14 DAY TRIAL // Everyone who has a stake in the laptop and tablet markets is launching a new tablet these days, and Lenovo has gladly made its move, releasing a slate running the Windows 8 operating system.
This actually isn't the first we've seen of the Lenovo Miix. The device actually showed up on our radar a few weeks ago, during Computex 2013. What we have here is a 10.1-inch version of the slate though, not of 8 inches.
Computex took place in Taipei, Taiwan, between June 4 and June 8. Miix was just one of many products previewed there, despite availability being scheduled for later.
We'll start by saying that this isn't one of those laptops without a keyboard. Which is to say, it doesn't have the best hardware in the world.
Sure, it boasts 64 GB of NAND Flash storage and up to 32 GB more through a microSD card slot, but that's the only above-par hardware part really.
The 2 GB of RAM are below the 4 GB we'd have expected, and the Atom dual-core system-on-chip definitely doesn't have anything over, say, the Core i5 in the Samsung Ativ Q.
“Users don’t want to choose between a laptop and a tablet. They want both without compromise, and Lenovo Miix delivers,” said Bai Peng, vice president and general manager, notebook business unit, Lenovo Business Group.
“Bringing touch to our laptops is about more than adding a touch-enabled screen. It requires a rethink of the way we interact with our devices, starting with the expectations of customers for a fluid, intuitive user experience. With these devices, touch becomes mainstream.”
The LCD is another thing that doesn't stand out, at 10.1 inches and resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, although the fact that it is an IPS panel does, at least, ensure wide viewing angles.
Other specifications include Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, Optional 3G connectivity (SIM card slot), and a battery life of 10 hours.
Sales should start soon, for $500 / €378 – 500, $550 / €415 – 550 with the folio case/detachable keyboard.