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You do not want to spend a lot of money on a new notebook? Do you just want an extra machine for web browsing and occasional videos on YouTube? If so, you may be considering a Chromebook, a platform that offers inexpensive options, even when upgrading upscale. The Lenovo C330 Chromebook is one of the new low-budget Chrome OS computers to hit the market. This is a 2 in 1 convertible 360 degrees.
We place the entry-level Chromebook C330, configured with a MediaTek MTK 8173C processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of eMMC storage, and an 11.6-inch IPS display at a resolution of 1,366 x 768. will cost $ 280, and you can spend $ 20 more to upgrade to 64GB of storage.
It's a good price, certainly, which seems attractive for a 2 in 1 that will not weigh you down. But does the Chromebook C330 offer enough performance and convenience?
It's tiny, and it's its best feature
The Chromebook C330 is at about the other end of the Acer Chromebook Spin 15 size spectrum. In short, where the Acer 2-in-1 is ridiculously large, Lenovo's option seems so small that it looks like almost to cute. In fact, this is reminiscent of the netbook given its white color scheme, a failed initiative a few years ago aimed at making low-cost laptops sufficient for web browsing and no more.
Of course, it says "almost borders on cute "because it has very large frames for such a small notebook. Unfortunately, the 11.6-inch screen seems to float in a sea of glasses, which, combined with the all-plastic construction, makes the Chromebook C330 one of the few we've seen so far. feels as if it was a budget machine. Bending the chassis and keyboard does nothing to change this impression.
It is interesting to note that the Chromebook C330 is not the thickest (0.77 inches) nor the heaviest (2.6 pounds) in its class. The best comparison machine, the Acer Chromebook Spin 11, is slightly thicker at 0.77 inches and slightly heavier at 2.76 pounds. But the Acer also feels much more robust than the Lenovo, and manages to look more modern despite its almost as big housings.
The Chromebook C330's keyboard is the usual island version with black chiclet keys and white lettering. It's a nice surprise.
We must not forget that the Chromebook C330 is an inexpensive Chrome OS 2 in 1. It is slightly cheaper than the Chromebook Spin 11 and much cheaper than the HP Chromebook x2 much thinner and more robust, valued at 600 USD. The low price does not completely mitigate our concerns, but it leaves room for maneuver.
The connectivity of the Chromebook C330 is definitely in its favor. A single USB-C 3.0 port, a USB-A 3.0 port, a full size HDMI connection, and a DisplayPort port for connecting external displays, a full-size SD card reader, and a combo audio jack. It's a good choice of ports for connecting older and more modern peripherals. Not surprisingly, given the low price and the processor, there is no Thunderbolt 3 port.
Entry options punch over the weight class
The Chromebook C330's keyboard is the usual island version with black chiclet keys and white lettering. It's a nice surprise. The layout perfectly matches the Chrome OS standard, and the mechanism is fast and provides great freedom of movement for a precise typing experience. It's better than the keyboard of the Chromebook Spin 11 and its rival the Chromebook x2. The only real weakness is the lack of backlighting.
The touchpad is wide for such a small machine and perfectly supports the usual multitouch gestures of Chrome OS. The entire surface is clickable, but there is no right button. You will need to use a two-finger tap to display the menu. The screen is touch-sensitive, of course, since it's a 2-in-1, but there's no stylus support, leaving it behind the Chromebook Spin 11 for anyone wishing to write or draw on the screen.
A dark screen with little contrast disappoints
The Chromebook C330 is equipped with an 11.6-inch IPS display clocked at 1,366 x 768 (140 PPI), which is notably pixelated even on this small panel. If you've become used to Full HD displays or even higher, like the 2400 x 1600 (235 PPI) monitor on the Chromebook x2, you'll find that this one is an alternative.
The screen is bright enough for most indoor environments, but it will be quickly washed away by any significant amount of ambient lighting. The contrast is good, however, and its gamma seems accurate, which means that YouTube videos are neither too dark nor too bright. This is not unusual for cheap laptops. Of course, the more expensive Chromebooks, such as the Chromebook x2 and the Google Pixelbook, offer much better panels.
