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Lenovo Flex 6 11 (Celeron N4000) Convertible Review

Flexibility for $280. The Flex 6 11 tries to be both an inexpensive Windows tablet and a laptop all at once. It does the job decently enough for a Celeron-based system, but the subpar display leaves a lot to be desired even at this low price range.

Take one step down from the flagship Yoga series and you have the affordable Flex series of convertible notebooks. These less expensive alternatives serve consumers on tighter budgets, students, and those needing a flexible secondary laptop. As such, Lenovo has been expanding the Flex series to encompass 11-inch to 15-inch form factors with Chromebook options to appeal to educators.

Our review unit today is the passively-cooled Flex 6 11 with Intel's new Gemini Lake Celeron N4000 SoC. SKUs are limited to the dual-core Celeron N4000 or quad-core Pentium N5000 with integrated UHD Graphics, 768p TN touchscreen, 2 GB or 4 GB DDR4 RAM, and 64 GB or 128 GB eMMC storage. Prices start at just $280 USD to attract even the most budget-conscious buyer.

There are a handful of competing systems in this size category and price range including the HP Pavilion x360 11, Asus VivoBook Flip 12, and Acer TravelMate Spin B1. Those willing to spend more still have the Yoga 920 series and the XPS 13 2-in-1.

Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM (Flex 6 Series)
Processor
Intel Celeron N4000 2 x 1.1 - 2.6 GHz, Gemini Lake
Graphics adapter
Intel UHD Graphics 600 - 2048 MB VRAM, DDR4, 22.20.16.4836
Memory
2048 MB 
, 1200 MHz
Display
11.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 135 PPI, Multi-touch, Chi Mei CMN1132, TN LED, CMN N116BGE-EA2, glossy: yes
Storage
SanDisk DF4064, 64 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Gemini Lake SoC - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo, Card Reader: SDXC reader
Networking
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.9 x 294 x 204 ( = 0.7 x 11.57 x 8.03 in)
Battery
36 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Lenovo Utility, Vantage, App Explorer, 12 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
1.25 kg ( = 44.09 oz / 2.76 pounds), Power Supply: 333 g ( = 11.75 oz / 0.73 pounds)
Price
300 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The Flex series is distinguished from the pricier Yoga series by the thicker and rounder design. The display bezels are especially thicker as well at about 18 mm from the sides. Once on hand, the Flex 6 11 feels solid with a relatively rigid base and lid. The lid in particular is even more rigid than the lids of the expensive Samsung NP900X3N or LG Gram 13 since it is much thicker. Applying pressure on the center of the keyboard and outer lid results in only minor flexing. Attempting to twist the base and lid will cause audible creaking.

The 360-degree hinges are firm and uniform no matter the angle and construction quality is excellent with no noticeable gaps or defects on our particular unit. Fingerprints and smudges will accumulate very quickly on the smooth plastic surfaces, though this is just a superficial complaint. A notch on the front edge would have also made the display less of a pain to open.

System thickness is thinner than immediate competitors like the Pavilion x360 11 and VivoBook Flip 12 while being thicker than the Ideapad 120s and MacBook Air.

306.07 mm / 12 inch 208.03 mm / 8.19 inch 19.3 mm / 0.76 inch 1.4 kg3.11 lbs300 mm / 11.8 inch 192 mm / 7.56 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 1.1 kg2.39 lbs293.4 mm / 11.6 inch 198 mm / 7.8 inch 21.35 mm / 0.841 inch 1.3 kg2.87 lbs291 mm / 11.5 inch 211 mm / 8.31 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 1.5 kg3.28 lbs294 mm / 11.6 inch 204 mm / 8.03 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.3 kg2.76 lbs287 mm / 11.3 inch 200 mm / 7.87 inch 15.9 mm / 0.626 inch 1.3 kg2.8 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

We commend Lenovo for offering all the basics including two USB Type-A ports, USB Type-C, HDMI, and a full-size card reader. Certain flagship Ultrabooks that are four times the price of the Flex 6 11 may not even have card readers at all. Ports are evenly spaced and well-positioned for easy reach.

