The Lenovo 100E Chromebook (81QB000AUS) is very affordable and has an 11.6-inch display, Mediatek Intel power, a good set of ports, and performance. Like the Dell Chromebook 11, this device is resistant to the hardships and bumps of school work. It does not have a touch screen like the Asus Chromebook Flip (C100PA-DB02), but it is much cheaper than competing devices. The 100E is an attractive choice for budget Chromebook buyers.
Design
Measuring 0.75 by 11.8 by 8.2 inches (HWD) and weighing 2.64 pounds, the 100E is dramatically lighter and lighter than the Lenovo 300e Chromebook, 2.6 inches and 4.2 pounds. The device is made of sturdy plastic, with a fine-textured lid with a chrome logo and a thin Lenovo logo on the right side of the touchpad on the palm of the keyboard.
On the Lenovo 100E, you do not get a ThinkPad keyboard, which is not possible at this price; instead, you have square chocolate keys with the cost of fast typing, albeit shallow. The key layout follows the Chromebook standard, which is indicated by a search key that replaces Caps Lock and a high range of system functions. The touchpad slides gently, though it needs to be hit hard.
At the top of the keyboard is an 11.6-inch display with dimensions of 1366 x 768, which is both clear and bright with three or four backlight settings, and if you look directly at it, you will surely see clear details and vivid colors. If you are waiting for an in-flight switch (IPS) panel like the one you have on the Asus Chromebook Flip or Toshiba Chromebook 2, you will be disappointed because any viewer on one side will see an illegible, washed screen.
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The connection is via a USB-C port (also used for charging), a USB 3.0 port, a microphone/headphone combination, and an HDMI port alongside the SD card reader. Wireless connectivity is provided via dual-band 802.11AC Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2. A webcam and 720p microphone above the screen are enough for video chats and Skype calls. The sound is a bit small, but enough for multimedia applications such as video playback.
Lenovo, a Chromebook for college students, combines it with the G-Suite for Education, which offers free productivity tools that allow students to share and sync documents seamlessly and securely. Here, you can access Google’s popular classroom suite and other educational programs that make sharing digital educational content enjoyable and manageable.
Performance
The 100E has an Intel MediaTek MT8173C clocked at 2.1 GHz, a dual-core CPU with integrated Intel HD graphics, 4 GB of memory, and 16 GB of eMMC flash memory. It takes 12 seconds to launch the Chrome OS sign-in screen (which, for example, is like the on/off button, which is rarely used because Chromebook owners usually close the lid to suspend operations). From the log, it even looks attractive enough. With 8 browser tabs, several Android apps, and a YouTube video open.
The Chromebook 100E performs well with other Cortex-based Chromebooks, while predictably more powerful than the ASUS Chromebook C425 (Intel Core M3), Acer Chromebook Spin 13 (Intel Core i5) It is shorter. Plus V2 and Google Pixelbook Go are much more expensive. Pandora’s music and YouTube 720p video tabs play slowly, even when played simultaneously with five other tabs.
The sealed 100E Chromebook 42Whr battery lasts a remarkable 9 hours and 12 minutes. It has more durability than the Lenovo ThinkPad 11e Chromebook (7:35), but less than the Google Pixelbook Go (12:15) and Asus Chromebook Flip (11:15).
CPU
The processor used in the Lenovo 100e Chromebook is a quad-core MediaTek 8173C processor. This processor runs at 2.10 GHz.
MediaTek 8173C processor is an ARM SoC (on-chip system) processor that is mainly used in Android and Chromebook devices. In addition, the MediaTek 8173C processor is capable of performing enough everyday tasks.
Pros
- low price
- Stylish design
- Solid performance
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- No touch screen
- Narrow viewing angles
- Poor quality webcam
Technical Details
| Standing screen display size | 11.6 Inches |
| Screen Resolution | 1366×768 |
| Max Screen Resolution | 1366 x 768 Pixels |
| Processor | 2.1 GHz MediaTek_MT8125 |
| RAM | 4 GB DDR4 |
| Memory Speed | 2.1 |
| Hard Drive | 16 GB Flash Memory Solid State |
| Graphics Coprocessor | PowerVR GX6250 |
| Chipset Brand | Chromebook |
| Card Description | Mediatek |
| Wireless Type | Bluetooth |
| Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 2 |
| Average Battery Life (in hours) | 10 Hours |
| Brand | Lenovo |
| Series | 100e Chromebook 2nd Gen |
| Item model number | 81QB000AUS |
| Hardware Platform | PC |
| Operating System | Chrome OS |
| Item Weight | 2.66 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 11.42 x 8.03 x 0.8 inches |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 11.42 x 8.03 x 0.8 inches |
| Color | Black |
| Processor Brand | Intel |
| Processor Count | 4 |
| Computer Memory Type | DDR3 SDRAM |
| Flash Memory Size | 16 |
| Hard Drive Interface | ESATA |
| Hard Drive Rotational Speed | 5400 RPM |
| Optical Drive Type | No Optical Drive |
| Power Source | Battery Powered |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included) |
Conclusion
The Lenovo 100E Chromebook is fascinating if you stick to the basic concept of the Chromebook, a simple, affordable laptop for college or home entertainment. We wish it had an IPS display, but the low price increases it. The Chromebook of our choice is still the Asus Chromebook Flip (C100PA-DB02). Its screen is 10.1 inches smaller, but its IPS panel offers excellent viewing quality in addition to touch and a convertible tablet.
Assuming your travel needs are light, probably for college use, and you don’t care about the small, medium-resolution screen, you find the Lenovo 100E Chromebook (81QB000AUS) among the most affordable.
