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Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05 laptop review: Quiet, efficient, and slow convertible

Fanless and slow. A laptop without fans can be an amazing thing, especially for people who are sensitive to noise. But Lenovo makes too many compromises with the extremely affordable convertible IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05. In the end, it is simply too slow, even for its low price.

11.6-inch laptops are the smallest common laptop size today. Smaller laptops have become rarer after the netbook hype subsided. 11.6-inch laptops, however, still play a role especially in the educational sector and in the ultra low price segment. An example of this: The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05, that we'll be testing today. The low-end focus quickly becomes apparent not only in terms of the price (329 Euros, ~$372), but also in the specifications: Intel Celeron N4020, 4 GB RAM, LCD with HD resolution (1366x768) and 64 GB eMMC memory. By the way, the Lenovo Flex 3 doesn't have a fan, which is usual for devices with this kind of configuration, but still rare for laptops overall.

For comparison we use the Acer TravelMate Spin B1, the Asus E203MA and the BMAX MaxBook Y11. All of these 11.6-inch laptops are fanless and based on the Intel Gemini-Lake series. The Acer and the BMAX are also convertibles like the Lenovo, whereas the Asus is a normal laptop.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05 (IdeaPad Flex 3 Series)
Processor
Intel Celeron N4020 2 x 1.1 - 2.8 GHz, Gemini Lake refresh
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR4-2400, on-board, single channel
Display
11.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 135 PPI, 10-point touchscreen, N116BCA-EA1, IPS LED, glossy: yes, 60 Hz
Storage
SanDisk DA4064, 64 GB 
, eMMC 5.1, on-board, 25 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Gemini Lake SoC - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: combo-audio
Networking
Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.5 x 281.7 x 198 ( = 0.69 x 11.09 x 7.8 in)
Battery
37.5 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p with PrivacyShutter
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo 1.5 W, Keyboard: Chiclet 6-row, Keyboard Light: no, McAfee Livesafe, Microsoft Office Trial, Lenovo Vantage, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
1.136 kg ( = 40.07 oz / 2.5 pounds), Power Supply: 173 g ( = 6.1 oz / 0.38 pounds)
Price
329 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
78.1 %
07/2020
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Celeron N4020, UHD Graphics 600
1.1 kg17.5 mm11.60"1366x768
77.3 %
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605
1.5 kg23.3 mm11.60"1920x1080
76.8 %
04/2019
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605
980 g16.9 mm11.60"1366x768
74.9 %
03/2020
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Celeron N4100, UHD Graphics 600
1 kg14.4 mm11.60"1920x1080

Case & Features: No USB-C

As you can expect from a notebook in this price range, the materials of the Lenovo laptop are of the cheap variety: The case of the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11 is completely made of plastic. In the area around the keyboard as well as on the display back, the plastic is smooth with a silvery brushed look. In contrast, on the sides and bottom it is matte gray and a bit roughened. Visually contrasting are the black Lenovo lettering, the dark gray keys and the display's black border, which is made of glass.

In terms of build quality, the Lenovo notebook is on a good level for this price range. The display and base can only be twisted slightly. When the back of the display is pressed, it gets a bit dented in and pressure on the panel is also passed on directly. You shouldn't put too much strain on the display. At least the display hardly wobbles at all; the 360-degree hinges have a good grip on it. 

Regarding connectivity, there is unfortunately no USB-C port. For a laptop in 2020 that is basically a no-go, as you have to do without universal power supplies and docking stations. At least both USB ports support the USB 3.0 standard and there is also a microSD card slot.

You can save yourself the trouble of unscrewing the Lenovo laptop. It can't be upgraded in any way. The M.2 port for the SSD is not available on the model with eMMC memory.

Size comparison

291 mm / 11.5 inch 211 mm / 8.31 inch 23.3 mm / 0.917 inch 1.5 kg3.31 lbs286 mm / 11.3 inch 193 mm / 7.6 inch 16.9 mm / 0.665 inch 980 g2.16 lbs281.7 mm / 11.1 inch 198 mm / 7.8 inch 17.5 mm / 0.689 inch 1.1 kg2.5 lbs274.5 mm / 10.8 inch 188 mm / 7.4 inch 14.4 mm / 0.567 inch 1 kg2.28 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Right: microSD, USB 3.0 Type-A
Right: microSD, USB 3.0 Type-A
Left: charging port, USB 3.0 Type-A, HDMI, combo audio
Left: charging port, USB 3.0 Type-A, HDMI, combo audio
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Average of class Convertible
  (17.7 - 177.7, n=37, last 2 years)
73.9 MB/s +5%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
70.2 MB/s
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
24.55 MB/s -65%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
23.2 MB/s -67%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Average of class Convertible
  (22.6 - 263, n=35, last 2 years)
94.9 MB/s +14%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
83.3 MB/s
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
39.9 MB/s -52%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27 MB/s -68%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
26.9 MB/s -68%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average Intel Wireless-AC 9560
  (309 - 1350, n=182)
686 MBit/s +7%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
 