It's a bit unfortunate that the system does not use USB Type-C for charging. Owners must still carry a proprietary AC adapter for long trips. Note that outputting at 4K UHD and 60 FPS may not be possible through the HDMI port since it is likely only version 1.4.

Left: AC adapter, USB 2.0, SDXC reader, 3.5 mm combo audio
Left: AC adapter, USB 2.0, SDXC reader, 3.5 mm combo audio
Right: Power button, USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 1, USB 3.0, HDMI
Right: Power button, USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 1, USB 3.0, HDMI

SD Card Reader

The integrated card reader is not spring-loaded. A fully inserted SD card will still protrude by over half its length and so we recommend removing the SD card first when transporting the notebook to avoid damaging the card.

Otherwise. read rates are reasonably fast considering the low price of entry. Transferring 1 GB worth of photos from card to desktop takes about 15 seconds.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
70.6 MB/s
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
59.9 MB/s -15%
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
49.23 MB/s -30%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
24.8 MB/s -65%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87.4 MB/s
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
85.9 MB/s -2%
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
82.1 MB/s -6%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
35.7 MB/s -59%

Communication

Our Lenovo uses the same 1x1 Qualcomm QCA9377 WLAN module with integrated Bluetooth 4.1 as found on the Asus VivoBook Flip 12 for very similar transfer rates. There are no options for 2x2 WLAN. We experienced no connectivity issues on our test unit.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
439 MBit/s +30%
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
338 MBit/s 0%
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
337 MBit/s
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
330 MBit/s -2%
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
 
47.3 MBit/s -86%
iperf3 receive AX12
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
453 MBit/s +37%
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
348 MBit/s +5%
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
344 MBit/s +4%
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
330 MBit/s
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
 
41.3 MBit/s -87%

Accessories

No notable accessories are included in the box other than the AC adapter and Warranty card.

Maintenance

The bottom panel is secured by 10 Philips screws. Unfortunately, the panel itself is made difficult to remove as its edges and corners are latched very tightly to the base. The system is not as easily serviceable as we had hoped.

Warranty

The standard one-year limited warranty applies. As usual, Lenovo offers optional onsite warranty and extensions to up to three years.

Input Devices

Keyboard

Although visually similar to the Precision keyboards found on newer ThinkPads, the keyboard (~25.8 x 10 cm) on the Flex 6 11 is a standard chiclet oiffering. Key feedback is comparatively softer and quieter when pressed. The Space key on our particular test unit is uneven in feedback as its right edge is softer and spongier than its left edge. We're unsure if this is an issue specific to our unit or something more widespread, but we recommend checking each key just to be sure.

We hope that future revisions of the model will increase the size of the small Arrow keys and incorporate backlight options.

Touchpad

The integrated clickpad is small (~9.2 x 6.3 cm) as expected but otherwise smooth in glide and evenly responsive from corner to corner. Its integrated click keys are slightly spongy, shallow in travel, and moderately loud when pressed. Like most clickpads, we find it easier to simply tap on its surface or directly on the touchscreen for more accurate inputs.

Display

RGB subpixel array (135 PPI)
RGB subpixel array (135 PPI)

The sole display option is the 1336 x 768 TN glossy touchscreen. Note that last year's Ideapad 110S also utilizes the exact same Chi Mei CMN1132 panel as found on our Flex 6 11. Contrast is low at just under 500:1 while brightness is comparable to other low-end netbooks from Asus and Acer. Perhaps the worst aspect of the glass panel is the very inaccurate colors out of the box. Even subjectively, onscreen content has a heavy blue tint that can be somewhat distracting when watching videos or browsing the net. Fortunately, graininess is kept to a minimum and ghosting is not as noticeable as on the XPS 13 9370.

