Lenovo's Newest Chromebook And Tablet Are Affordable Apple Alternatives

Ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Lenovo has dropped two exciting entries in the ongoing and increasingly competitive fight for market share in the business of tablets and ultralight laptops: the IdeaPad Flex 3i and the M9 tablet. The models join other newly unveiled offerings from the company, which has also introduced new ThinkPad notebooks, a couple of Windows-based IdeaPad laptops, and more.

Unlike Lenovo's new IdeaPad Slim 5 and 5i models, the IdeaPad Flex 3i is a Chromebook, meaning it is powered by Google's Chrome OS rather than Windows. The M9 Tablet, meanwhile, packs Android and is positioned as an entertainment device for playing games and streaming content. While it'll be a few months before both products hit retail shelves, they'll be well within the budget of most consumers at $139.99 for the M9 and $349.99 for the Chromebook, making them a more affordable alternative to pricey gadgets from Apple and other brands.

The IdeaPad Flex 3i is Lenovo's latest Chromebook, dedicated to delivering a light, Google-optimized platform that can also function as a true 2-in-1 workstation. We've found Lenovo has delivered on its reputation for solid engineering in previous Chrome-based offerings, and it's likely this model is no different. The Flex 3i packs multiple configuration options, including an Intel Processor N100 and N200, either Intel integrated graphics (model unspecified) or an NVIDIA GeForce GPU, and either 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB or 128 GB of storage. Connectivity is fairly expansive with a microSD card slot, a pair of USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports and a single USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, plus there's HDMI 1.4 and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Other notable features include a webcam offering either 720p or 1080p resolution, a pair of 2-watt stereo speakers paired with MaxxAudio, a dual microphone array, Bluetooth 5.2, and up to Intel Wi-Fi 6 6E. Lenovo has added some welcome quality-of-life upgrades as well, including a responsive touchscreen with built-in blue light control and an ergonomically friendly tiltable keyboard. Per Lenovo's press release, the IdeaPad Flex 3i will hit the market in May 2023 and retail for $349.99. 

We at SlashGear have also historically had nice things to say about Lenovo tablets — the P12 was our favorite Android tablet of last year, for example. If the M9 can deliver on stated specs and sustain its lifeproof engineering standards, it may well be a contender for the 2023 title. That's a meaningful "if", however – the M9 is coming in lighter and smaller than Lenovo standard at just 9 inches long and under a pound, which aids portability but could come with engineering tradeoffs.

At the same time, 2 speakers and Dolby Atmos, plus up to 128 GB of storage and ready-for-Android-13 architecture suggest Lenovo's latest offering may live up to lofty standards. The specs are decent, and about what you'd expect from a budget-tier tablet designed with entertainment in mind. The 9-inch display has a 1340 x 800 resolution, and there are likewise multiple configurations available: 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, or 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.

The model packs a MediaTek Helio G80 octa-core processor, a 5,100 mAh battery with USB-C fast charging (15W+) support, plus there's a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and an 8-megapixel rear camera, a single microphone, Bluetooth 5.1, and Wi-Fi. Lenovo says buyers will also have optional Folio case and Clear case accessories. The M9 is due out in Q2 2023 at $139.99.