Lenovo Chromebook C340-11: A budget friendly basic student chromebook
In a sea of budget-friendly Chromebooks, the Lenovo C340-11 stands out, at least at first, by packing in all the basics a student could ever need at a low cost.
Including a touchscreen and 360-degrees hinges.
The C340-11 is built with a metal lid and a plastic body.
The material mixing isn't off-putting, and the overall construction feels solid and durable.
I mean, it beats all-plastic.
The colors match up pretty well and the metal lid makes this budget Chromebook feel a little bit more premium.
This one's pink but you can also get it in grey.
The keys themselves have a mushy feel and occasionally let out random clicks, as if crumbs are stuck underneath.
But overall it's decent, considering it's a low price starting at $250.
The 11.6 inch display has a glossy ISP touch screen.
It's pretty bright and sharp when used indoors and away from any sunny windows.
The touch screen is precise and responsive.
It's only missing a stylus for note taking, drawing or just avoiding those pesky finger print smudges.
But you can't get everything I guess.
Now here's where the low cost appeal starts to wear off.
The display has an object gigantic bottom bezel that eats up a lot of real estate and makes the display feel smaller.
It's jarring and feels out of place.
Whenever anyone opens the lid of this laptop, they literally did a double take.
It's like the screen of a smaller laptop built into a larger laptop's body.
Convertible two in ones arguably need to leave some room to grip when using them as a tablet.
But Lenovo may have taken it too far with the C340's crazy thick gen.
If you can look past that, and you may not be able to, at least Lenovo didn't skimp on ports for the C340.
This Chromebook has two USB C's and USB A ports one on either side, along with headphone jack and a micro USB card reader on the left.
It charges via the USB C. So that's a nice modern touch.
Lenovo says the Chromebooks battery will run up to 10 hours but on cnet's video streaming test it hit over 12 hours Either way it should give you more than enough battery to survive the school or work day.
The C340 has 360 degree hinges that lets the lid swing around at a wide range positions, and it usually stays in whatever position you set it in.
One of my favorite setups is folding it into a tent, this opens up plenty of desk space to do homework and take handwritten notes from the PowerPoint or an online textbook.
It's also a great way to watch Disney plus and Netflix.
The downside of using this Chromebook for entertainment is it speakers.
They're very quiet.
Even at 75% volume it comes out as a whisper.
And when played at full volume, the speakers distort the audio.
I know asking for good speakers on a budget laptop is a lot but still Take advantage of the headphone jack and Bluetooth connectivity when you can.
It's the better choice.
Despite a couple questionable design choices, Lenovo C340 is a feature-packed, low cost option for a student Chromebook.
But that weird screen bezel is probably a deal-breaker.
[MUSIC]
Up Next
Apple Has Big AI Plans for Mac — and iPhone, Too
Up Next
Apple Has Big AI Plans for Mac — and iPhone, Too
M3 MacBook Air Review: A Better Reason to Upgrade?
M3 MacBook Air Review: A Better Reason to Upgrade?
Apple Updates 13- and 15-Inch MacBook Air With M3 Chips
Apple Updates 13- and 15-Inch MacBook Air With M3 Chips
Best Laptops of CES 2024
Best Laptops of CES 2024
Best Laptops 2023: Budget Friendly
Best Laptops 2023: Budget Friendly
Apple MacBook Pro 16- and 14-Inch, M3 Series Review
Apple MacBook Pro 16- and 14-Inch, M3 Series Review
Apple's M3 Sparks a New Era of Mac vs. PC Battles
Apple's M3 Sparks a New Era of Mac vs. PC Battles
M3 MacBook Pro, iMac Reactions
M3 MacBook Pro, iMac Reactions
First Look: Microsoft Surface Studio 2 and Surface Go 3 Laptops
First Look: Microsoft Surface Studio 2 and Surface Go 3 Laptops
15-Inch MacBook Air Review: Way Cheaper Than a Pro
15-Inch MacBook Air Review: Way Cheaper Than a Pro
Tech Shows
Latest News All latest news
PlayStation 5 Pro Leaked: Everything We Know
PlayStation 5 Pro Leaked: Everything We Know
Everything Just Revealed at Nvidia's GTC AI Conference
Everything Just Revealed at Nvidia's GTC AI Conference
Nvidia Reveals Omniverse Cloud Streams to the Vision Pro
Nvidia Reveals Omniverse Cloud Streams to the Vision Pro
Nvidia Shows Project GROOT and Disney Bots at GTC Conference
Nvidia Shows Project GROOT and Disney Bots at GTC Conference
Expert vs. AI: Is Now the Time to Buy an EV?
Expert vs. AI: Is Now the Time to Buy an EV?
The PlayStation Portal Built-In Volume Is too Loud: Here's How to Keep It Low
The PlayStation Portal Built-In Volume Is too Loud: Here's How to Keep It Low
Most Popular All most popular
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Latest Products All latest products
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
See Adobe Lightroom on the Apple Vision Pro
See Adobe Lightroom on the Apple Vision Pro
This $400 Cane Has a Built-In Phone
This $400 Cane Has a Built-In Phone
Latest How To All how to videos
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
How to Use a Quest 3 Like the Vision Pro