Device[/row_column]
[row_column]Track Pad[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Keyboard[/row_column]
[row_column]Standard notebook[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Backlit Keyboard[/row_column]
[row_column]No[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]BATTERY[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Battery Type[/row_column]
[row_column]3-Cell Lithium-Polymer[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Battery Capacity[/row_column]
[row_column]45 Whr[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Maximum Battery Life[/row_column]
[row_column]Up to 6 hours[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Other Features[/row_column]
[row_column]Backlit Keyboard[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Operating System[/row_column]
[row_column]Windows 10[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Dimensions (W x D x H)[/row_column]
[row_column]13.39″ x 9.06″ x 0.85″[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Weight[/row_column]
[row_column]4 lbs[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[/table_body]
[/table]
Scores, Pros and Cons
[row]
[column lg=”4″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]
[progressbar value=”80″ bartype=”progress-bar-info” label=”Performance: 8/10″]
[/column]
[column lg=”4″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]
[progressbar value=”85″ bartype=”progress-bar-info” label=”Functionality: 8.5/10″]
[/column]
[column lg=”4″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]
[progressbar value=”85″ bartype=”progress-bar-success” label=”Price: 8.5/10″]
[/column]
[/row]
[list]
[li]Pros[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-plus”]Good processor[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-plus”]Adequate system memory[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-plus”]Great display quality[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-plus”]Many interface options[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-plus”]Fairly priced[/li]
[li]Cons[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-minus”]No SSD[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-minus”]Unimpressive design[/li]
[/list]
Final Thoughts
Although this update is more of a refresh, the Lenovo Flex 3 14″ laptop remains a more affordable alternative to the premium oriented Yoga 3. The 80R3000UUS model I’ve reviewed here is a good all-rounder, capable of successfully replacing a desktop at home or an aging laptop at work, with the added benefit of also having a tablet without actually buying a dedicated one.
