Lenovo Chromebook Duet review : 2 in 1 affordable Chromebook
Lenovo Chromebook Duet is available at a very affordable price.
This thing very surprised me.
I can say that Lenovo has tried to make a good device with good specifications.
I have been testing this Chromebook for the last 3 days.
The one thing I like the most is that all the important accessories for the Lenovo Chromebook duet are available in the box.
This is available at a very affordable price and Lenovo claims that there is 10 hours battery support.
This is a tablet which is running Chrome OS.
Before we start, let's discuss the pros and cons of the Lenovo Chromebook duet.
Pros and cons of Lenovo Chromebook duet =
Pros of Lenovo Chromebook duet =
Nice battery life (10 hours)
Available at affordable price
All important accessories like keyboard, kickstand and type C to headphone adapter
Less weight makes it portable
Cons of Lenovo Chromebook duet =
No 3.5 mm jack
No option to expand the storage
The keyboard feels cramped
Lenovo Chromebook duet review =
Let's start the "Lenovo Chromebook duet review" from the specifications of Lenovo Chromebook duet.
If you don't know what is Chromebook and how to know Chromebook is for you or not then just click here,
How to know that Chromebook laptop is for you or not the latest guide
Specifications of Lenovo Chromebook duet =
What is the mean Chromebook duet?
Most of the Chromebook have touch screen support.
Some of them offer tablet-like usability through " tent mode".
But the Lenovo Chromebook duet offers a real separate tablet-like usability with the kickstand and keyboard support.
This can be used as a laptop when the keyboard is attached and otherwise we can use this completely as a tablet.
It's no secret Chrome OS on tablets up to this point has not been a wonderful experience.
We've had a few attempts and a lot of them have just not worked out that well and into this story lenovo has launched this the Lenovo Chromebook duet.
I think it's attempt to change that story is working out quite well.
Before we jump into all the parts of this Lenovo Chromebook duet review, I want to mention one thing right up front that we normally hold towards the end.
What is the price of the Lenovo Chromebook duet and what is included in the box?
Because it informs so much about what we think about this Chromebook tablet and that's the price it starts at $279.
That's what the keyboard included and that price is just absolutely affordable.
There is no headphone jack, but there is type C to headphone jack adapter.
Things which I got while testing =
In this review I am going to discuss all things which I got while testing the Lenovo Chromebook duet.
It changes the way that we have to look at just about everything.
With this device because no matter what this thing does it's going to get a pass all over the place.
Because of the absolutely low price and the value proposition it adds to that.
So I wanted to make sure that you understand that right up front.
So we're not kind of holding that till the end of this Lenovo Chromebook duet review.
I will explain all things in brief which I got while using this Chromebook like it's build quality, keyboard and kickstand, screen, battery life and more things.
Build quality=
Let's start with the build quality that lenovo has put together at this price point is kind of insane.
When you choose this factor up there’s nothing regarding it that feels low cost or budget in any method shape or type.
We've got metal on the outside of this Lenovo Chromebook duet.
The thing is super thin; it weighs less than a pound.
It's glass all across the front and again the thing just exudes quality.
It looks awesome.
These things which I got while I am testing it.
But when you hold it in hand it feels secure and firm.
Keyboard and kickstand =
Well put together and well-thought-out and then you add in the keyboard in the back piece that comes with this device.
It comes right in the box; there's no additional purchase for the keyboard of Lenovo Chromebook duet.
The magnet is nice and strong that attaches the keyboard on the bottom.
The back piece that just pops into place that has the kickstand built-in snaps on easily as well.
The whole thing just goes together, it looks good and it feels good in the hand.
The hinge on the back extends to multiple angles.
So depending on your situation you can kind of stand the thing up exactly as you would like it.
The keyboard feels pretty nice and well made.
Again to be something that's included in the box and for the first time many times.
I'm going to reference at this price point the fact that you get that keyboard and that back stand in the box with this device.
It's just kind of crazy and the whole thing comes together.
It looks good, it feels good.
The good thing is that I like its weight class here for a $279 Chromebook or tablet.
This is built well, it looks great, it feels great and Lenovo just absolutely did a good job here.
Screen =
Let's start moving on to the screen.
This is another place where Lenovo killed it honestly.
It's a 1080p plus screen so it's actually 1920 by 1200 which gives it a 16 by 10 aspect ratio.
That helps it to be a little taller and a little more squarish and honestly just makes it feel a little less cheap.
Using it as a tablet in either landscape or portrait mode.
