A conveyable and versatile ChromeOS pill

Whereas most customers have prevented Chromebook tablets and removable fashions just like the plague, I have been a longtime consumer of 1. I’ve spent a lot of the previous 5 years writing and browsing the online on my 2018 HP Chromebook x2 12, the place I’ve watched the ChromeOS pill expertise slowly enhance. Whereas I battle to discover a use case for the pill performance apart from signing an occasional doc, the flexibility is good. I really like my HP Chromebook x2 12, however it’s beginning to present its age, which is why the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024) intrigues me a lot.

Whereas it is not a Chromebook Plus machine, the Duet 11 is a smaller, up to date tackle one of many greatest Chromebook units accessible. It is moveable and nice worth, however it has some efficiency points and dimension constraints.

Worth, availability, and specs

A flexible finances Chromebook possibility

The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024) begins at $360 for the 4GB mannequin and $400 for the 8GB mannequin. It’s accessible at Greatest Purchase and Lenovo. The appropriate Lenovo USI Pen 2, which I didn’t obtain with my evaluate unit, is offered individually and prices $50, however is commonly on sale for much less. Relying on the place you buy it from, you could possibly discover the Duet and the Pen 2 bundled collectively.

What’s good in regards to the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024)?

Nice portability with a stupendous display

Initially, I simply wish to say that I discover the Duet 11 innately lovable and enjoyable to make use of. I am unable to actually clarify why, however each time I take a look at it, I simply wish to decide it up and use it. It is also nice that it comes with the duvet, keyboard, and charger within the field for no further cost. It’s a little disappointing that the pen isn’t included, however you possibly can’t win all of them.

The Duet 11 has loads going for it, the obvious of which is the attractive display. It sports activities a ten.95-inch 2K WUXGA (1920 x 1200) show with a 16:10 display ratio and a 400 nit peak brightness. These numbers and letters translate into a really crisp show with stunning colours and nice brightness, ultimate for searching, watching movies, and extra.

If you wish to do pill issues, the Duet 11 is appropriate with any USI 2.0 stylus. Nonetheless, a Lenovo USI Pen 2 will provide you with a “paper-like writing expertise” and additional performance. The Duet additionally has a pleasant spot for the Pen 2 to connect magnetically to the again of the Duet and match proper into the case, which is a pleasant contact. Sadly, I could not check this since my evaluate mannequin didn’t embrace the Pen 2.

I’ve typically discovered that Android and ChromeOS pill cameras should not good. The photographs they take are often grainy, do not seize a lot element, and solely work in the perfect of sunshine. Actually, all I’ve discovered them to be good for is scanning paperwork, and even then, the outcomes differ wildly. You possibly can say many of the identical in regards to the cameras on the Duet 11, however they’re positively higher than most tablets. Do not get me mistaken — the 8MP rear shooter is actually not higher than your smartphone’s digicam, however it will probably take serviceable images. It is also very able to scanning paperwork, which I count on to be the primary use case.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 digicam reel

The front-facing 5 MP digicam isn’t probably the most wonderful front-facing digicam I’ve ever used. Nonetheless, it is positively higher than common and is greater than able to recording a video or attending a video assembly. It is fairly similar to the digicam on an Asus Chromebook Plus CX34, which has an ideal front-facing digicam. The stand-out function right here is the bodily privateness shutter, which is product of sturdy aluminum and locks into place reassuringly.

The flexibility and portability of the Duet 5 is the stand-out function right here. It is compact and light-weight, which makes it extremely simple to hold round. The kickstand design is fairly helpful for the reason that hinge is thicker on one finish than the opposite. This implies it may be used to prop up the machine in portrait or panorama orientation. When the machine is propped up in portrait orientation, the display is tilted again barely because of the design of the hinge, which could be very effectively thought via. Utilizing the machine in portrait orientation will be helpful for note-taking, enjoying video games, or consuming YouTube shorts or TikToks.

Whereas they don’t seem to be the bassiest, the audio system are extremely loud and sound nice whether or not you are watching a YouTube video or listening to music on Spotify.

Along with the hinge enabling completely different orientations, the position of the twin USB-C ports is right for switching modes. When utilizing the machine in panorama orientation, there’s a USB-C port on the left facet of the machine to make it simple to cost. When utilizing the machine in portrait orientation, there’s a USB-C port on the proper facet. Having the ports in a number of locations means charging the machine or plugging in equipment is straightforward in both orientation and will not pull the machine over. Charging with the USB-C ports will not be widespread since I’ve gotten about 12 hours of battery life out of the machine, which is nice.

