Review on Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14-inch Laptop, Intel Core i3-1005G1 Processor, 4GB DDR4 RAM, 128GB M.2 💻 SSD Storage, 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) Display, Integrated Graphics, Windows 10 S, 81WD010QUS, Platinum Grey by Noah Lewis

This machine retails for $399. I don't think I can honestly justify the asking price given the systems I've tested over the past few months. While this laptop performs reasonably well and can even play light games, it falls short of the specs. You only get 128 gigabytes of storage, only 4 gigabytes of RAM, and that works in S mode. While S mode isn't a big deal and easy to turn off for those who've done it many times, for the S mode may be a problem for the average user installing something as simple as Chrome or Firefox. I seriously wish S mode was a way for admins to turn the device on instead of turning it off. I understand the whole security thing, but damn it. In any case, almost all of the laptops I've tested have a star deducted if they ship with 4GB of RAM or less. Windows 10 works best with AT LEAST 8 gigabytes, heck, even 6 gigabytes would be fine. 4GB. Anyway, I checked the RAM soldered to the motherboard (another asterisk). It runs at 2667, which means you'll be stuck at 2667 if you upgrade to faster memory. Also, you only have 1 free slot, so you can upgrade to 8, 12, or 20 gigabytes. I decided to increase it to 8 gigabytes, which absolutely made it slightly faster. Next is the sad 128GB drive, not only is it a flimsy capacity, it's also a pretty slow drive. I replaced it with a larger capacity nVME drive and the person did it to improve download speed. Another thing I noticed upon opening it is that there is room for a 2.5" SATA drive but no cable connecting it to the board. I mean you can get it for around $10 but it would be nice if they included one so I can add another extra drive. Another annoyance, no USB-C! Isn't USB-C pretty much the standard these days? Should have left out a USB 2.0 port and put Type-C instead. It also doesn't have an Ethernet jack, so you'll need to buy an adapter if you want Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi. The screen on this one is also a little disappointing Most Lenovos I've tested have excellent screens, this one just isn't very bright and not as bright as other Lenovos I've tested overall I think it's a "normal" device for everyday use, the price is a little high I think it fits better in the $299 range maybe even $249. Giving this model a very weak 3 stars is almost tempting to give it 2 stars but I feeling a little generous today. Lenovo recommendation: upgrade it to a 256GB drive with 8GB RAM, ditch the S mode and I think this laptop will better match its current asking price.