651 (591min - 672max) MBit/s +1%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
643 (625min - 669max) MBit/s
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
335 (328min - 344max) MBit/s -48%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Wireless AC-9461
330 (247min - 394max) MBit/s -49%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average Intel Wireless-AC 9560
  (288 - 1390, n=183)
698 MBit/s +4%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
670 (654min - 677max) MBit/s
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
 
537 (498min - 552max) MBit/s -20%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
322 (313min - 327max) MBit/s -52%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Wireless AC-9461
289 (204min - 340max) MBit/s -57%
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø670 (654-677)
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø643 (625-669)

Connectivity: Mediocre input devices

Due to the small format, the keyboard doesn't come in full size, and some keys are significantly smaller. You should also note that the rounded chiclet keys with short stroke use the ANSI layout with a single-line enter key. All these factors contribute to the fact that the keyboard takes some getting used to in comparison to larger laptops and desktop keyboards. The typing feel itself is fine, as the pressure point is defined and the keyboard doesn't give way. 

There is no digitizer pen in the Lenovo Flex 3 11. The 10-point touchscreen works flawlessly and provides a good alternative to the ClickPad sitting underneath the keyboard. The plastic touchpad has a cheap look, including a loud, slightly rickety click mechanism. At least you can control the cursor fairly precisely and quickly.

Keyboard area Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Keyboard area Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05

Display: Low-resolution IPS panel

Pixel grid Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11
Pixel grid Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11
Slight backlight bleeding
Slight backlight bleeding

There are two 11.6-inch display choices for the Lenovo Flex 11 laptop: An HD panel (1366x768) and a Full HD screen (1920x1080). Both panels are based on IPS technology and both are glossy touchscreens with a glass panel in front of the screen. The other specifications (brightness 250 cd/m², 45% NTSC color space) are also identical. 

The built-in HD display meets the brightness specification fairly accurately with an average of 258 cd/m². The competitors achieve similar brightness values. For today's standards, 250 cd/m² is at the lower end of the acceptable range. This also applies to the measured PWM frequency: 250 Hz is already quite low and potentially headache-inducing. At least PWM only occurs at less than 60% of brightness, but it is still a point of criticism.

286
cd/m²
290
cd/m²
275
cd/m²
268
cd/m²
270
cd/m²
255
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
234
cd/m²
221
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
N116BCA-EA1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 290 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 258.7 cd/m² Minimum: 2.2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 76 %
Center on Battery: 270 cd/m²
Contrast: 1385:1 (Black: 0.195 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.98 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4
ΔE Greyscale 2.57 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
67% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
43% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
46.93% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
67.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
45.35% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.3
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
N116BCA-EA1, IPS LED, 1366x768, 11.60
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
LM116LF3L02, IPS, 1920x1080, 11.60
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
AUO225C, TN LED, 1366x768, 11.60
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
LC116LF3L01, IPS, 1920x1080, 11.60
Display
46%
-21%
38%
Display P3 Coverage
45.35
68.7
51%
35.75
-21%
62.4
38%
sRGB Coverage
67.7
94.6
40%
53.8
-21%
93.4
38%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
46.93
69.2
47%
36.94
-21%
64.2
37%
Response Times
-43%
26%
2628%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
38 ?(20, 18)
41 ?(21, 20)
-8%
41 ?(22, 19)
-8%
36.1 ?(16.9, 19.2)
5%
Response Time Black / White *
25 ?(14, 11)
31 ?(18, 13)
-24%
10 ?(6, 4)
60%
30.4 ?(16.8, 14.6)
-22%
PWM Frequency
250 ?(60)
5 ?(20)
-98%
20000 ?(25)
7900%
Screen
2%
-85%
-45%
Brightness middle
270
295
9%
235
-13%
258
-4%
Brightness
259
260
0%
227
-12%
248
-4%
Brightness Distribution
76
78
3%
93
22%
94
24%
Black Level *
0.195
0.44
-126%
0.26
-33%
Contrast
1385
534
-61%
992
-28%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.98
3.98
-0%
11.73
-195%
7.1
-78%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.46
8.25
2%
18.8
-122%
14.8
-75%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4
3.73
7%
1.3
67%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.57
4.63
-80%
12.64
-392%
9.6
-274%
Gamma
2.3 96%
2.3 96%
2.61 84%
2.148 102%
CCT
6332 103%
6727 97%
14819 44%
10313 63%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
43
62
44%
34
-21%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
67
94
40%
54
-19%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
2% / 2%
-27% / -59%
874% / 506%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
25 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 11 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 53 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
38 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20 ms rise
↘ 18 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 49 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.8 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 250 Hz ≤ 60 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 250 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 60 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 250 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18034 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The contrast ratio of 1385:1 contributes to the good image quality and compensates a little for the poor color-space coverage. A result of 67% of the sRGB color space, however, naturally makes serious image-editing impossible.