Talking of the perimeters of the Duet, there’s additionally a 3.5mm audio/microphone jack on the left facet of the machine and 1W audio system on the left and proper of the machine. With a tool this small, I used to be apprehensive that the audio system can be one of many trade-offs for the sake of portability, however that isn’t the case. Whereas they don’t seem to be the bassiest, they’re extremely loud and sound nice whether or not you are watching a YouTube video or listening to music on Spotify.

What’s unhealthy in regards to the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024)?

Portability has its downsides

Whereas I’m a fan of the portability of the Duet 11, it does have some trade-offs. The keyboard, whereas strong and compact, has a tough dimension and structure for somebody with massive palms like me to sort on. I typically discover myself mistyping phrases or keyboard shortcuts as a result of my palms are so cramped on the keyboard. I perceive that being moveable implies that the keyboard needs to be small, however I actually discover it exhausting to consider that an grownup can sort for lengthy durations on this keyboard. It has nearly the other challenge of the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024), which I felt had too massive a keyboard for me to make use of fairly.

It is good that the keyboard, pen, and canopy case connect through magnets, however I have never discovered them robust sufficient to be dependable. I am unable to even depend the variety of instances that I’ve gone to open the kickstand and by accident popped off the duvet. Snapping it again on once more is straightforward, however it should not pop off as simply because it does. I had the same challenge with the keyboard. When you decide up the pill and shake it even a tiny bit, like when strolling throughout a room, it falls off fairly simply. These things must be related to the pill to prop it up or sort with it, so it is essential that they are related as solidly as attainable.

One other minor annoyance is how tough it’s to open the machine. There is no handy deal with or notch to assist open it. Given the pill’s weight and the duvet’s looseness, getting a superb grip is difficult. I’ve tried opening it from varied angles, however it requires a variety of drive, making it difficult to open with only one hand.

My greatest frustration with the Duet 5 is utilizing it on a non-flat floor. The durability of the kickstand and keyboard rapidly crumble when used on a lap or whereas mendacity down with my legs propped up, which is how I most frequently use my computer systems. Pill-first two-in-ones have traditionally struggled with this, however I am unable to assist being disenchanted anyway. If I am mendacity down with my legs propped up, the 50-degree vary of movement of the hinge makes it tough to make use of the Duet 11 with out straining my neck or knocking the machine over. If the hinge labored extra just like the Microsoft Floor Professional’s, I feel it could be far more helpful. I additionally discover the versatile connecting material between the keyboard and pill so as to add to the frustration with the machine, very like the Pixel Slate years in the past.

I’ve additionally run into periodic efficiency points with the Duet 11. The MediaTek Kompanio 838 is a good processor that works effectively more often than not, however it’s not with out efficiency points. I’ve typically discovered it a bit laggy and sluggish when doing complicated duties and switching between apps continuously. There have additionally been quite a few cases the place I’ve turned on the machine, tapped on an app or pinned web site on my Shelf, and nothing occurred. Irrespective of what number of instances I clicked or tapped on the app or web site and tried to open it, it by no means labored. After a restart, the machine began working as anticipated, however it nonetheless occurs extra typically than I might like. This could possibly be a ChromeOS software program challenge, however the machine has the latest steady replace, so I am unsure precisely what’s inflicting it.

Do you have to purchase it?

Good worth for the cash

ChromeOS tablets are a tough promote as a result of there’s not an ideal use case for them. I personally haven’t discovered a variety of use for a pill, particularly a ChromeOS pill, so it is not my type issue of selection. However should you’re an artist, signal a variety of paperwork, or simply plan to eat a variety of content material, then perhaps a pill is smart. When you’re certainly one of these individuals, the Duet 11 might be the perfect Chromebook pill on the market.

If you do not have a robust use case for a pill, then I might most likely keep on with a extra conventional Chromebook. You will get some nice Chromebooks with related efficiency and specs for the same worth, just like the Acer Chromebook Plus 515. You could possibly snag a barely costlier Chromebook Plus mannequin with further AI options on sale for the same worth, just like the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus. Both method, a standard Chromebook laptop computer can have much more usable keyboard and will likely be a lot simpler to make use of in your lap than the Duet 5. Whereas I discover the Duet 5 to be an enthralling machine, I think a clamshell Chromebook will likely be a greater possibility for most individuals.