I’ve used many Chromebooks and purchased quite a few. I’ve always purchased Lenovo for one reason — they last. Now, I have a new, even more, durable Chromebook with a touch screen, which has become my go-to for Chromebook excellence: The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook. I recommend this Chromebook as the best Chromebook for teachers. Here's why.
Sponsored by Lenovo and Google for Education. All opinions are my own.
Crisp Clear IPS Screen
When I am planning my lessons, I like the larger screen.
While students often have smaller screens, as a teacher, I like a larger screen, which is why the crisp, clear IPS 13.3” screen is perfect for me. I haven't seen a Chromebook screen this awesome. I also like its clarity because as I use the pencil and sometimes use my finger to interact with the screen, it just feels natural to me.
The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook is Very Sturdy and Flexible
The first thing I noticed as I unboxed the Lenovo is it is very sturdy. It booted right up, and I could type on it with the keyboard or stand it up with the pencil, which also had a charge. This device operates like a sturdy laptop, a tablet, or even in my favorite for presenting — like a “tent.” Also, when I'm working with students it is often easier to bring their work up in the “tent” position and I can annotate on it right there on my device as they work on theirs.
I love annotating with the pen on my Google Slides and anywhere
I love transmitting wirelessly to the Chromecast and moving around the room as I annotate slides and so much more!
I was excited to get it working with the Chromecast device and my big monitor at the front of the classroom. I give many presentations in class, and with the pencil, I can annotate on my Google Slides. (Click the Slideshow button to go into slideshow view. Then, put your mouse over the bottom left side of the slides, and the three-dot menu will show. Click on the ellipses icon and select “Turn on the pen.”)
If you’re using slides, annotating them is a game-changer. Pretty much every tool I use, including Google Slides, Nearpod, and PowerPoint lets me annotate on it using this pen. I love it because I can note anything on any slide, PDF, or graphic. Many years ago, teachers used transparencies because of this feature, and it is great to have this feature back and so easy to use. Because of this powerful ability to annotate anything with the pen, the Chromebook is becoming my go-to for presentations, and I’ll be using it in class today in AP Computer Science.
Adaptive Environment
The Lenovo device automatically managed power loads and screen brightness and adjusts to excellent viewing as I’m working in my classroom. This is done, according to Lenovo with assistive AI.
It also has a “lock on leave” automatic feature. So, when I'm in front of this device, it stays awake longer; if I'm there, the screen will sleep instead of lock. However, if someone else looks at my screen, I get a notification, and the content is hidden. This adaptive feature is powerful for privacy and security as I work with sensitive student data.
I’m set free!
So, I’ve been using a solid device but kept it plugged into HDMI. With the Chromecast and this device, I can move all over the classroom, and it works all day. (It has a 10 hour battery life.) The speakers are solid, as well, if I’m pulling up an instructional video to help a teacher with technology or helping a student right there at my desk.
The built-in 1080p camera also lets me capture whatever I need – particularly when I put my face on a screencast as I often do for students and teachers.
What’s In the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook?
The 12th Gen Intel(r) Core(tm) i5 Processor is inside this device with 8 GB of Ram and 512GB SSD Storage, so it is the fastest Chromebook I’ve used. Great device!
My Recommendation
If you have Chromebooks for your school or are using Google Classroom, this is a rock-solid recommendation for every teacher in your school. It is sturdy, reliable, and the pen makes it even better. It has everything you need to be successful but what I like best are the sturdy design, spill resistant keyboard, the super long battery life, the ability to position the computer any way I want to work and just how well it works with Google.
Some Notes on the Google Enterprise Edition
Many schools are providing Chromebooks now because of the Locked and kiosk mode, which prevent students from opening another tab while they are testing. Additionally, you can easily re-enroll a device after it is reset. Furthermore, Lenovo Lan School management software gives teachers further control over the classroom environment in terms of focus and activities. This device can work the whole day for a student and is very sturdy. These devices are powered by the “world’s only carbon-neutral cloud,” according to Lenovo.
I highly recommend this device.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this sturdy device as a perfect fit for teacher Chromebooks. Teachers need the flexibility of annotation, the security of the additional features that protect sensitive student data, and the reliability of a long-charge device that will last the whole day and be as mobile as we are. If this sounds like what you're looking for, the Lenovo Flex 5i is for you!
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored blog post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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