The Lenovo laptop would theoretically be predestined for outdoor use with its compact size. However, the glossy display surface as well as the too low brightness ruin that experience.

ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
sRGB: 67%
sRGB: 67%
AdobeRGB: 43%
AdobeRGB: 43%
Outdoors (cloudy)
Outdoors (cloudy)
Viewing angles Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11
Viewing angles Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11
 
 

Performance: The absolute minimum

For the Lenovo notebook there are three Celeron CPUs and a Pentium Silver processor from Intel to choose from: Celeron N4000N4120N4020 and the Pentium Silver N5030. The Celeron-CPUs are accompanied by the Intel UHD Graphics 600 while the Pentium is equipped with the UHD Graphics 605. There is no choice when it comes to RAM, in each case 4 GB of DDR4-2400 memory is soldered - i.e. the absolute minimum. There are two mass storage variants: 64 GB eMMC (soldered) or 128 GB in the form of an M.2-2242 SSD.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Memory
CPU-Z Memory
HWiNFO
HWiNFO
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
 
 

Processor

The Intel Celeron N4020 is a dual-core processor based on the Gemini Lake architecture. In the past, these processors ran under the name "Atom". The Celeron has a typical maximum power consumption of six watts and clock rates in the range of 1.1 to 2.8 GHz. Other CPUs can be compared with the Celeron in the CPU comparison list.

Instead of six watts, the processor in the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05 can consume up to eight watts. The two cores then clock at 2.6 GHz, whereby the temperatures slowly increase during the Cinebench test. No throttling can be observed in the Cinebench loop, but it probably couldn't be avoided that the clock rate drops at some point under hours of load. The CPU performance is very weak overall. In principle, this applies to all comparable devices, but the Lenovo laptop scores the worst here. 

The full performance is also available in battery mode.

0153045607590105120135150165180195210Tooltip
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05 Intel Celeron N4020, Intel Celeron N4020: Ø143 (131.27-145.38)
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel Pentium Silver N5000: Ø203 (196.11-213.22)
Asus E203MA-FD825TS Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel Pentium Silver N5000: Ø213 (210.75-224.73)
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6 Intel Celeron N4100, Intel Celeron N4100: Ø178.2 (171.97-187.94)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 -mmt1 | 7z b 4
Geekbench 5.5: Single-Core | Multi-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (110.1 - 2889, n=66, last 2 years)
1552 Points +977%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
224 Points +55%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
213 Points +48%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
188 (171.97min - 187.94max) Points +30%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
144.1 (131.27min - 145.38max) Points
Average Intel Celeron N4020
  (110.1 - 144.1, n=2)
127.1 Points -12%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (68.6 - 287, n=64, last 2 years)
229 Points +190%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
79 Points 0%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
78.9 Points
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
78 Points -1%
Average Intel Celeron N4020
  (68.6 - 78.9, n=2)
73.8 Points -6%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
66.3 Points -16%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Convertible
  (242 - 6954, n=65, last 2 years)
3475 Points +1000%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
391 Points +24%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
316 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4020
  (242 - 316, n=2)
279 Points -12%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Convertible
  (116.8 - 755, n=64, last 2 years)
602 Points +244%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
175 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4020
  (149.8 - 175, n=2)
162.4 Points -7%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
152 Points -13%
Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
4064 Seconds *
Average Intel Celeron N4020
 