257.9
cd/m²
259.7
cd/m²
265
cd/m²
240.7
cd/m²
257.4
cd/m²
249.4
cd/m²
211.3
cd/m²
223.9
cd/m²
222.8
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei CMN1132 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 265 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 243.1 cd/m² Minimum: 0.01 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 80 %
Center on Battery: 257.4 cd/m²
Contrast: 468:1 (Black: 0.55 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 11.97 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.71
ΔE Greyscale 12.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
63.7% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
44.16% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
63.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
42.72% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.03
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
Chi Mei CMN1132, TN LED, 11.60, 1366x768
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
AU Optronics AUO-B116XTN02.5 , TN LED, 11.60, 1366x768
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
LG Philips LGD0497, IPS, 11.60, 1366x768
Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03
APP9CF3, TN, 11.00, 1366x768
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
AU Optronics B116XAN04.3, IPS, 11.60, 1366x768
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
LM116LF3L02, IPS LED, 11.60, 1920x1080
Display
-9%
-4%
-5%
4%
61%
Display P3 Coverage
42.72
39.03
-9%
41.11
-4%
40.56
-5%
44.23
4%
71.6
68%
sRGB Coverage
63.9
58.7
-8%
61.8
-3%
60.6
-5%
66.3
4%
97.5
53%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
44.16
40.33
-9%
42.47
-4%
41.95
-5%
45.73
4%
71.6
62%
Response Times
-51%
-4%
-4%
-39%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
33.6 ?(20.4, 13.2)
72.8 ?(30.4, 42.4)
-117%
42.8 ?(18, 24.8)
-27%
39 ?(18, 21)
-16%
38 ?(17.6, 20.4)
-13%
Response Time Black / White *
27.2 ?(20.4, 6.8)
22.8 ?(16.4, 6.4)
16%
22 ?(4.4, 17.6)
19%
25 ?(13, 12)
8%
29.2 ?(16.4, 12.8)
-7%
PWM Frequency
25000 ?(24)
1000 ?(20)
-96%
Screen
-4%
26%
44%
51%
63%
Brightness middle
257.4
266.2
3%
245.2
-5%
368
43%
253
-2%
324
26%
Brightness
243
251
3%
219
-10%
349
44%
245
1%
290
19%
Brightness Distribution
80
90
13%
79
-1%
90
13%
65
-19%
80
0%
Black Level *
0.55
0.67
-22%
0.32
42%
0.493
10%
0.17
69%
0.23
58%
Contrast
468
397
-15%
766
64%
746
59%
1488
218%
1409
201%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
11.97
12.4
-4%
5.5
54%
3.29
73%
3.17
74%
3.7
69%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
30.48
24.5
20%
16.9
45%
5.22
83%
8.13
73%
7.4
76%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.71
Greyscale dE 2000 *
12.3
14.4
-17%
2.9
76%
3.06
75%
2
84%
4
67%
Gamma
2.03 108%
2.16 102%
2.2 100%
2.68 82%
2.43 91%
2.13 103%
CCT
13739 47%
19436 33%
6157 106%
6397 102%
6850 95%
6971 93%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
40.7
37
-9%
39
-4%
38.8
-5%
42
3%
63.7
57%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
63.7
59
-7%
62
-3%
66
4%
97.3
53%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-21% / -11%
6% / 16%
20% / 32%
17% / 34%
28% / 43%

* ... smaller is better

Color space is only 64 percent and 41 percent of sRGB and AdobeRGB, respectively, to indicate a cheap panel. Most newer Ultrabooks cover at least 80 percent of sRGB for deeper and more accurate colors. Graphic artists may want to avoid the Flex 6 11.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Further analyses with a X-Rite spectrophotometer reveal a very inaccurate grayscale due to the overly cool color temperature. This is particularly common amongst inexpensive netbooks as they are more likely to carry cheap panels. Our calibration attempts significantly improve both grayscale and colors across all saturation levels and so we highly recommend an end-user calibration if possible. If not, owners can still apply our calibrated ICC file above.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

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
27.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.4 ms rise
↘ 6.8 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. » 64 % 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
33.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.4 ms rise
↘ 13.2 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. » 39 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.9 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 25000 Hz ≤ 24 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 25000 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 24 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 25000 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Outdoor visibility is poor. The middling backlight brightness, glossy panel, and narrow TN viewing angles all contribute to heavy glare and washed out colors. Potential buyers who intend to use the system outdoors often may want invest in brighter and more expensive solutions like the ThinkPad Tablet X1 or Yoga 920.