So it's a win here. This kind of resolution on that size of screen 10.1 inches diagonal makes for a really nice PPI.
It makes it look like there's not really any pixels on the screen at all and so from any viewing distance.
It's a tablet all things considered.
so sometimes you're holding it up close and sometimes it's on a desk.
You know this Chromebook comes with the keyboard in front of it.
It just looks great in any form or fashion.
It is 400 nits and brightness so there weren't really any environments where I ran into a situation.
Where the screen felt dim the colors look great and the viewing angles look great across the board.
Is the Lenovo Chromebook duet a good budget device?
Again when we start talking about a budget device.
I think this Lenovo Chromebook duet is a good budget device , but it could be available at a more affordable price.
It's insane that the screen looks like this good budget device.
Usually have terrible screens and that is just not the case.
On all the way to go lenovo this screen looks awesome moving on to the keyboard and trackpad these are interesting.
Less Key spacing between the keys of the keyboard =
Because again this is a tablet first.
But it does come in the box and this is after all a Chromebook.
So it's nice to think of it as being there when you need it.
It acts as kind of a cover for the tablet and you can just pop it off and use the tablet.
All you want and then when you actually need to sit down and write or read emails.
You know, do some more serious web browsing or a handful of other tasks.
You know, pop the console on and will work with it.
There are a few things that should be said about it.
The key travel is good, the key spacing is very tight obviously, because Lenovo Chromebook duet is a 10.1 inch tablet.
So there's just not a lot of space for all the keys.
But they had to make some concessions around that.
That being said I was able to get some pretty decent productivity and typing speed on it.
Once my fingers were more used to the spacing and more used to some of the strange keys.
That is there and how they're kind of sized on this keyboard.
As for the trackpad it is small too.
Again these are things that you would expect on a 10.1 inch tablet keyboard.
Gestures and sliding on trackpad =
Things you know about gestures and sliding around on it are fine.
There are times when it misses a handful of you know two finger clicks or three finger clicks.
If it's in your lap at certain angles in certain scenarios it can be a little hard to get those clicks.
But overall again a thing that's kind of an accessory to a tablet, it does alright and when it is kept on a desk or on a table.
It's actually quite nice to use to be honest with you and for what feels like just a free accessory.
That you're getting along with this tablet performs as well as you'd expect it to.
I wouldn't say that this is something you're going to do hours and hours of work on.
I wouldn't want to do hours and hours of work on it.
But again when you need it.
You need to just pop it in and get a few things done.
It does the job around the outsides of the device.
Speakers and volume output from it =
You'll discover only a few speaker grilles,power volume rocker and afterward a single USB type-c port.
The speakers are a pretty big improvement over the tinny if you saw the videos on it.
Where I just deemed those speakers pretty much garbage.
These speakers are a major improvement over those.
We're going to work in quite a few scenarios they're loud, they're kind of tinny.
But for tablet speakers they do pretty well.
We can say as per a tablet speaker the volume output is good.
This will give you decent stereo separation from the USB type-c port.
While I wish there was a headphone microphone jack alongside it.
As your charging port you know your data transfer port and your display out port on the inside this tablet.
Processor =
There is rocking the MediaTek P60T processor otherwise known as the 81-83.
Processor is good and makes it able to run some light android games.
Honestly it's always been slow and dropped animations and even with a processor.
But the processor works well in other cases.
Storage and ram =
As it was in development for 4 GB of ram 64 GB of internal storage.
Because there's no external storage options here.
Software experience and updates =
What that all comes together to mean is a pretty decent software experience.
That I believe is simply going to improve.
With time because let's face it you get eight years of updates with this tablet.
Features of Lenovo Chromebook duet =
So if you buy one it's probably going to be around for a little and all of these new gestures.
These new gestures can be considered as the features of Lenovo Chromebook duet.
Chrome OS has been introduced for tablet mode. The features are,
The features like swipe up to go home.
Swipe up and hold for performing various tasks.
Swipe in from the left to go back and split screen mode and all that kind of stuff.
Those things are all kind of new honestly right now.
They're behaving quite well on this tablet.
Already they're only going to get better and ultimately it's made for a really nice kind of fun tablet experience.
That's just not been something I've been able to say about Chrome OS tablets.
That's not you know, top of its class and best-in-class and the fastest thing you've ever used.
This thing gets along pretty well.
I get to use all those gestures and kind of move stuff around and it feels.
I don't say it is a little faster than an iPad and that's in a good way because iPads are nice and smooth.