4064 Seconds * -0%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
3176 Seconds * +22%
Average of class Convertible
  (193 - 3620, n=60, last 2 years)
465 Seconds * +89%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Convertible
  (2046 - 6417, n=62, last 2 years)
5154 MIPS +110%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
2456 MIPS
Average Intel Celeron N4020
 
2456 MIPS 0%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
2125 MIPS -13%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4
Average of class Convertible
  (7703 - 72400, n=62, last 2 years)
39224 MIPS +772%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
6048 MIPS +34%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
4498 MIPS
Average Intel Celeron N4020
 
4498 MIPS 0%
Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core
Average of class Convertible
  (319 - 1981, n=67, last 2 years)
1575 Points +232%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
475 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4020
  (319 - 475, n=3)
419 Points -12%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
400 Points -16%
Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core
Average of class Convertible
  (663 - 14016, n=67, last 2 years)
7939 Points +825%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
1271 Points +48%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
858 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4020
  (663 - 858, n=3)
786 Points -8%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset
Average of class Convertible
  (0.61 - 20.1, n=64, last 2 years)
10.3 fps +1020%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
1.11 fps +21%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
0.92 fps
Average Intel Celeron N4020
  (0.73 - 0.92, n=2)
0.825 fps -10%
LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
172 s * -24%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
139 s *
Average Intel Celeron N4020
 
139 s * -0%
Average of class Convertible
  (42 - 223, n=62, last 2 years)
54.7 s * +61%
R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel Celeron N4100
1.759 sec * -16%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel Celeron N4020
1.511 sec *
Average Intel Celeron N4020
 
1.511 sec * -0%
Average of class Convertible
  (0.4102 - 1.967, n=62, last 2 years)
0.546 sec * +64%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
4427
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
2184
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
1.71 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.94 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
78.9 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
144.1 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
15.52 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System performance

The weak benchmark results continue in the system performance. Even in everyday life, the Lenovo Flex 11 sometimes has to pause for thought.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Convertible
  (1486 - 7963, n=59, last 2 years)
5626 Points +270%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SanDisk DA4064
1930 Points +27%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
1862 Points +22%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, FORESEE 256GB
1580 Points +4%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4020, SanDisk DA4064
1521 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4020, Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (1486 - 1521, n=2)
1504 Points -1%
Essentials
Average of class Convertible
  (3975 - 12059, n=59, last 2 years)
10500 Points +174%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
4949 Points +29%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SanDisk DA4064
4766 Points +24%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, FORESEE 256GB
4442 Points +16%
Average Intel Celeron N4020, Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (3833 - 3975, n=2)
3904 Points +2%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4020, SanDisk DA4064
3833 Points
Productivity
Average of class Convertible
  (2764 - 10800, n=59, last 2 years)
7399 Points +180%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SanDisk DA4064
3039 Points +15%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
2775 Points +5%
Average Intel Celeron N4020, Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (2638 - 2764, n=2)
2701 Points +2%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4020, SanDisk DA4064
2638 Points
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, FORESEE 256GB
2609 Points -1%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Convertible
  (811 - 12360, n=59, last 2 years)
6360 Points +572%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SanDisk DA4064
1293 Points +37%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
1276 Points +35%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4020, SanDisk DA4064
946 Points
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, FORESEE 256GB
924 Points -2%
Average Intel Celeron N4020, Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (811 - 946, n=2)
879 Points -7%
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Convertible
  (4404 - 5830, n=3, last 2 years)
4890 Points +170%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SanDisk DA4064
2070 Points +14%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, FORESEE 256GB
1864 Points +3%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4020, SanDisk DA4064
1811 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4020, Intel UHD Graphics 600
 
1811 Points 0%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
1811 points
PCMark 10 Score
1521 points
Help

DPC latencies

LatencyMon Main
LatencyMon Main
LatencyMon Drivers
LatencyMon Drivers
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4020, SanDisk DA4064
2421 μs *

* ... smaller is better

Mass storage

This Lenovo Flex 3 includes 64 GB of soldered eMMC memory, which not only makes our tests difficult, it is also extremely slow. The eMMC memory should have a good share in the poor system performance result.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
SanDisk DA4064
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
SanDisk DA4064
Average SanDisk DA4064
 
