Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook: Tablet Killer? (look through) | Tech Reddy

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As more and more applications move to the cloud, do we need a full-fledged Windows PC? If we use a tablet instead, which operating system should we use? Could Google’s efficient and affordable Chrome OS be enough for our needs? So many questions! For some answers, we took a look at the Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook to see if it’s up to the task.

Lenovo Ideapad Duet 5 Chromebook look through

Price (RRP) From $649
Website Lenovo
From Lenovo, Officeworks, JBHiFi, Big Lee and select retailers
Warranty 24 months
Manual or Support pages User Guide
Country of manufacture Slovakia
About the: Lenovo provides a complete portfolio of computers and tablets, monitors, accessories, smartphones, smart home and collaboration solutions, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), commercial Internet of Things (IoT), software, services and smart infrastructure data center solutions. around the world.

What can I do with my Chromebook?

We live in a connected world. If you go to Officeworks, it’s very difficult to buy stand-alone software that comes loaded onto your computer. Almost everything is now cloud-based and you use your browser to access online applications. Except for specialized apps that require special software or lots of computing resources, Chromebooks do the job. There is also an app that you can download from the Google App Store. Chromebooks support most Android apps. Although they don’t natively support Microsoft apps like Outlook or Word, you can run Office 365 through a Chromebook browser.

Small Business Answers, our sister company, has put together a guide on how you can use a Chromebook for business, and the resounding answer is yes. The notion that this is just a computer for education is very wrong. More Chromebook features are added regularly through software updates, making it a versatile platform for work and play.

Why should you consider a Chromebook?

For starters, Chromebooks are significantly less expensive than many PCs because of their much lower hardware requirements. Additionally, Chromebooks don’t come with a lot of “bloatware” (unwanted pre-installed software) that many manufacturers cram into their devices. This makes things simple and you need an IT Guy to solve the problems.

Another advantage is that Chromebooks are lightweight and compact. They consume much less power, so the batteries are smaller and last all day. It takes up less storage space and is great for on-the-go. In addition, Chromebooks provide instant startup capabilities; They are ready to access information without needing to load a lot of code to start and open at the click of a button.

Chromebooks also take full advantage of cloud infrastructure. Cloud storage means you rarely run out of capacity and your data is backed up automatically. Although Chromebooks are designed to work online, you can access files when you need to without an internet connection.

Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook product image

Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook features

Stripping away the keyboard, the 13.3-inch screen tablet is pretty clean, with just two USB-C ports, one on either side, a power button, and two volume buttons. The touchscreen display uses OLED technology, which means you get the best screen quality currently available, providing excellent blacks and vibrant colors. Another advantage is that it emits 70% less blue light, dramatically reducing eye strain compared to an LCD display.

The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook features Wi-Fi 6 technology for faster internet speeds and Bluetooth 5.1 support for connecting additional peripherals such as a mouse, keyboard, and headset.

There are two models with similar specifications except for memory and local storage. The lower spec has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, while the top model has 8GB of Ram and 256GB of storage.

Measuring 306mm x 187mm x 7.2mm and weighing just 1.02kg, the Duet 5 is small enough to carry easily. It includes a protective magnetic back that doubles as a stand and removable (magnetic) keyboard. Remove both and you have a smaller, lighter tablet.

Why is the Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook a killer tablet?

Let’s say you need a large tablet with a screen of about 13 inches. We also have to assume that you are an average user who doesn’t need hardcore gaming or video editing. Of course, you can still play games and edit simple videos on this tablet, just don’t expect to run the latest Call of duty or Adobe Premiere Pro.

Also, your choice of operating system doesn’t make the difference it used to. Whether you choose Android, Windows, or iOS, most of your interactions will be in a browser or app. Works on almost any operating system you want.

Select 13-inch tablet (in-store prices):
  • Samsung Tab S8 12.4-inch screen starts at $1,499, 14.6-inch screen starts at $1,797
  • Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch screen $1,647
  • Microsoft Surface Pro 8 i5 Intel 13-inch screen $1,548
  • Microsoft Surface Go Arm processor 10.5-inch screen $796
  • Lenovo Duet 5 13.3-inch screen $597

One advantage the Duet 5 has over its competitors is its detachable keyboard. None of the units listed above include a keyboard, resulting in hundreds of extra dollars if you need something to type on. It might not sound the same under the hood, but the average user won’t notice any difference. The price is the most expensive, allowing you to buy another one in a few years with improved technology and still be ahead.

A stylus is optional

Using a Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook

I’ve been using the Duet 5 every day for four weeks now, and it’s so flexible that it allows me to answer emails at the kitchen table or watch Netflix in bed. The keyboard and mouse pad are comfortable to use, but also easy to remove. The magnetic keyboard attachment snaps into place when you close the screen and keyboard.

The audio on this Chromebook is a bit tinny, but adequate for most scenarios. For example, when watching Youtube, I choose to listen to the audio through a set of headphones, which solves the main problem and has the added benefit of not disturbing others. I also choose to use a separate Bluetooth mouse as a personal preference when doing any serious typing.

If I’m working on my large monitor at my desk, I mirror my Chromebook’s screen via the USB-C port. For convenience, my files are stored in the cloud on both Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive.

Or the USB-C port can be used to charge the battery, which is convenient to connect to the left or right port. battery life is excellent; I only charge it once every two days. Lenovo quotes 15 hours of battery life, depending on what you use it for. I never used the supplied charger and just used a simple USB-C or Samsung phone charger attached to my monitor. Note that the phone charger is not strong enough to light the charging light, but if left overnight will restore the unit to full power.

GadgetGuy’s Take

The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook has a 13.3-inch OLED display that looks as much like a tablet as it does a laptop with a detachable magnetic keyboard. It’s a real tablet killer because it runs Android apps, has full internet browser functionality, and is cheaper than other tablets and tablet-like solutions for its large screen size.

With most apps in the cloud, you don’t need the processing power to be on your physical device. This Lenovo Chromebook does everything the average user needs, including streaming video and video conferencing.

Lenovo Ideapad Duet 5 Chromebook

Positive aspects

The OLED screen is great

Amazing value compared to other tablet solutions

Removable magnetic keyboard/case

Negative aspects

The voice is a little raspy

Learning a new operating system can take time

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