Keep in mind that it's not recommended to use the notebook in portrait mode due to the limitations of the TN panel.

Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Narrow TN viewing angles
Narrow TN viewing angles

Performance

The Celeron N series is designed for low-power tasks like word processing and video streaming. It sits below the Core U series and even the Core Y series in terms of raw processing power. The Flex 6 11 includes Celeron N4000 and N5000 options and it is subsequently best used as a secondary laptop for backup or traveling.

System RAM is soldered and cannot be upgraded by the end-user.

 

Processor

CPU performance is a mixed bag. While single-core performance is faster than the N4200 by about 20 to 25 percent, multi-thread performance is within just single-digit percentages from the N4200 according to CineBench R15. Indeed, the processor is unable to sustain Turbo Boost for long periods when under high processing stress. When running Prime95, for example, the CPU stabilizes at its base clock rate of 1.1 GHz and not any higher.

On the bright side, processor performance is stable with no sharp declines. Running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop results in steady scores over time.

The Pentium N5000 in the Acer Swift 1 is much faster in multi-threaded workloads than the Celeron N4000 in our Lenovo since the Pentium option is quad-core.

See our page on the Celeron N4000 for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R15
CineBench R15
0102030405060708090100110120130140Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Huawei Matebook E
Intel Core i5-7Y54
124 Points +91%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
91 Points +40%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
90 Points +38%
Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03
Intel Core i5-5250U
77 Points +18%
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
73 Points +12%
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
Intel Celeron N4000
65 Points
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Intel Pentium N4200
53 Points -18%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
Intel Pentium N4200
52 Points -20%
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
Intel Celeron N3350
46 Points -29%
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
Intel Pentium N3710
39 Points -40%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Huawei Matebook E
Intel Core i5-7Y54
262 Points +90%
Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03
Intel Core i5-5250U
259 Points +88%
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
236 Points +71%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
218 Points +58%
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Intel Pentium N4200
167 Points +21%
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
Intel Celeron N4000
138 Points
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
Intel Pentium N4200
135 Points -2%
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
Intel Pentium N3710
105 Points -24%
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
Intel Celeron N3350
85 Points -38%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03
Intel Core i5-5250U
1.03 Points +16%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
1 Points +12%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
0.95 Points +7%
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
0.94 Points +6%
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
Intel Celeron N4000
0.89 Points
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
Intel Celeron N3350
0.59 Points -34%
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
Intel Pentium N3710
0.48 Points -46%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Acer Swift 1 SF114-32-P8GG
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
2.8 Points +70%
Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03
Intel Core i5-5250U
2.72 Points +65%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
2.35 Points +42%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
2.29 Points +39%
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
Intel Celeron N4000
1.65 Points
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
Intel Pentium N3710
1.39 Points -16%
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
Intel Celeron N3350
1.12 Points -32%
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
3504
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
4030
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
2152
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.89 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
11.24 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
1.65 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
138 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
65 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
17.61 fps
Help

System Performance

PCMark 10 ranks the Flex 6 11 25 percent higher than the older Ideapad 120s with the N3350 CPU. Systems equipped with Core Y-series, however, handily outscore our Lenovo by at least another 25 percent as shown by the comparison graph below.

We experienced no software issues during our time with the test unit.

PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Huawei Matebook E
HD Graphics 615, i5-7Y54, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1027
2979 Points +46%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
2550 Points +25%
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
HD Graphics 505, Pentium N4200, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
2094 Points +3%
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4000, SanDisk DF4064
2040 Points
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
HD Graphics 505, Pentium N4200, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
1989 Points -2%
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1810 Points -11%
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
HD Graphics 405 (Braswell), N3710, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
1651 Points -19%
PCMark 10 - Score
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4000, SanDisk DF4064
1438 Points
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
HD Graphics 505, Pentium N4200, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
1380 Points -4%
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1150 Points -20%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2040 points
PCMark 10 Score
1438 points
Help

Storage Devices

CDM 5
CDM 5

The Lenovo utilizes an embedded SanDisk DF4064 64 GB SSD that can also be found on the inexpensive Chuwi LapBook series. Performance is slow for a modern SSD at only 241 MB/s read and 105 MB/s write whereas most SATA III SSDs top out closer to 500 MB/s. Even so, performance is still significantly more responsive compared to most systems with a primary HDD.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
SanDisk DF4064
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
64 GB eMMC Flash
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
HP Pavilion 17z 1EX13AV
Avolusion MD1TBLSSHD
Average SanDisk DF4064
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-22%
800%
-68%
-13%
Write 4K
14.29
12.19
-15%
148.5
939%
1.322
-91%
12.7 ?(7.84 - 15.4, n=4)
-11%
Read 4K
13.12
6.61
-50%
27.48
109%
0.545
-96%
9.18 ?(5.04 - 13.1, n=4)
-30%
Write Seq
117.9
108.2
-8%
395.5
235%
89.1
-24%
108 ?(92.1 - 117.9, n=4)
-8%
Read Seq
295.7
167.1
-43%
1967
565%
91.4
-69%
219 ?(146.2 - 296, n=4)
-26%
Write 4K Q32T1
13.82
15.38
11%
345
2396%
1.239
-91%
14.8 ?(13.6 - 16.6, n=4)
7%
Read 4K Q32T1
37.36
31.28
-16%
377.9
912%
1.548
-96%
34.3 ?(33 - 37.4, n=4)
-8%
Write Seq Q32T1
105.5
96.2
-9%
425.5
303%
90.3
-14%
101 ?(87.9 - 111.2, n=4)
-4%
Read Seq Q32T1
240.7
134.1
-44%
2500
939%
88.3
-63%
184.7 ?(128.8 - 241, n=4)
-23%
SanDisk DF4064
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 240.7 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 105.5 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 37.36 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 13.82 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 295.7 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 117.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 13.12 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 14.29 MB/s

GPU Performance

3DMark 11
3DMark 11

The integrated Gemini Lake UHD Graphics 600 is not for gaming as it provides only marginal performance boosts over the Apollo Lake HD Graphics 505. It can, however, playback 1080p and 4K videos from YouTube without a hitch.

3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03
Intel HD Graphics 6000, 5250U
1210 Points +136%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel HD Graphics 515, 6Y30
1186 Points +131%
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Intel HD Graphics 505, Pentium N4200
616 Points +20%
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4000
513 Points
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
Intel HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350
482 Points -6%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
Intel HD Graphics 505, Pentium N4200
473 Points -8%
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
Intel HD Graphics 405 (Braswell), N3710
463 Points -10%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03
Intel HD Graphics 6000, 5250U
1124 Points +116%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel HD Graphics 515, 6Y30
1014 Points +95%
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4000
521 Points
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
Intel HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350
499 Points -4%
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Intel HD Graphics 505, Pentium N4200
492 Points -6%
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
Intel HD Graphics 405 (Braswell), N3710
395 Points -24%
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
Intel HD Graphics 505, Pentium N4200
308 Points -41%
3DMark 11 Performance
572 points
Help
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 19.9 9.2

Stress Test

Stressing the system to maximum CPU and GPU utilization will throttle the CPU down to a steady 800 MHz. Turbo Boost is only available until the processor reaches 72 C which will then trigger the CPU to throttle in order to maintain a lower core temperature of 61 C.