Average of class Convertible
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
127%
3%
6%
990%
Write 4K
38.16
68
78%
38.28
0%
38.1 ?(37.8 - 38.3, n=4)
0%
149.4 ?(45.5 - 349, n=43, last 2 years)
292%
Read 4K
13.1
26.58
103%
12.14
-7%
18.1 ?(12.1 - 23.8, n=4)
38%
62.4 ?(27.7 - 95.8, n=43, last 2 years)
376%
Write Seq
214.1
405
89%
220.2
3%
222 ?(214 - 229, n=4)
4%
2333 ?(402 - 4570, n=33, last 2 years)
990%
Read Seq
269.9
440
63%
262
-3%
277 ?(262 - 303, n=4)
3%
2608 ?(586 - 4763, n=33, last 2 years)
866%
Write 4K Q32T1
46.61
121.7
161%
45.72
-2%
45.7 ?(44.7 - 46.6, n=4)
-2%
384 ?(171.6 - 745, n=43, last 2 years)
724%
Read 4K Q32T1
51.6
129.8
152%
61
18%
56 ?(51.6 - 61, n=4)
9%
489 ?(79.6 - 892, n=43, last 2 years)
848%
Write Seq Q32T1
155.6
465.8
199%
167.1
7%
153.7 ?(129.4 - 167.1, n=4)
-1%
2996 ?(412 - 5232, n=43, last 2 years)
1825%
Read Seq Q32T1
203.2
548
170%
211.5
4%
204 ?(189.4 - 213, n=4)
0%
4264 ?(1974 - 7131, n=43, last 2 years)
1998%
SanDisk DA4064
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 203.2 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 155.6 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 51.6 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 46.61 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 269.9 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 214.1 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 13.1 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 38.16 MB/s

Continuous power reading: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

Graphics card

The performance of the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 600 turns out just as weak as the rest of the system. It is just enough for showing YouTube videos and desktop display, but not more. Even older games hardly run smoothly on this graphics chip.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Convertible
  (471 - 40768, n=64, last 2 years)
7613 Points +1331%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
648 Points +22%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
639 Points +20%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (410 - 854, n=27)
558 Points +5%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Intel Celeron N4020
532 Points
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Intel Celeron N4100
461 Points -13%
3DMark - 1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Convertible
  (365 - 29684, n=64, last 2 years)
5735 Points +1442%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
459 Points +23%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (307 - 637, n=21)
421 Points +13%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Intel Celeron N4020
372 Points
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Intel Celeron N4100
348 Points -6%
3DMark 11 Performance
589 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
345 points
Help
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 22.7
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 26.5 12 5.8 5.8
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 6.15 5.35 4.98

Emissions & Energy: Quiet & efficient

Noise emissions

Because of the lack of a fan or other noise sources like a mechanical hard drive, there are no noise emissions in the Lenovo Flex 3 11IGL. We also didn't notice any coil whine.

Temperature

Stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)
Stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)

The Lenovo Flex 3 11IGL laptop barely gets hot under load; we measured a maximum of 41.4 °C on the bottom. 

After a while during our stress test, the power consumption got limited to six watts. The CPU temperature did not exceed 68 °C. However, the clock rate started to fluctuate during testing, which of course is the only way to lower temperatures without an active fan. 

Max. Load
 36.5 °C
98 F
37.4 °C
99 F
36.4 °C
98 F
 
 35.9 °C
97 F
36.8 °C
98 F
36.6 °C
98 F
 
 26.6 °C
80 F
27.4 °C
81 F
26.4 °C
80 F
 
Maximum: 37.4 °C = 99 F
Average: 33.3 °C = 92 F
32.8 °C
91 F
41.4 °C
107 F
40.3 °C
105 F
34.2 °C
94 F
37.5 °C
100 F
38.2 °C
101 F
26.9 °C
80 F
29.5 °C
85 F
32.1 °C
90 F
Maximum: 41.4 °C = 107 F
Average: 34.8 °C = 95 F
Power Supply (max.)  36 °C = 97 F | Room Temperature 22.4 °C = 72 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.3 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.4 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 41.4 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.6 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 27.4 °C / 81.3 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (+0.7 °C / 1.3 F).
Upper side (idle)
Upper side (idle)
Bottom side (idle)
Bottom side (idle)
Upper side (load)
Upper side (load)
Bottom side (load)
Bottom side (load)

