I like low-cost laptops. Extra precisely, I like good low-cost laptops… however these will be onerous to search out. For each hundred bucks that will get trimmed off a laptop computer’s value, its options, design and efficiency all usually take a success. However once I discover one which rises above Black Friday doorbuster degree, it is one thing to cheer about. 

Should you want a funds laptop computer that appears first rate, has a satisfactory keyboard, is sufficiently small to go wherever and is versatile sufficient to double as a video-streaming pill, then try the Lenovo Duet Chromebook. It is not particularly quick, and the touchpad is not nice, nevertheless it’s nonetheless top-of-the-line computer systems you should purchase for underneath $400. Simply notice that it makes a greater secondary or journey laptop computer than a main gadget — which is one thing I might say about nearly any 11-inch laptop computer. 

8.1

Lenovo Duet 3

$379 at Finest Purchase

$500 at Walmart

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Like

• Features a keyboard cowl
• Works as a laptop computer or pill
• Wonderful total worth

Do not Like

• Touchpad is not nice
• Slower efficiency
• No headphone jack

Presently promoting for $379, that is an 11-inch ChromeOS pill with a keyboard cowl and kickstand. Meaning it could actually work as a standalone touchscreen pill, or as a clamshell-like pocket book. In that manner, it is sort of like a less expensive Microsoft Floor 2-in-1. The model examined right here has 64GB of eMMC storage, however the mannequin in shops proper now has 128GB, which is a plus. 

Microsoft already makes a funds Floor, the most-recent model of which is named the Floor Go 3. It is $400 and runs Home windows as an alternative of ChromeOS, and has an Intel processor as an alternative of the Snapdragon 7c right here. However the greatest sensible distinction to me is that the Lenovo Duet consists of its fairly darn good keyboard cowl within the field, whereas Microsoft forces you to purchase its keyboard cowl for an additional $100 to $129, relying on the colour. When procuring at this finish of the funds pool, a 25% premium to get the keyboard (which is a must have) makes an enormous distinction.

As a Chromebook, the Duet is much less succesful than a Home windows gadget in some respects, however as fashionable Chromebooks can run nearly any Android app, the use instances the place this might make an actual distinction to you proceed to slim. And head-to-head, a sub-$500 pc operating ChromeOS is often going to really feel speedier and extra responsive than a equally priced Home windows PC, due to the lighter OS. 

Learn extra: Easy methods to Purchase a Price range Laptop computer in 2022

Keyboard and kickstand 

I’ve all the time mentioned the keyboard cowl design and construct high quality are the very best issues concerning the Floor line, and that is true for the Lenovo Duet as effectively. The Lenovo keyboard is equally strong, not flimsy like another clip-on keyboards, and its smallish keys have wonderful depth and a satisfying clacky really feel. The tiny touchpad, in distinction, is the one most annoying factor about this technique — it is usable, however would not really feel as correct or responsive as I might like. 

This is a fast ChromeOS trackpad tip. If you wish to get a extra acquainted Home windows-like really feel, leap into the system settings, positioned at Settings > System > Touchpad, and ensure tap-to-click and faucet dragging are each enabled. 

For infrequent long-form typing, I may get by with this keyboard cowl. However for severe modifying, which requires navigating throughout a doc with the touchpad, it wasn’t enjoyable. However truthfully that is asking rather a lot from such a reasonable gadget. 

In contrast to the Floor line, which has a wonderful built-in kickstand, the kickstand here’s a separate again cowl piece that magnetically snaps onto the again of the system, and matches the aesthetic of the keyboard cowl. You may take it off for a very stripped-down slate look, however I do not know why you’d trouble. 

A good show 

The show is one other robust level, with a 2,000×1,200 display screen decision and an 11-inch (actually 10.9-inch) display screen. Lenovo additionally makes a bigger 13-inch Duet with a good higher OLED show that is usually on sale for underneath $500, and that is price a glance when you want one thing bigger. The IPS touchscreen right here was greater than acceptable for video streaming and productiveness, with a max brightness of 400 nits. 

Since it is so small and light-weight, lower than 1.2 kilos with simply the display screen (or simply over 2 kilos with the keyboard and again cowl), that is nice for holding one-handed in panorama mode for prolonged studying classes. 

Efficiency and battery life

As a performer… effectively, this is not on the speedy aspect, even amongst current Chromebooks. I undoubtedly felt it when hitting a dozen or extra open tabs within the Chrome browser. In benchmark checks, it was center of the pack. 

Nonetheless, operating Android apps needs to be high-quality, because the Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU right here is just like what you may discover in some telephones. From the Google Play retailer, I attempted a few current Android video games with first rate graphics, together with Diablo Immortal. The free-to-play motion RPG performed high-quality, however was restricted to decrease in-game graphics settings, together with a 30fps versus 60fps body fee. 

I additionally tried cloud gaming through Xbox Cloud Gaming. For that, I performed through the Chrome browser. When you have a strong web connection, it may be a really satisfying different to downloaded video games, and cloud gaming is barely going to change into an increasing number of mainstream. On this explicit case, I had bother getting my Bluetooth controller acknowledged by the Xbox cloud gaming app, so I hardwired my controller through USB-C. 

You continue to run into occasional compatibility points with Chromebooks. Whereas most apps and cloud providers right here labored as anticipated, I could not get Adobe’s beta cloud model of Photoshop to run, as an alternative getting an incompatible browser message.

And whereas I just like the Duet total, there are a number of different issues that is perhaps a dealbreaker for you. The keyboard cowl is included, however a stylus will not be. Any USI pen will do, and there is a rubber holder that snaps into the again cowl when you resolve to get the official Lenovo model, which is $35.  

You’ve got solely received two USB-C ports for charging, which will be limiting (nevertheless it’s additionally the identical as a MacBook Air). And doubtlessly most vital, there isn’t any headphone/audio jack. 

If these flaws aren’t deadly, the Lenovo Duet Three makes an awesome second or journey laptop computer. I might be hard-pressed to make use of it as an all-day, day by day gadget – but when I solely needed to spend $400 on a laptop computer, I might even be hard-pressed to think about an total higher possibility.

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