Running on battery power will throttle the CPU while the GPU remains unaffected. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 805 and 513 points, respectively, compared to 1638 and 513 when on mains.

System idle
System idle
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 0.8 650 61

Emissions

System Noise

The system is completely silent since the processor is passively cooled. We can notice no coil whine or electronic noise on our test unit.

Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4000, SanDisk DF4064
Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5250U, Apple SSD SM0128F
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, 64 GB eMMC Flash
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
HD Graphics 405 (Braswell), N3710, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
HD Graphics 505, Pentium N4200, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
HD Graphics 505, Pentium N4200, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
Noise
Idle Minimum *
29
31.7
Idle Average *
29
31.7
Idle Maximum *
29
31.7
Load Average *
35.2
31.7
Load Maximum *
43.1
31.7
off / environment *
30.8

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Surface temperatures are generally cool on both sides. The right half of the notebook, however, will always be warmer than the left due to positioning of the SSD and processor. The difference is noticeable during stressful loads but never particularly distracting. Nonetheless, a more symmetrical temperature profile would be preferable.

System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (bottom)
Maximum load (bottom)
Max. Load
 30.2 °C
86 F
35.6 °C
96 F
36.6 °C
98 F
 
 30.6 °C
87 F
35.4 °C
96 F
38.4 °C
101 F
 
 27.4 °C
81 F
28 °C
82 F
31.8 °C
89 F
 
Maximum: 38.4 °C = 101 F
Average: 32.7 °C = 91 F
44.8 °C
113 F
43.2 °C
110 F
35 °C
95 F
41.2 °C
106 F
37 °C
99 F
34.2 °C
94 F
31.4 °C
89 F
30.6 °C
87 F
30 °C
86 F
Maximum: 44.8 °C = 113 F
Average: 36.4 °C = 98 F
Power Supply (max.)  28.4 °C = 83 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.7 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.4 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 44.8 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 22.4 °C / 72 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.8 °C / 89.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-3.5 °C / -6.3 F).

Speakers

Sound quality from the stereo speakers are typical of inexpensive netbooks. Bass frequencies are poorly represented and treble  is overemphasized. It is sufficient for conference calls, but we recommend earphones for media playback. Maximum volume is loud enough to fill a small room and will not reverberate the chassis.

Pink noise
Pink noise

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Prime95+FurMark load. Note the drop in consumption at the 17s mark due to throttling
Prime95+FurMark load. Note the drop in consumption at the 17s mark due to throttling

Idling on desktop demands about 3 W to 6 W depending on the brightness setting and Power profile while extreme loads can draw about 20 W or less than half of the MacBook Air powered by the more capable U-class CPU. 