Speakers

The speakers could be louder and they lack bass, but otherwise they are quite tolerable for a very cheap laptop. That's because they don't tend to distort and at least the highs and mids are balanced.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs203534.4352543.94143.93134.642.434.64030.531.430.55029.93029.96329.328.429.38030.926.730.910035.32635.312536.625.136.616035.22435.220035.42235.425045.622.545.631551.621.251.640057.820.157.850061.519.561.563062.318.962.38006618.466100071.11871.1125066.317.566.3160059.117.459.1200060.517.660.5250058.617.558.6315059.717.659.7400059.617.759.6500057.41857.4630058.618.158.6800059.718.259.71000056.718.256.71250057.518.157.51600053.518.253.5SPL7530.375N33.81.433.8median 58.6median 18.2median 58.6Delta5.51.45.534.633.434.633.832.133.840.232.940.235.232.135.23131.73129.428.929.429.132.529.130.129.630.136.126.136.14125.44138.923.138.947.422.247.452.321.652.356.82156.861.62061.663.118.663.173.11873.176.717.876.774.117.674.170.517.570.571.317.371.372.217.972.274.21874.275.818.175.878.418.378.472.118.572.16718.76764.118.864.15718.95763.71963.785.430.685.458.11.358.1median 64.1median 18.7median 64.110.2210.2hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (71.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.7% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 0.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 45% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 48% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 46% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 45% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Asus E203MA-FD825TS audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.8% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 81% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 14% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 73% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 21% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy consumption

The consumption in idle is very low with a maximum of 4.6 watts. The maximum consumption of 14.3 watts also shows that the Lenovo Flex 3 is an extremely energy-saving notebook.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.2 / 0.27 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.4 / 4.5 / 4.6 Watt
Load midlight 12.8 / 14.3 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery life

Charging time: 173 minutes
Charging time: 173 minutes

Despite the very small internal 37.5 watt hour battery, the Lenovo Flex 3 11IGL05 achieves the best battery life in our comparison, just over nine hours in the Wi-Fi test. In this area, the low power consumption absolutely pays off.

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Average of class Convertible
  (329 - 876, n=63, last 2 years)
557 min 0%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05
Celeron N4020, UHD Graphics 600, 37.5 Wh
555 min
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 B118-G2-RN-P7ED
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605, 48 Wh
520 min -6%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605, 38 Wh
495 min -11%
BMAX MaxBook Y11 H1M6
Celeron N4100, UHD Graphics 600, 26.6 Wh
248 min -55%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge)
9h 15min

Pros

+ fanless & silent
+ good battery life
+ IPS panel
+ cheap
+ acceptable speakers

Cons

- slow processor
- eMMC memory
- only 4 GB soldered RAM
- non-upgradeable
- display: weak color-space coverage, PWM
- no USB Type-C port

Verdict

In review: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05. Provided by:
In review: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05. Provided by:

A fanless convertible could also be a high-end laptop, but the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05 can be found at the other end of the spectrum. This Lenovo laptop is optimized for the lowest possible price, which reflects in its inner values.

The Gemini Lake processor based on Atom, the 64 GB eMMC memory as well as the 4 GB RAM - each performance relevant component itself already delivers results that border on "too slow". Taken together, they definitely are, so the equally slow graphics chip is hardly of any consequence. It might have helped if you could at least swap in an SSD and upgrade the RAM. But unfortunately both the RAM and the eMMC memory are soldered and for an SSD upgrade there is no slot.

Our impression of the display is predominantly positive. Although the HD resolution is restrictive and the color-space coverage inadequate, neither should matter too much considering the intended use of this Lenovo laptop. More importantly the IPS panel delivers a stable image from every viewing angle. Also positive: The Lenovo Flex 3 11IGL05 runs completely silent and doesn't even get warm. Additionally it runs very efficiently, which results in a good battery life. The speakers also surprise positively. On the negative side, there is no USB-C port.

Too slow: The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05 does not convince us due to its slow components.

Can we recommend the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05 in this configuration? No. Even if it is cheap, the performance is simply too poor. However, the slightly more expensive model with SSD could be worth considering if you are looking for a cheap laptop for school or university.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05 - 07/01/2020 v7
Benjamin Herzig

Chassis
71 / 98 → 73%
Keyboard
70%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
40 / 75 → 53%
Weight
73 / 20-75 → 97%
Battery
87%
Display
79%
Games Performance
17 / 78 → 22%
Application Performance
56 / 85 → 66%
Temperature
93%
Noise
100%
Audio
63 / 91 → 69%
Camera
34 / 85 → 40%
Average
67%
78%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11IGL05 laptop review: Quiet, efficient, and slow convertible
Benjamin Herzig, 2020-07- 7 (Update: 2020-07- 7)