They're fast and they're the experience on tablets.
A lot of people are used to this while it isn't as smooth as an iPad.
I don't want to say that the gesture and navigation system.
That is being used now kind of does feel like that and it mimics what you see on Android now.
What is starting to feel altogether as the way that you move around a touchscreen device.
So I'm glad to see the developers for Chrome OS start to implement all this stuff.
I'm glad to see that the Lenovo Chromebook duet actually uses all of these gestures well and does a good job.
Battery life =
At rendering all of them on screen another benefit here is battery life.
I think lenovo says something like 10 to 12 hours.
I was easily getting that use time if not more sometimes.
I mean there were times I was clicking on the battery in the bottom it said something like 16 or 17 hours left at like 90%.
I don't think you're going to get those kinds of numbers.
But if you're looking at the above 10 hours of use time this thing is going to do that easily.
That's pretty awesome and that's thanks mainly in part due to that ARM architecture.
That ARM that's inside because they are very-very easy on the battery and while you may lose a little of performance.
Because of that you're gaining a ton of battery performance here.
Apps and gaming performance =
This thing is another benefit to that arm architecture.
That's running in here is the fact that Android games run really-really well.
Android apps across the board do because ultimately Android apps are written for ARM processors first.
Then they can add x86 or Intel type chips support later.
Because of this I was able to run all sorts of games and applications.
I would have expected some games like "Call of Duty mobile" for instance.
That I can't even get to get past like the main menu screens on intel-based Chromebooks not only ran on this thing.
But was completely playable, super enjoyable actually to jump into matches and play.
So it's worth thinking about again this is a tablet first.
So a lot of people are going to be installing Android apps here.
It runs Android apps really well.
USI stylus pen support =
Another benefit that you get here again this is a tablet first is the ability to use a USI stylus.
Once they become available, I have to use it on this tablet.
Because of this they're very hard to get your hands on.
So I can't really say much about this stylus support.
How well it does or doesn't work at this point because I don't have their stylus to use with it now.
But you'll just be able to buy a USI stylus on this tablet.
Download your favourite note-taking app if you want to draw or doodle or any of those types of things.
This thing will support all styluses that are USI certified.
So at this point it's pretty clear to see this is a well-built, attractive, fun to use crazy affordable Chromebook tablet.
I think lenovo has done a great job here and changing this story.
Where I honestly up to this point to this device have thought in a Chrome OS on tablets.
I just don't know where the benefit is.
Conclusion to buy or not Lenovo Chromebook duet =
This is the conclusion to buy or not Lenovo Chromebook duet.
I feel like the Lenovo Chromebook duet is changing that and it's changing it for me.
I'm not even a tablet guy.
I'm someone who I'm either on my phone with.
Large screen phone or I'm going to pick up my Chromebook.
While that's still the case for me I don't know that I'm going to go to this device.
All the time for everything I found myself using it in situations.
Some stuff like doing some shopping, checking social media, reading the news.
Casting, YouTube,TV are some of those things that I've relegated to my phone.
I wished I had a bigger screen.
It's been nice to be able to expand that screen and not have to feel like I've got to get out of it.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet can do it for you, so if you're also a tablet user.
You're in the market for something you can get a few extra things done on.
If you're a Chromebook user and you're looking for a device.
This can be good for you.
Is the Lenovo Chromebook Duet good for school students?
If you're looking for something for your kids then the Lenovo Chromebook duet is super affordable.
This can be a more useful device for school students for online learning and studies.
I will not suggest this Lenovo Chromebook Duet to college students.
This is a great device that's going to fit in well with a lot of people's use cases.
I think that's what Lenovo was going for and I think they've kind of launched a good product at this price point.
Something I would easily say and go and buy it if you look at it.
I think I'd like this thing you're probably going to like and it's easy to recommend.
Is the Lenovo Chromebook Duet worth purchasing?
If you want to play games and do a little productive work then you can do it.
But if you are looking for a performance based and high-end gaming device then I will not recommend this device.
If you want to handle a little normal work such as receiving video calls.
If you have work related to video or voice meets and work like email sending-receiving.
This kind of normal work can be done with the help of the Lenovo Chromebook duet.
So if you have this kind of normal work then Lenovo Chromebook duet worth purchasing for you.
This is a Chromebook then it can't do all the work that a laptop can do.
If you are a normal user or need a device for normal use then you can go with this device.
So this was a Lenovo Chromebook duet review : 2 in 1 affordable chromebook duet with all kinds of details which I think I want to present.