When looking at systems to compare the Duet 3 against, we looked at both similarly configured 2-in-1 detachables, like the Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3 (CM3000), the HP Chromebook x2 (2021) and the Editors' Choice-winning Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook. Testing the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook: Qualcomm Satisfies With a keyboard and touchpad for navigation, it works great for online-heavy laptop use, but the tablet functionality makes it especially great for Android apps, whether those are games or productivity tools. While the display may be a bit small, the 2-in-1 tablet design offered on the Duet 3 may be the best collection of features for the modern ChromeOS experience. But the overall quality isn't fantastic, and we'd recommend a pair of wireless headphones-bearing in mind, of course that there is no headphone jack on the Duet 3. Oddly enough, Lenovo doesn't list any compatible pens in its accessory finder tool, though it does sell one older USI pen for Chromebooks for $34.99.Ī pair of 1-watt stereo speakers offers adequate sound, so you can enjoy streaming a show on YouTube or Netflix. Unfortunately, though it supports USI 2.0 stylus pens, it doesn't come with one. It’s no match for the OLED display used on the larger Lenovo Duet 5, but it’s a fine showing given the size and price of the Duet 3.Īs a tablet, the Duet 3 has a touch screen with multitouch support, and Lenovo does one better by offering stylus support as well. The resolution is enhanced with a 400-nit backlight, which makes for vibrant colors and good visibility in all sorts of lighting conditions. The 10.9-inch Duet 3 tablet has a glossy IPS panel featuring 2,000-by-1,200-pixel resolution, which looks quite good given the small size of the screen. (So, Bluetooth headphones are also an option.) The Display and Audio: Good Enough, for the Bucks But simply plugging in a spare set of wired headphones is out of the question.Īdditionally, the Duet 3 has support for both Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless connectivity. This means that you can either use a USB-C to headphone adapter, or you can use USB-C headphones. And, you'll need to use those same USB-C ports for headphones. Those USB-C ports can be used for power, or can be used with an adapter for USB, HDMI, or Ethernet. The Duet 3 is outfitted with a pair of USB-C ports, one on either side of the detachable-tablet half of the machine. The rear facing camera, which can be used for capturing photos of the world around you, has a higher 8-megapixel resolution. The user-facing camera, which will be used for video chatting and other webcam functions, is a 5-megapixel camera. Embracing the unique aspect of the tablet design, Lenovo has outfitted the Duet 3 with front and rear cameras. There's also a hole in the back cover, which accommodates a rear-facing camera. It's a design that borrows more from the Microsoft Surface line of tablets than it does from the average Chromebook. The Duet 3 also has a back cover with a built-in kickstand, providing you support for the tablet in lieu of a regular laptop hinge. And with a touch screen close at hand, the touchpad isn't the only option for touch interaction. The touchpad is quite small-not unexpected given the dimensions of the keyboard cover-but it seemed to track all of my gestures and taps accurately. It's similar in most respects to the keyboard covers used on more expensive Microsoft Surface tablets, like the Microsoft Surface Pro 8, with convenient magnetic attachment and square tiled keys that offer a surprisingly good typing feel. The keys are comfortably spaced and thoughtfully shaped, and the switches offer a bit more vertical travel than the average keyboard cover. But the bigger surprise is that the keyboard, while small, offers a pretty great typing experience. The keyboard cover is included with the tablet, which is a pleasant surprise given that many 2-in-1 designs, such as the Microsoft Surface Go 2, sell their keyboard separately. Instead, it's a 2-in-1 detachable design, pairing an 11-inch tablet with a magnetically attached keyboard that doubles as a screen cover. The Lenovo Duet 3 Chromebook eschews the standard laptop clamshell form factor that's so common among Chrome machines.
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