Strangely, Lenovo includes a small (~10 x 4.4 x 3.0 cm) but relatively powerful 65 W AC adapter even though the system needs less than half at maximum load. Perhaps a lighter and more compact 30 W or 45 W adapter would have been more appropriate for the Flex 6 11.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.42 / 0.4 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.7 / 4.5 / 5.7 Watt
Load midlight 13.7 / 20.3 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.
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
Celeron N4000, UHD Graphics 600, SanDisk DF4064, TN LED, 1366x768, 11.60
Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03
5250U, HD Graphics 6000, Apple SSD SM0128F, TN, 1366x768, 11.00
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
Celeron N3350, HD Graphics 500, 64 GB eMMC Flash, TN LED, 1366x768, 11.60
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
N3710, HD Graphics 405 (Braswell), Toshiba MQ01ABF050, IPS, 1366x768, 11.60
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Pentium N4200, HD Graphics 505, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035, IPS, 1366x768, 11.60
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
Pentium N4200, HD Graphics 505, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 11.60
Power Consumption
-60%
14%
-66%
-57%
-23%
Idle Minimum *
2.7
2.5
7%
2.8
-4%
7.7
-185%
5.7
-111%
3.25
-20%
Idle Average *
4.5
5.1
-13%
4.2
7%
8.4
-87%
7.8
-73%
6.1
-36%
Idle Maximum *
5.7
6.1
-7%
5.1
11%
9.4
-65%
8.7
-53%
6.8
-19%
Load Average *
13.7
37.6
-174%
11.8
14%
14.7
-7%
21
-53%
15.1
-10%
Load Maximum *
20.3
43.4
-114%
12.1
40%
17.3
15%
19
6%
26.3
-30%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Users can expect close to 9 hours of real-world WLAN use from a full charge to be longer than most other notebooks in its size class. Charging from near empty to full capacity takes about 1.5 hours.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
8h 41min
Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM
Celeron N4000, UHD Graphics 600, 36 Wh
Apple MacBook Air 11 inch 2015-03
5250U, HD Graphics 6000, 38 Wh
Lenovo Ideapad 120s-11IAP
Celeron N3350, HD Graphics 500, 32 Wh
HP Pavilion x360 11t T5M27AV
N3710, HD Graphics 405 (Braswell), 34.6 Wh
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Pentium N4200, HD Graphics 505, 42 Wh
Acer TravelMate Spin B1 118-RN-P6BE
Pentium N4200, HD Graphics 505, 48 Wh
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, 41.4 Wh
Battery Runtime
-2%
-17%
-47%
-30%
-33%
-4%
WiFi v1.3
521
512
-2%
434
-17%
275
-47%
365
-30%
347
-33%
501
-4%
Load
92
230
150
231
Reader / Idle
919
448

Pros

+ stable CPU performance; no extreme throttling concerns
+ USB Type-C, Type-A, HDMI, SD reader options
+ smooth 1080p and 4K video playback
+ relatively low core temperatures
+ completely silent; no coil whine
+ relatively rigid lid and base
+ respectable battery life

Cons

- inserted SD card protrudes by over half its length
- overly cool color temperature before calibration
- plastic chassis attracts grease and fingerprints
- unable to sustain Turbo Boost clock rates
- still relies on proprietary AC adapter port
- poor bass reproduction
- no IPS or FHD options
- poor outdoor visibility
- difficult serviceability
- no backlight options
- narrow color space
- relatively slow SSD

Verdict

In review: Lenovo Flex 6 11. Test model provided by Lenovo US
In review: Lenovo Flex 6 11. Test model provided by Lenovo US

When looking at netbooks in the sub $300 price range, we expect them to be reliable and versatile backups to the user's primary laptop or PC. The Flex 6 11 fits the bill with its relatively strong build, long battery life, respectable number of ports, and versatile 2-in-1 form factor.

The major drawback preventing us from fully recommending the Flex 6 11 is its 768p TN display. The limited viewing angles directly negate the 2-in-1 capabilities because colors and contrast are severely impacted in tablet mode. Even the competing HP Pavilion x360 11 ships with a 768p IPS panel to avoid this issue completely. It's bewildering to see no IPS options for the Lenovo especially when nearly every inexpensive Android tablet is equipped with an IPS display.

We hope future revisions will incorporate a keyboard backlight, brighter display, better Turbo Boost performance, optional SIM, narrower bezels to reduce weight, and an IPS panel as standard.

The Flex 6 11 works well as a secondary laptop for multimedia and light word processing tasks. Unfortunately, the forced TN panel to cut costs makes tablet mode almost useless in practice.

Lenovo Flex 6-11IGM - 05/29/2018 v6(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
74 /  98 → 75%
Keyboard
67%
Pointing Device
69%
Connectivity
44 / 80 → 55%
Weight
72 / 35-78 → 86%
Battery
91%
Display
72%
Games Performance
39 / 68 → 57%
Application Performance
56 / 87 → 64%
Temperature
92 / 91 → 100%
Noise
100%
Audio
36 / 91 → 40%
Camera
48 / 85 → 56%
Average
66%
77%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo Flex 6 11 (Celeron N4000) Convertible Review
Allen Ngo, 2018-05-29 (Update: 2018-05-29)