Google has always wanted to enhance the gaming properties of ChromeOS. After introducing Android apps, Google then introduced support for cloud gaming services like Stadia (now announced as closed), GeForce Now, and Amazon Luna. And Google is working with Valve to bring native Steam game support to ChromeOS.
The current market stereotype of Chromebooks is one of poor performance and heavy reliance on the web. But as the demand for Chromebooks rises, more and more manufacturers are diversifying their offerings. The latest news is that Lenovo will launch a Chromebook that focuses on gaming – IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook.
The IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook is said to be similar in appearance to the Ideapad 5i Chromebook and is expected to feature a 16-inch, 2560 x 1600 pixel IPS LCD display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 350 nits brightness.
The gaming-focused model will come standard with 8GB of RAM and support for up to 512GB of PCIe NVMe solid-state storage. The backlit keyboard has 4 zones for different RGB lighting options. The Chromebook has 2 USB-C ports, 2 USB-A ports, a headphone jack, FHD webcam (with privacy shutter), four 2W speakers, and support for WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.
With a choice of Intel Core i3-1215U or Core i5-1235U processor options, this Chromebook has the kind of specs you’d expect to find in a mid-range Windows laptop rather than a high-end gaming machine. There is no separate GPU or support for external graphics.