Two speakers are audible and emit sufficient sound for notifications and other system sounds. You will want to remove your headphones or connect a Bluetooth speaker for something else, including music and video, because the sound is either too soft or distorted to a reasonable volume. The treble and the midrange are confused and there is no bass strictly speaking.
One of the slowest Chromebooks available to date
Lenovo used a MediaTek MTK 8173C processor in the Chromebook C330. It's a quad-core processor running at 2.0 GHz, and it's barely fast enough to track the lightweight Chrome operating system for basic productivity tasks.
Productivity applications like Microsoft's OneNote are fine, but it's also pushing.
We used our usual Chromebook performance tests on Lenovo's 2-in-1, one of the slower we've tested. Geekbench 4, running Android, generated a single-core score of 1,446 and a multicore score of 2,938. The Celeron processor of the Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 was 2,107 and 3,656, which is slow compared to Chrome machines More modern OS. The Chromebook x2, for example, got 3,441 and 6,685 thanks to its Intel Core m3 processor.
In the 2.0 speedometer test that gives an idea of the ability of a laptop to browse the web, the Chromebook C330 displays a very low score of 23.3. It's the slowest we've seen on a Chromebook since we started running this test. Only the Acer Chromebook Spin 15 with its Pentium N4200 processor was as slow, with a score of 24.5, and even the Celeron processor of the Chromebook Spin 11 was running a 35.4. In comparison, the Chromebook x2 was more than three times faster at 75.1.
The Chromebook C330 has 4GB of RAM, which is an advantage. You can keep many open tabs in Chrome and run some Android apps without running out of memory, but you'll find things are slow, no matter what you do. At least 32GB of eMMC storage will not slow things down.
In terms of play, this 2 in 1 will not impress. You can run casual titles without problems, but open an action game like Asphalt 8, and you will live an unstable experience. Productivity applications like Microsoft's OneNote are fine, but it's also pushing.
Battery life adds considerably to the value
The capacity of the Chromebook C330 processor battery is 45 watts / hour, and Chrome OS is a lightweight operating system. Given the power of the processor and the low-resolution small screen, we thought that the 2 in 1 should enjoy excellent battery life.
We were right in our prediction. According to our most demanding web benchmark tests on Basemark, the Chromebook C330 lasted nearly six and a half hours, which is a very good score. The Chromebook Plus V2 lasted just over four hours, while the Chromebook Spin 11 ran just under four hours.
When browsing the web, which is the most important feature of Chrome OS, the Chromebook C330 lasted nearly 11 hours. This is a particularly high score compared to the nine-and-a-half hours of the Chromebook Spin 11 and the seven and a half hours of the Chromebook Plus V2.
Finally, during the loop of a Avengers trailer, the Lenovo has managed more than 12 hours. This compares to the Chromebook Spin 11 at around nine and three-quarters, and the Chromebook Plus V2 at eight and three-quarters.
In other words, even if the Chromebook C330 is not very powerful, it makes the most of its relatively large battery capacity. You spend much more than one day at work or school and you have a lot for a part of Netflix.
Our take
The Lenovo Chromebook C330 has three exchange features: it's one of the cheapest Chromebooks, it's 360-degree convertible and has excellent battery life. But it is also very slow, its display is disappointing and looks a lot like a low-budget notebook.
Is there a better alternative?
The most direct competitor is the Acer Chromebook Spin 11, which offers a similar display of the same size and better performance, but it does not match the battery life of the Chromebook C330. The Acer also costs $ 70 more, and this includes an active stylus that supports the inking feature of Chrome OS.
You can also spend about twice as much, about $ 600, and upgrade to HP Chromebook version 2. You will get a much better display, much better performance and a more robust and aesthetic overall construction.
There are not many good Windows 10 machines in the same basic price range. If you're ready to spend around $ 500 and do not worry about a much larger laptop, you might want to consider the Acer Aspire E15 with its best performance, especially in gaming, for a better 15.6-inch display . However, you will not get the same battery life and carry a little more weight.
How long will it last?
The C330 Chromebook is a somewhat flexible plastic version in some places, but that does not mean that you have to worry about its bursting. However, it will last long enough to repay the investment. The one year warranty is in line with industry standards.
Should you buy it?
No, unless the life of the battery is your main concern. Consume a little more to get a better Chromebook. You will be happy to have done so.
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