As more people are working or taking classes from home, it seems that the Chromebook market wasn’t prepared for a big uptick in device demand. I’ve seen supply shortages across all brands and retailers based on what is likely limited inventory of Chromebooks. I’ve even drafted a few posts in the past week to point out some good deals only to find that in less than an hour, the devices were sold out!
So I was surprised to see the Lenovo Chromebook S340 available for next-day shipping as of now. Even better, while it’s either available or can be shipped in around two weeks from some retailers, the direct Lenovo price of $249.99 is currently the best.
Granted, this is an entry-level 720p device that’s aimed for basic browsing but it should easily handle schoolwork for most kids, save perhaps for some high school programs. Lenovo debuted the Chromebook S340 alongside the similar but smaller Chromebook C340 in August.
For $250 then, this won’t break any speed records. However, it won’t bust your budget either.
Here’s a rundown of the S340 specs:
| CPU | Intel Celeron N4000, dual core |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
| Display | 14-inch IPS panel, 1366 x 768 resolution, anti-glare, 220 nits of brightness |
| Memory | 4 GB, LPDDR4 |
| Storage | 32 GB (eMMC), microSD card slot for expansion |
| Connectivity | 802.11ac (2×2) WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Input | Keyboard (not backlit), multi-touch trackpad, 720p webcam |
| Ports | 2 USB Type-C, 2 USB Type-A, combo headphone jack |
| Battery | 42Wh capacity, up to 10 hours claimed runtime |
| Weight | 3.09 pounds |
| Software | Chrome OS automatic updates through June 2026 |
Again, this is for just getting work done in a Chrome browser and maybe a few Android apps that don’t rely heavily on a touchscreen for any software gaps; perfect for a secondary device or a student.
4 Comments
The Celeron N4000 is just above the cut of what I’d consider to be very acceptable processor performance in a Chromebook. And a 14-inch screen is just large enough to make 720p look good. So, at that price, I wouldn’t hesitate to use this device for everyday tasks. BTW, although I probably wasn’t the only one, several weeks ago, I more or less suggested that Chromebooks should experience a huge surge in demand as a result of the need for students to switch to online classes. At the time though, demand for Chromebooks was the furthest thing from anyone’s mind.
I’ve tried it and returned.
First I thought it’s a mistake.
The OS is 32 bit
N4000 is 64 bit architecture with a major challenge.
Not recommended.
In my testing, the crucial Chromebook test for students right now is whether it runs Zoom without choppy audio and video.
Before you buy, search for Zoom performance reviews for your model.
Out of stock when trying to check out.