The Lenovo C340 is a lower mid-range chromebook targeting a budget price point. Though it’s a tier or two above true low end devices, its anemic hardware, small chassis, and low resolution all place it a rung on the ladder below true mid-range devices (and far behind the best chromebook) that employ faster chips and larger FHD displays. Its appeal comes from its attractive design and its low price point; when combined with its passable (but not great) performance, it’s not far off from being the best chromebook for business in the budget sector.
Why We Like It – Lenovo Chromebook C340
The Lenovo Chromebook C340 is a small, cheap chromebook with decent port selection, an attractive design, and good build quality. While its processor isn’t the fastest, it also sheds the low end MediaTek chips that tend to plague this price point.
- Compact
- Great design
- IPS panel
- Slow processor
Display Type/Resolution
As expected of a low end laptop, the display on the Lenovo C340 disappoints. It’s on the same level as what we described in our HP Chromebook X360 14 Review. To be clear, it could be worse; 1366×768 is a common resolution at this price bracket, but unlike most low-budget machines, the Lenovo C340 at least employs an IPS panel. This means that unlike the typical TN panels that plague this market segment, viewing angles will be solid and colors will be mediocre at absolute worst, whereas a TN panel would be abysmal in both regards. Even so, it’s an unimpressive panel overall; it’s very dim, coming in at only 250 nits, and colors are dull and washed out. If display quality matters, trying to step up to an Asus Chromebook Flip C434 is a wise idea, same for the HP Chromebook X2; both often sit around the $450 mark when on discount.
Battery Life
What do you get when you combine a small, low resolution display with a low end processor and a reasonably sized 42Whr battery? If you guessed “a battery beast”, you’d be correct; the Lenovo Chromebook C340 pulls up to 9 and a half hours on a single charge, lasting through a full workday with absolute ease. This is only beaten out by a select few devices like the much pricier Google Pixelbook Go, and it’s a very impressive showing for an otherwise unimpressive machine. If you prefer a 2 in 1 device with nearly the same battery life, don’t miss our Lenovo Chromebook Duet Review.
Weight
At 2.6 lbs., the Lenovo Chromebook C340 is neither impressive nor unimpressive for its size class. When compared to slightly larger machines, it could certainly stand to be a hair lighter, but 2.6 lbs. isn’t heavy at all; it’ll hardly be noticeable in a bag, and it’s more than easy to carry across a workplace.
Durability
Durability is acceptable for the price point. The laptop’s lid is aluminum while the rest of the chassis is plastic, though the texturing and coloring is aesthetically identical between the lid and the base. The lid’s sturdiness should help protect the laptop in the event of a fall, and its chassis should hold up across years of general wear and tear.
Inputs
Port selection on the Lenovo Chromebook C340 is excellent, surpassing even much higher end chromebooks. It’s got two USB C ports, two USB A ports, a microSD card slot, and an audio jack, alongside dedicated volume buttons on the side of the chassis. Keyboard quality is solid too, with keys with deep travel and adequate spacing.
Lenovo Chromebook C340 Wrap-up
If you were to Google the word “average”, you’d find a picture of the Lenovo Chromebook C340 beneath the definition. Save for its battery life, nothing about it stands out; its display is okay but not good, its performance is average but not good, its build quality is as middle-of-the-road as it gets, etcetera. Its inclusion of more than just USB Type C is very nice to see and it’s a battery champion, but it heavily relies on its attractive design to draw in buyers. If you can’t step up to a higher end machine, it’s a solid purchase for what it is, but too many aspects of it are just okay at best to make it something wholeheartedly recommendable.
